Description
This One Pot Christmas Salad is a fresh, easy-to-make holiday salad featuring crisp spinach, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, and a homemade honey poppyseed dressing. Prepared in just 20 minutes, it combines festive flavors with a delightful texture perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 1/2 cup Olive oil
- 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Onion (Finely chopped)
- 1 tsp Dried mustard powder (Or Dijon mustard)
- 2 tsp Poppy seeds (Adjust according to preference)
- Salt (To taste)
- Pepper (To taste)
Salad
- 1 bag Spinach (16 oz. bag)
- 3/4 cup Pecans (Roughly chopped)
- 3/4 cup Cranberries (Dried, Sweetened)
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a large salad bowl, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, finely chopped onion, dried mustard powder, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper. Whisk thoroughly for at least one minute until the mixture is well blended and fragrant.
- Add the spinach: Add the whole bag of spinach to the bowl with the dressing. Toss gently but thoroughly to ensure all the spinach leaves are coated evenly with the dressing.
- Top with pecans and cranberries: Sprinkle the roughly chopped pecans and dried sweetened cranberries over the dressed spinach. Do not mix them in fully to keep some texture contrast.
- Serve immediately: Present the salad fresh for best flavor and texture. Enjoy this festive, fresh salad as a side or light meal.
Notes
- Adjust poppy seeds quantity to your taste preference for a milder or stronger flavor.
- Use fresh onions finely chopped to add a slight crunch and sharpness to the dressing.
- For a vegan option, substitute honey with maple syrup or agave nectar.
- Add sliced apples or pears for extra sweetness and crunch if desired.
- This salad is best served fresh; avoid letting it sit too long to prevent spinach wilting.
- Make sure pecans are roughly chopped to provide a nice texture contrast without being overwhelming.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 118 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
