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Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad

Apple cranberry pecan salad with crisp apples, dried cranberries, and candied pecans, tossed with a quick poppy seed vinaigrette. Best served immediately for bright flavor and tender-but-crisp greens.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

baby spinach or spring mix
  • 6 cup baby spinach or spring mix
apples
  • 2 apples thinly sliced
dried cranberries
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries
candied pecans
  • 0.5 cup candied pecans
blue cheese or feta
  • 0.5 cup blue cheese or feta crumbled
red onion
  • 0.25 small red onion thinly sliced
olive oil
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
honey
  • 2 tbsp honey
poppy seeds
  • 1 tsp poppy seeds
Dijon mustard
  • 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt pinch

Method
 

Make the poppy seed dressing
  1. Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, and salt until smooth and honey is fully dissolved.
Assemble the salad
  1. Place baby spinach or spring mix in a large bowl, then spread it out so the toppings distribute evenly.
  2. Top with thinly sliced apples in an even layer over the greens for crisp texture.
  3. Sprinkle dried cranberries over the salad so bursts of tart-sweet flavor show in every bite.
  4. Add candied pecans to the top layer for crunchy sweetness and visible nut pieces.
  5. Scatter crumbled blue cheese or feta across the surface so it melts slightly from the vegetables’ temperature.
  6. Add thinly sliced red onion in small streaks for a sharp, fresh bite.
Dress and serve
  1. Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the salad just before serving for greens that stay crisp.
  2. Toss gently with a light folding motion, then serve immediately and adjust salt to taste if needed.

Notes

For the crispiest texture, slice the apples and assemble toppings, but keep the dressing separate until just before eating. Store assembled salad components (except dressing) in the fridge up to 24 hours; refrigerate dressed salad up to 1 day, though greens may soften. Freezing is not recommended. For a dairy-light option, swap feta for crumbled vegan feta or omit cheese and add an extra pinch of salt.