Summer is the season for fresh, vibrant, and healthy meals, and there’s nothing quite like a refreshing salad to beat the heat. One of my new favorites, which combines both sweet and savory flavors, is the Cranberry Spinach Salad.
I found this salad in the cookbook Spinach for Green-Leafed Souls: Spinach Recipes to Eat Your Greens when I was looking for new ideas to use up the spinach I had. Turned out I actually had all the other ingredients on hand too, bonus I didn’t have to take a trip to the store!
Everyone loved the Spinach Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette that I made a couple of weeks ago but my husband said he liked this one even better. That’s awesome, now I have another healthy option to feed him this summer in addition to burgers or steaks on the grill.
The Cranberry Spinach Salad is a versatile, flavorful, and nutritious dish that’s perfect for summer. Its blend of sweet, savory, and tangy elements makes it a crowd-pleaser, whether you’re enjoying it at home or sharing it at a gathering.
Give this recipe a try and experience the delightful combination of flavors that make this salad a summer favorite!
What is Cranberry Spinach Salad?
Cranberry Spinach Salad is a fresh, nutritious, and flavorful dish that combines baby spinach leaves with dried cranberries, and toasted nuts, often pecans or walnuts.
The salad is typically dressed with a homemade vinaigrette made from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey or maple syrup, and Dijon mustard, which adds a tangy and slightly sweet flavor.
This salad can be enjoyed as a light meal, a side dish, or a vibrant addition to a picnic or barbecue. The combination of sweet, savory, and crunchy elements makes it a versatile and popular choice, especially during the warmer months.
Ingredients
- Cider vinegar
- Butter
- Spinach
- Sesame seeds, toasted
- White sugar
- Paprika
- Vegetable oil
- Almonds (blanched and slivered)
- Dried cranberries
- Poppy seeds
- Minced onion
- White wine vinegar
![Cranberry Spinach Salad Ingredients](https://i0.wp.com/recipesmadewithlove.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Cranberry-Spinach-Salad-Ingredients.jpg?resize=1000%2C627&ssl=1)
How to make Cranberry Spinach Salad
Heat the butter in a pan. Fry the almonds in the pan.
![Toasting Almonds](https://i0.wp.com/recipesmadewithlove.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Toasting-Almonds-2.jpg?resize=1000%2C688&ssl=1)
Transfer to a small bowl.
![Almonds with butter](https://i0.wp.com/recipesmadewithlove.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Almonds-with-butter.jpg?resize=1000%2C981&ssl=1)
Take a bowl and put the seeds, vegetable oil, poppy seeds, cider vinegar, sugar, vinegar, paprika, and onion in it.
![Salad Dressing](https://i0.wp.com/recipesmadewithlove.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Salad-Dressing.jpg?resize=1000%2C971&ssl=1)
In a large bowl add the spinach, almonds, and cranberries and mix well.
![Spinach with Almonds and Cranberries](https://i0.wp.com/recipesmadewithlove.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Spinach-with-Almonds-and-Cranberries.jpg?resize=1000%2C1031&ssl=1)
Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad just before serving. Gently toss the salad to ensure all the ingredients are well coated with the dressing.
Enjoy the yummy salad.
![Cranberry Spinach Salad](https://i0.wp.com/recipesmadewithlove.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Cranberry-Spinach-Salad.jpg?resize=1000%2C1028&ssl=1)
TOOLS FOR THIS RECIPE
(Amazon affiliate links)- These are the tools I use when making this recipe!
- Pyrex glass mixing bowl – The Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowl is handy to store in the fridge and freezer when you need to freeze contents or keep them fresh.
- GreenPan Frying Pan–GreenPan has the best frying pans, healthy nonstick and oven safe.
- Silicone Whisk– These whisks work great and they keep my pans scratch-free.
Cranberry Spinach Salad
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp. Butter
- Spinach rinsed and torn
- 2 tbsp. Sesame seeds toasted
- 1/2 cup White sugar
- 1 tsp. Paprika
- 1/2 cup Vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup Almonds blanched and slivered
- 1 cup Dried cranberries
- 1 tbsp. Poppy seeds
- 2 tsp. Minced onion
- 1/3 cup White wine vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a pan. Fry the almonds in the pan.
- Transfer to a small bowl.
- Take a bowl and put the seeds, vegetable oil, poppy seeds, cider vinegar, sugar, vinegar, paprika, and onion in it.
- In a large bowl add the spinach, almonds, and cranberries and mix well.
- Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad just before serving. Gently toss the salad to ensure all the ingredients are well coated with the dressing.
- Enjoy the yummy salad.