Description
A festive and refreshing One Pot Christmas Salad featuring fresh spinach, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, and a homemade honey poppyseed dressing. This quick and easy recipe combines simple ingredients for a delightful holiday side dish that can be prepared in just 20 minutes.
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 your preference)
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Salad
- 1 (16 oz) bag spinach
- 3/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a large salad bowl, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, finely chopped onion, dried mustard powder, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper. Whisk the ingredients together vigorously for at least 1 minute until the dressing is smooth, well combined, and fragrant.
- Toss the salad: Add the fresh spinach to the bowl with the dressing. Toss thoroughly until all the spinach leaves are evenly coated with the dressing, ensuring a flavorful base for the salad.
- Add toppings and serve: Sprinkle the roughly chopped pecans and dried cranberries evenly over the dressed spinach. Serve the salad immediately to enjoy the fresh textures and vibrant flavors.
Notes
- This salad is best served fresh to maintain the crispness of the spinach and crunchiness of the pecans.
- You can substitute dried sweetened cranberries with dried cherries or raisins for a different twist.
- For a nut-free version, omit pecans or replace them with roasted pumpkin seeds.
- The honey poppyseed dressing can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days; whisk well before using.
- Adjust the amount of poppy seeds according to your preference for texture and flavor.
- This recipe serves about 8 people as a side dish.
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
