Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad

A fresh, sweet, and crunchy salad packed with crisp apples, tangy dried cranberries, buttery pecans, and fresh greens. Perfect as a light lunch, side dish, or holiday salad!

Ingredients

For the Salad:

4 cups mixed salad greens
2 medium apples, chopped
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
2 tbsp chopped red onion (optional)

For the Dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil
1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Wash and dry the salad greens.
Chop the apples into bite-sized pieces.
Add the greens, apples, dried cranberries, and pecans to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad.
Toss gently until everything is well combined.
Add feta cheese if desired.
Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipe Details

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Nutrition Information (Approx. per serving)

Calories: 250 kcal
Protein: 3g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fat: 15g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 20g

Nut Information

Contains pecans (tree nuts).

For a nut-free version, simply leave out the pecans or replace them with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

Q&A

Q: Can I make this salad ahead of time?
A: Yes! Prepare the ingredients ahead, but add the apples and dressing just before serving for the best freshness.

Q: What apples work best?
A: Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Granny Smith are all great choices.

Q: Can I use another nut?
A: Yes! Walnuts, almonds, or cashews can be used instead of pecans.

Q: How do I keep the apples from turning brown?
A: Toss the chopped apples with a little lemon juice before adding them to the salad.

Q: Is this salad vegetarian?
A: Yes, if prepared with vegetarian-friendly feta cheese.

Author
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Sara Mitchell

Sara Mitchell is an expert restaurant content creator who writes easy-to-read guides about CAVA and other Mediterranean fast-casual chains in the United States. She covers locations, menus, prices, and hours, making it simple for visitors to find nearby restaurants and what to order quickly.

With years of experience in restaurant research and local SEO, Sara creates accurate, user-friendly guides that work for both people and search engines. Her goal is to help users go from search results to their nearest restaurant or menu choice with as few clicks as possible.