Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (2024)

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By Heather 6 Comments

I absolutely love cranberries! In fact I bought a few too many this year, since they are in season! I created this easy cranberry salad, that is so simple, yet bursting with flavor! This is not your grandmother’s cranberry salad!

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (1)

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Why is this easy cranberry salad so different? You take fresh cranberries and roast them! This makes them a touch sweeter and mixed with a little cinnamon and salt you get a super flavorful topping to your greens!

I added some sunflower seeds and celery for crunch and a basic homemade dressing! This is a perfect lunch to make ahead or a fresh, healthy side for dinner!

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (2)

This is also a great recipe to use leftover cranberries from holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. I always add a few extra bags of berries to my cart in the fall since cranberries freeze really well.

I think this recipe is a great substitute for the sugar filled dried cranberries that are popular on salads. You have the option of using honey or go totally sugar free with liquid unflavored stevia. I have directions for both in the recipe.

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (3)

Roasting Cranberries Tips

  • I line my baking sheets with either parchment paper or a slipmat. This makes clean up way easier and not berries stuck to the sheet pan.
  • Make sure to use a rimmed baking sheet, cranberries will roll all over the place.
  • Try different flavor combinations when roasting. Pumpkin pie spice would be delicious!

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (4)

Easy Cranberry Salad in Summery:

  • Roast the cranberries ahead or in bulk to save time!
  • The roasted cranberries are a great addition to oatmeal, or even cookies!
  • Use a simple dressing so the cranberry flavor can shine through!

Let’s get cooking!

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (5)

Take the slightly tart flavor of cranberries to the next level by roasting them! Turn a boring salad into a show stopper!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 cups spinach
  • 4 cups lettuce
  • 4 cups cranberries
  • Adrizzle of olive oil
  • 2 tbs honey ( optional, but it will be more tart)
  • OR 5-10 drops stevia
  • 1 tsp smoked or regular salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup sunflower seeds - either raw or roasted salted your preferance
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • Dressing:
  • 2 tablespoons herb flavored olive oil ( sub in regular and add a pinch of Italian seasoning)
  • 1/2 tbs lemon juice
  • 1/2 tbs vinegar- apple cider or red wine work well
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees
  2. On a parchment lined baking sheet- spread out the cranberries in one layer
  3. Give the berries a light drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and cinnamon, and finally the honey.
  4. If using stevia instead of honey, measure the olive oil into another dish you can pour from and mix the stevia into the olive oil so it is evenly distributed.
  5. Shake the roasting pan a bit to get the ingredients all over the cranberries.
  6. Roast at 400 degrees about 20 minutes.
  7. Add the spinach, lettuce, celery, sunflower seeds and roasted cranberries to your salad bowl.
  8. In a small bowl, add the olive oil, lemon, vinegar and salt, whisk together and drizzle on the salad.
  9. Serve! If you want to keep leftovers, do not dress the salad as once dressed it won't keep!

Notes

You can use any combination of lettuce and greens you like!

If you wanted to make extra cranberries, they go very well in oatmeal!

You could change out the olive oil to melted coconut oil, or avocado oil. if you prefer for the cranberries.

Honey is optional if you are avoiding sweeteners, but does make the berries a little less tart!See directions for how to use liquid stevia.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1/4th recipe

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191

I hope you’ve enjoyed this easy cranberry salad recipe!

Cheers,

Heather

P.S. if you are looking for another favorite way to cook with cranberries try my Spiced Apple and Pumpkin One Pan Dinner

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather says

    December 13, 2016 at 11:45 pm

    Love cranberries!

    Reply

  2. Jennifer says

    December 6, 2017 at 5:15 am

    We are cranberry farmers and I’ve used cranberries in just about every way conceivable, except roasting. What a great idea. I can’t wait to try this for Christmas dinner this year.

    Reply

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Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (2024)

FAQs

How to make salads that are actually good? ›

How to Make a Salad You'll Actually Want to Eat
  1. 1: Think Beyond Lettuce and Greens.
  2. 2: Add Heft with Grains and Nuts.
  3. 3: Add Beans or Other Proteins.
  4. 4: Make Your Own Homemade Salad Dressing.
  5. 5: Make it a Flavor Party.
Jan 18, 2024

What is the closest berry to cranberry? ›

Red currants are the closest substitute for cranberries if you can't find cranberries in any form. They have a similar tart flavor and work well as a 1:1 substitute in most recipes. Food.com has a recipe for red currant sauce if you can't make cranberry sauce.

