Looking for a delicious salad recipe with all the fall vibes? This cranberry apple quinoa salad recipe checks all those boxes. Made with fresh, crisp apples, dried cranberries, pecans and topped with a simple apple cider vinaigrette, this cranberry apple salad is easy enough for lunch but delicious enough as a Thanksgiving side salad!
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If you love recipes that include cranberries, be sure to check out my White Chocolate Chip Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies and my Cranberry Moscow Mules – both of these are fantastic for your next holiday party!
Looking for a salad with some serious flavor and crunch? This delicious cranberry apple salad with pecans and quinoa is a must-try! Made with apples, dried cranberries, celery, pecans, it can be paired with chicken for a lunch or served as a side dish for a holiday meal.
In this post I’ll show you how to make this simple salad, how to make the dressing, what ingredients you’ll need, and the best way to prep it for a holiday meal.
What do I need to make cranberry apple salad?
- Spring Mix – for this recipe I used a spring mix lettuce blend for the base of the salad. You could also use arugula, baby spinach, red leaf lettuce or any other greens of your choice.
- Quinoa – I used a tri-color quinoa for this salad, however, feel free to use any quinoa blend that you have available. Cook according to package directions.
- Apple – choose a fresh, crisp apple with a some sweetness. I used a Honeycrisp apple for this recipe, but you could also use a Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Jazz or even a Red Delicious.
- Dried Cranberries – store-bought dried cranberries typically include large amounts of added sugar, so I found a 50% less sugar option. I also like to dry my own homemade dried cranberries and store in my freezer.
- Celery – this adds some great texture and crunch to the salad.
- Green onions – these a fantastic for flavor. You could also use red onions, or try my easy pickled red onions, which are perfectly sweet, crisp and fantastic in a salad.
- Pecan Halves – these are fantastic in any salad and add a great crunch to every bite. You could also use candied pecans for a little extra sweetness.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
How do I make apple quinoa salad?
To make this salad, begin by cooking your quinoa according to package directions. When you add the quinoa to the salad you’ll want it to be cooled. Feel free to refrigerate the quinoa after cooking to help speed up the cooling process.
To a large salad bowl, add the spring mix or your preferred salad greens. To the greens, add the cooled quinoa, chopped apples, diced celery, dried cranberries, diced onions and pecan halves.
What dressing is best on a cranberry apple salad?
I chose to make this delicious, tangy apple cider vinaigrette, which goes perfectly with the sweet apples and cranberries.
To make this apple cider vinaigrette you’ll need apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic powder, garlic salt and ground pepper. Simply whisk these together in a small bowl before pouring onto the salad.
Love making your own salad dressing? Here are some of my other favorite homemade salad dressing recipes:
- Lemon Olive Oil Dressing
- Honey Balsamic Dressing
- Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing
- Healthy Homemade Italian Dressing Recipe
- Creamy Poppyseed Dressing Recipe
- Healthy Caesar Dressing
- Avocado Lime Dressing
Ingredient Substitutions and Recommendations:
- Blue Cheese or Goat Cheese crumbles – these would add a great creaminess to the salad.
- Almonds, Pistachios or Sunflower Seeds – if you’re not a fan of pecans, substitute one of these other nuts for a savory crunch.
- Pickled red onions – instead of the green onions, try adding pickled red onions, which are crisp and slightly sweet.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the post. Thanks!
Frequently asked questions about storing and serving cranberry apple quinoa salad:
Yes, this salad can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance of your holiday meal, keeping it covered and stored in the refrigerator. I would recommend storing the pecans and dressing separately. Add the nuts and dress the salad just before serving.
Apples that are slightly tart, crisp and sweet are ideal for a salad. Honeycrisp, Jazz, Pink Lady, Granny Smith and Red Delicious are all great apple varieties for adding to a salad.
Yes, this apple cider vinaigrette dressing can be made and stored in the refrigerator. If you are preparing the salad in advance for a holiday meal, store the dressing in a separate container and dress the salad just before serving.
Yes, this salad is great paired with grilled chicken to make it an entre salad. You could also add leftover turkey (from Thanksgiving) to this salad, as a great day-after-Thanksgiving lunch.
Love cooking with cranberries? Check out some of our other delicious cranberry recipes:
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce with Apricots and Orange
- Cranberry Fluff Salad
- Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars
- Cranberry Chicken Salad
- Cranberry Almond Coffee Cake
- No Bake Cranberry Energy Bites
- Healthy Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Crock Pot Cranberry Sauce Meatballs
- Cranberry Turkey Roll Ups
If you loved this cranberry salad recipe, check out some of our other salad ideas:
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Cranberry Apple Salad
Equipment
- Cutting Boards Ideal for chopping and slicing ingredients. Fantastic kitchen tool for any home cook!
- Santoku Knife A must-have knife for chopping and slicing fruits and vegetables.
- Salad Dressing Storage Jar Fantastic for mixing and storing salad dressing.
Ingredients
- 5 oz. Spring mix greens
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked (about 3/4 cup dry quinoa)
- 1 cup celery, sliced about 3 stalks
- 1 cup apple, diced
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup pecan halves
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced about 3 trimmed green onions
For Apple Cider Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- In a saucepan, cook the quinoa according to package directions. You'll need 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa, so you'll likely need about 3/4 cup of dry quinoa. Once cooked, allow quinoa to cool. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
- To a large salad bowl, add the Spring mix or you preferred salad greens. Add in the chopped apple, sliced celery, sliced green onion, cranberries, pecans and quinoa.
- For the dressing: In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, olive oil, garlic powder, garlic salt and pepper.
- Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss together well to coat all ingredients. Serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition
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