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This Harvest Apple Cranberry Salad tastes like fall in a bowl. Crisp apple slices, dried cranberries, toasted pecans and feta on a bed of greens, finished with a sweet and tangy maple Dijon dressing.

It’s pretty enough for the Thanksgiving table but simple enough for a Tuesday night, and it uses apples when they’re at their cheapest and best.

The homemade dressing takes two minutes in a jar and costs far less than the fancy bottled kind.

Toss in leftover chicken or turkey and it becomes a filling lunch.

Ingredients and Swaps

Greens: Mixed greens or baby spinach.
Apples: A crisp variety like Honeycrisp or Gala. Pears also work.
Dried cranberries and pecans: Walnuts or sunflower seeds can replace the pecans.
Cheese: Feta or goat cheese.
Dressing: Olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and Dijon, shaken in a jar.

Tips for the Best Apple Cranberry Salad

Toast the pecans. A few minutes in a dry skillet makes them crunchier and more flavorful.
Slice the apples last. Or toss them with a little lemon juice so they don’t brown.
Dry the greens. Dressing clings to dry leaves.
Dress just before serving. Greens wilt quickly once dressed.

Fall harvest salad with mixed greens, apple slices, dried cranberries, pecans and feta

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Harvest Apple Cranberry Salad

Mixed greens with crisp apples, dried cranberries, toasted pecans and feta in a maple Dijon vinaigrette. An easy fall salad for weeknights or Thanksgiving.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 20

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

8 cups mixed greens or baby spinach
2 crisp apples thinly sliced, such as Honeycrisp or Gala
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pecans roughly chopped
½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Let cool.
In a jar, shake together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, salt and pepper.
Add the greens to a large bowl. Top with the apple slices, dried cranberries, pecans and feta.
Drizzle with the dressing just before serving and toss gently.

Notes

Swap pecans for walnuts or sunflower seeds.
Pears work beautifully in place of apples.
Add roasted sweet potato cubes to make it heartier.
Dress only what you’ll eat right away so leftovers stay crisp.

How to Serve It

As a holiday side with Roasted Turkey Breast or Roasted Whole Turkey with Herbs, or as a main with chicken or roasted sweet potato cubes added. More ideas are in 12 Cheap Salad Recipes That Actually Fill You Up.

Storage & Serving Tips

Store the greens, toppings and dressing separately for up to 3 days.
Slice the apples right before serving, or toss them in a little lemon juice so they don’t brown.
The dressing keeps in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Not recommended for freezing.
Washing tip: Rinse loose greens under cool running water (no soap or produce wash needed), then dry them well in a salad spinner or with a clean towel. Bagged greens labeled “washed” are ready to use, but if you like to rinse them anyway (we do), use a clean colander and sink and dry them well.