Can dried cranberries be substituted for fresh? ›

Can I substitute dried cranberries in recipes that call for fresh cranberries? Yes, dried cranberries work well in baked goods; however there is a ¼ cup difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, use ¾ cup of sweetened dried cranberries.

Why do restaurant salads taste better than homemade? ›

Restaurants salt their salads.

This resulted in every bite tasting vibrant and flavorful. "Season your salad just like you would anything else," Simpson said. "Salt is a big difference between salads at home and salads in a restaurant." This doesn't mean you have to make your salads salty!

How do restaurants get their salads so crisp? ›

The Keys to Crisp Lettuce

Lettuce actually needs a good amount of airflow, in addition to a bit of moisture (but not too much!), in order to stay crisp. That's why restaurants store their lettuce in special perforated bins that allow for air circulation while it's held in the fridge.

Why is my cranberry salad runny? ›

One possibility is that you may not have used enough sugar: Sugar helps the sauce firm up, so be sure to use the full amount called for in a recipe. Another possibility is that the cranberries need to boil for longer, releasing their pectin and ensuring a jelly consistency.

Why should cranberries not be eaten raw? ›

Is it safe to eat cranberries raw? Cranberries are generally considered safe whether they are cooked or raw. However, because of their notoriously bitter, sharp taste, most people prefer not to eat them raw or unsweetened. This bitterness is due to the high tannin content of cranberries.

Is canned cranberry healthy? ›

Health Benefits

Cranberries are also rich in vitamin C and fiber, as well as the metabolism-boosting mineral manganese. And yes, you reap all these benefits whether the cranberry sauce on your holiday table is homemade or canned, jellied or whole-berry.

What 5 states grow cranberries? ›

Most cranberries come from Wisconsin and Massachusetts

Just five states grow almost all of the country's supply of the tart berries: Wisconsin produces more than half of all cranberries in the United States, Massachusetts harvests another third, and New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington produce much of the rest.

Are Craisins dried cranberries? ›

Dried cranberries may be marketed as craisins due to the similarity in appearance with raisins, although the word "Craisin" is a registered trademark of Ocean Spray. Craisins were introduced as part of a packaged cereal produced by Ralston Purina in 1989.

Are cranberries a fruit or vegetable? ›

Cranberries are a native North American fruit and a Thanksgiving staple for many families. Cranberries are potent sources of antioxidants, specifically from a subclass of flavonoids called proanthocyanidins, which are unique to and abundant in cranberries.

Can you use Craisins instead of cranberries? ›

Yes, Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a 1/4 cup (60 mL) difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175 mL) of Craisins®.

Why are there no cranberries in the stores? ›

* The availability of fresh cranberries is limited because the harvest season is very short. Harvesting begins in September and continues through November, and fresh cranberries may be purchased during that time.

Does Ocean Spray cranberry juice expire? ›

Ocean Spray juice products do not contain preservatives and must be capped tightly and refrigerated after opening. While we cannot say exactly how long our juice products will stay fresh after opening, in general they may be kept refrigerated for two to three weeks.

How to make salads taste good at home? ›

Do This to Make Restaurant-Quality Salads at Home
  1. Use the freshest ingredients. Pre-bagged salads may make life easier, but they taste kind of blah. ...
  2. Choose the right lettuce. ...
  3. Add some crunch. ...
  4. Add color. ...
  5. Include protein. ...
  6. Give it some bulk. ...
  7. Mix sweet with savory. ...
  8. Add herbs.
Jun 27, 2023

What can I add to my salad to make it better? ›

Add one or more of these protein-rich foods to your salad:
  1. lean meat: chicken or turkey breast, lean steak.
  2. lower-fat cheese: light cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, feta, goat cheese.
  3. legumes: kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, white or black beans.
  4. eggs: hard boiled.
  5. soy products: cubed tofu, edamame.

What are 5 components of a satisfying salad? ›

There are five elements to a perfect salad: greens, sweetness, creaminess, crunchiness, and dressing.

What are the 5 basic types of salads? ›

The five basic types of salad are green salads (tossed or composed), bound, vegetable, fruit, and combination. The five basic salads that can be served throughout the course of a meal are starter, accompaniment, main course, intermezzo, and dessert.

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