This Salad is Basically My Holiday MVP (Let Me Tell You Why)

Okay, here’s the scene: It’s mid-December, the house is smelling of cinnamon and that almost-burnt-Christmas-cookie aroma, and I’m running a bit behind (as usual, honestly). I always swear I’ll make something new and dazzling, and then—snap—what if I just lean into what works? So, this Christmas Cranberry Spinach Salad happens. It’s fuss-free, it looks kind of posh, and people legit ask me about it after the meal (like, ‘was that really just spinach?’ Yes, cousin Mark. Yes, it was). And, confession, one year I forgot to buy half the ingredients and winged it—accidentally made it better. The main thing is: don’t overthink it. That’s the spirit of salad and, frankly, my approach to December in general.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Salad (Even When I’m Over Greens)

I make this salad when I’m out of ideas or energy but still need to look like I did something honestly festive. My family goes crazy for it because the cranberries add that pop—sweet, tart, reminds you it’s Christmas without being all candy canes. Plus, I can toss it together while half-watching a Christmas movie (or, let’s be honest, rescuing a cat from the tinsel). If you ever struggle getting spinach to not just taste ‘green,’ the dressing totally saves the day. Oh, one time I dropped the pecans in the sink by accident—didn’t even miss ‘em (though it was a moment of salad-related grief—I recovered with croutons).

What Goes In (And Substitutions Because Life Happens)

Baby spinach – one big-ish bag (or honestly, the regular bunch, just rinse it extra if it’s gritty; I’ve used arugula when I was in a pinch—totally fine, bit of a peppery kick)
Dried cranberries – a generous handful; my gran swears by the Ocean Spray ones, but I use whatever’s on sale, sometimes chopped dried apricots sneak in and it’s still holiday-ish
Pecans (or walnuts, or even toasted pumpkin seeds if you’ve got nut-allergy folk – pecans are just peak crunch here)
Crumbled feta cheese (or goat cheese for extra tang, or leave it out if you have that one cheese-hating uncle)
Red onion, thinly sliced (half of a small one; sometimes I soak it in a bit of cold water so it doesn’t bite back as much—don’t skip unless you really hate onion breath)
Dressing: 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (I know, fancy, but apple cider is fine—it’s all tart anyway); 1 tbsp maple syrup (or honey, or whatever claims to be ‘the good stuff’ in your cupboard); 1 tsp Dijon mustard; pinch each salt and pepper (if you measure, I’m impressed)

Here’s How I (Usually) Make It

Toast the nuts: Toss pecans in a dry pan over medium, stir until you smell them (around 3-ish minutes, don’t wander off here; I once made smoky salad ‘croutons’ by mistake—learned my lesson).
Make the dressing: Whisk oil, vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, salt, and pepper in a little jam jar. Shake-shake-shake (the lid needs to be ON—learned that one the hard way). Or just swirl with a fork in a bowl if you like it old-school.
Prep the spinach: Chuck it all in a big salad bowl. If it looks like a lot, don’t worry—it shrinks with dressing.
Toss in: Cranberries, cooled nuts (this is where I usually sneak a taste), crumbled feta, and onion. Give it a gentle mix (hands are fine, but I advise washing them if you’ve been taste-testing like me).
Add dressing: Pour over about half, toss, then add more if you think it needs it. Actually, I find it works better if you’re stingy with the first pour, then taste and add more bit by bit.
Eat immediately or let it sit for 10 minutes if you want the flavors to mingle a bit more. Sometimes mine sits longer—because people are late—but it’s still tasty.

Little Notes I’ve Learned (Sometimes the Hard Way)

If you over-toast the nuts, just pretend you meant to—it adds ‘smoky nuance.’
The salad holds up if you use pre-washed spinach, but if you can be bothered, fresh is a bit perkier.
If red onion is just too much raw, slice it even thinner or soak it in cold water for five minutes. Seems fussy, I know, but it’s worth it.

Wild Variations (And One Flop)

Tried it once with strawberries instead of cranberries—tasted more spring brunch than Christmas, so I’d say skip that unless you fancy surprising your taste buds.
A Granny Smith apple, julienned, works great for crunch if you’re fresh out of nuts (or, worse, your nuts are weirdly sticky—don’t ask).
Goat cheese and toasted sunflower seeds—bit of a ‘hey, it’s farmer’s market!’ vibe, but nice.

Do You Need Fancy Gear? (Probably Not)

A big mixing bowl is handy (I sometimes use a stock pot when mine’s ‘somewhere in the dishwasher’). For the dressing, a jam jar or an old takeaway container works. Salad tongs are great but, honestly, your hands do the trick—just be less formal about it. No whisk? Use a fork—no shame in that game.

How to Store This (If There’s Anything Left, Ha)

Stick it in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 1-2 days. The spinach will wilt a little, but I sort of like that the next day—soaks up all the flavors. Though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day. One time I made a double batch thinking ‘lunch leftovers’—wrong, it vanished overnight.

How I Like to Serve It (And Who Always Wants Seconds)

I usually serve Christmas Cranberry Spinach Salad with just a sprinkle of extra feta on top. Pairs perfectly with anything roasted—turkey, chicken, or even that pot roast I stubbornly make every December 23rd. Sometimes, if I’m feeling nostalgic, I’ll stick an extra few candied pecans on top (brings back memories of my aunt trying to sneak them before dinner). My niece used to ask for this salad ‘with the red things’—she eventually learned to say cranberry, but the name stuck.

Bit of a Side Story

One December, I tried making my own dried cranberries (saw a blog post about it here), thinking I’d be queen of DIY—but, mate, it’s not worth heating the oven for eight hours just for a handful. Sometimes buying what’s easy really is the way to go. If you want to try holiday spins on this, Bon Appétit has a riff I liked… but I always circle back to this one.

Lessons I’ve (Sometimes Reluctantly) Learned

I once tried rushing the toasting and burnt the pecans—salad was still fine, but nobody picked them out (next time, medium heat, slow and steady wins).
Don’t overdress! The spinach can drown pretty quick—less is more, then taste and add.
The first time I made this, I skipped the Dijon thinking nobody would notice. Actually? It really needs that little hit of mustard. Lesson learned.

Real Questions I’ve Actually Gotten (No Judgment!)

Can I make this ahead?
Sort of! Prep everything, but don’t dress it until just before serving. If you do mix too soon, spinach goes floppy, not the end of the world.

Is there a nut-free version?
Yes! Toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds work; you want crunch more than ‘nut’ flavor. One time I skipped the crunch and—honestly—not as exciting, but still decent.

Any way to tone down the onion?
Yup—slice ultra-thin or soak in cold water. Or use green onion if you’re desperate.

Can I use bottled dressing?
If you must! (I’ve done it, no shame.) The homemade version is zingier but hey, it’s real life.

So there you have it—my go-to Christmas Cranberry Spinach Salad. Give it a shot, see what little twists you add yourself, and don’t fret if it’s not exactly Pinterest-perfect. That’s part of the charm. Happy holidays—don’t burn your pecans!

Christmas Cranberry Spinach Salad