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Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad

Apple cranberry pecan salad with a poppy seed vinaigrette that clings to baby greens. Thinly sliced apples, dried cranberries, candied pecans, and blue cheese create sweet-tart crunch in every bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 340
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad base
  • 6 cup baby spinach or spring mix
  • 2 apples Thinly sliced.
  • 0.5 cup dried cranberries
  • 0.5 cup candied pecans
  • 0.5 cup crumbled blue cheese or feta Blue cheese or feta crumbles.
  • 0.25 small red onion Thinly sliced.
Poppy seed dressing
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp poppy seeds
  • 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 salt Pinch.

Method
 

Make the poppy seed dressing
  1. Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, and salt until evenly combined and glossy.
  2. Set the dressing aside so the honey dissolves slightly, about 5 minutes.
Assemble the salad
  1. Place baby spinach or spring mix in a large bowl and spread into an even layer as the base.
  2. Top with thinly sliced apples, then scatter dried cranberries and candied pecans over the greens.
  3. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese or feta and add thinly sliced red onion so the toppings are distributed.
  4. Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving for best texture.
  5. Toss gently until the greens look lightly coated, then serve immediately.

Notes

For the crispest salad, keep components separate until the last minute and dress right before serving so the greens stay vibrant. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 1 day; the apples and onions may soften. Freezing is not recommended. Dietary swap: use feta and skip the candied pecans for a lower-sugar option while keeping the same sweet-tart balance.