Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (2024)

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By Heather 6 Comments

I absolutely love cranberries! In fact I bought a few too many this year, since they are in season! I created this easy cranberry salad, that is so simple, yet bursting with flavor! This is not your grandmother’s cranberry salad!

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (1)

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Why is this easy cranberry salad so different? You take fresh cranberries and roast them! This makes them a touch sweeter and mixed with a little cinnamon and salt you get a super flavorful topping to your greens!

I added some sunflower seeds and celery for crunch and a basic homemade dressing! This is a perfect lunch to make ahead or a fresh, healthy side for dinner!

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (2)

This is also a great recipe to use leftover cranberries from holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. I always add a few extra bags of berries to my cart in the fall since cranberries freeze really well.

I think this recipe is a great substitute for the sugar filled dried cranberries that are popular on salads. You have the option of using honey or go totally sugar free with liquid unflavored stevia. I have directions for both in the recipe.

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (3)

Roasting Cranberries Tips

  • I line my baking sheets with either parchment paper or a slipmat. This makes clean up way easier and not berries stuck to the sheet pan.
  • Make sure to use a rimmed baking sheet, cranberries will roll all over the place.
  • Try different flavor combinations when roasting. Pumpkin pie spice would be delicious!

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (4)

Easy Cranberry Salad in Summery:

  • Roast the cranberries ahead or in bulk to save time!
  • The roasted cranberries are a great addition to oatmeal, or even cookies!
  • Use a simple dressing so the cranberry flavor can shine through!

Let’s get cooking!

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (5)

Take the slightly tart flavor of cranberries to the next level by roasting them! Turn a boring salad into a show stopper!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 6 cups spinach
  • 4 cups lettuce
  • 4 cups cranberries
  • Adrizzle of olive oil
  • 2 tbs honey ( optional, but it will be more tart)
  • OR 5-10 drops stevia
  • 1 tsp smoked or regular salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup sunflower seeds - either raw or roasted salted your preferance
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • Dressing:
  • 2 tablespoons herb flavored olive oil ( sub in regular and add a pinch of Italian seasoning)
  • 1/2 tbs lemon juice
  • 1/2 tbs vinegar- apple cider or red wine work well
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees
  2. On a parchment lined baking sheet- spread out the cranberries in one layer
  3. Give the berries a light drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle with the salt and cinnamon, and finally the honey.
  4. If using stevia instead of honey, measure the olive oil into another dish you can pour from and mix the stevia into the olive oil so it is evenly distributed.
  5. Shake the roasting pan a bit to get the ingredients all over the cranberries.
  6. Roast at 400 degrees about 20 minutes.
  7. Add the spinach, lettuce, celery, sunflower seeds and roasted cranberries to your salad bowl.
  8. In a small bowl, add the olive oil, lemon, vinegar and salt, whisk together and drizzle on the salad.
  9. Serve! If you want to keep leftovers, do not dress the salad as once dressed it won't keep!

Notes

You can use any combination of lettuce and greens you like!

If you wanted to make extra cranberries, they go very well in oatmeal!

You could change out the olive oil to melted coconut oil, or avocado oil. if you prefer for the cranberries.

Honey is optional if you are avoiding sweeteners, but does make the berries a little less tart!See directions for how to use liquid stevia.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1/4th recipe

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 191

I hope you’ve enjoyed this easy cranberry salad recipe!

Cheers,

Heather

P.S. if you are looking for another favorite way to cook with cranberries try my Spiced Apple and Pumpkin One Pan Dinner

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather says

    December 13, 2016 at 11:45 pm

    Love cranberries!

    Reply

  2. Jennifer says

    December 6, 2017 at 5:15 am

    We are cranberry farmers and I’ve used cranberries in just about every way conceivable, except roasting. What a great idea. I can’t wait to try this for Christmas dinner this year.

    Reply

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Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey (2024)

FAQs

Easy Cranberry Salad Recipe - A Real Food Journey? ›

Red currants are the closest substitute for cranberries if you can't find cranberries in any form. They have a similar tart flavor and work well as a 1:1 substitute in most recipes. Food.com has a recipe for red currant sauce if you can't make cranberry sauce.

How to make a salad better? ›

How to Make a Salad You'll Actually Want to Eat
  1. 1: Think Beyond Lettuce and Greens.
  2. 2: Add Heft with Grains and Nuts.
  3. 3: Add Beans or Other Proteins.
  4. 4: Make Your Own Homemade Salad Dressing.
  5. 5: Make it a Flavor Party.
Jan 18, 2024

What is the closest berry to cranberry? ›

Red currants are the closest substitute for cranberries if you can't find cranberries in any form. They have a similar tart flavor and work well as a 1:1 substitute in most recipes. Food.com has a recipe for red currant sauce if you can't make cranberry sauce.

Can dried cranberries be substituted for fresh? ›

Can I substitute dried cranberries in recipes that call for fresh cranberries? Yes, dried cranberries work well in baked goods; however there is a ¼ cup difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh or frozen cranberries, use ¾ cup of sweetened dried cranberries.

Why is my cranberry salad runny? ›

One possibility is that you may not have used enough sugar: Sugar helps the sauce firm up, so be sure to use the full amount called for in a recipe. Another possibility is that the cranberries need to boil for longer, releasing their pectin and ensuring a jelly consistency.

What are the main ingredients in cranberries? ›

Raw, unsweetened American cranberries contain mainly 87% water and 12% carbohydrates, with lesser amounts of protein, fats and fiber (Table 1) [11]. Small cranberries accrue 2.1–4.9% titrable acidity with citric acid contributing 1.8–2.6%.

What can I put in a salad to make it more interesting? ›

Add spices and flavours such as paprika, chilli flakes, curry powder, harissa or parmesan. Add acidity or sourness with vinegar, lemon juice or pomegranate molasses to transform your salad.

What are the three keys to a quality salad? ›

The three keys to ensuring a quality salad are:
  • The freshness of ingredients.
  • Having all the ingredients blend together in harmony.
  • Making sure the salad is appealing to the eye.

What is the key to a good salad? ›

The secret to a good salad
  • Be gentle with lettuce. Balsamic dressing. ...
  • Serve up perfect avocado. Forget lemon juice or cold water – the only way to stop an avocado going brown in a salad is to peel and chop them right before serving. ...
  • Say goodbye to onion tears. ...
  • Adore your dressing. ...
  • Sprinkle in some protein.

What 5 states grow cranberries? ›

Most cranberries come from Wisconsin and Massachusetts

Just five states grow almost all of the country's supply of the tart berries: Wisconsin produces more than half of all cranberries in the United States, Massachusetts harvests another third, and New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington produce much of the rest.

Are cranberries a fruit or vegetable? ›

Cranberries are a native North American fruit and a Thanksgiving staple for many families. Cranberries are potent sources of antioxidants, specifically from a subclass of flavonoids called proanthocyanidins, which are unique to and abundant in cranberries.

Can you use Craisins instead of cranberries? ›

Yes, Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a 1/4 cup (60 mL) difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175 mL) of Craisins®.

Why are there no cranberries in the stores? ›

* The availability of fresh cranberries is limited because the harvest season is very short. Harvesting begins in September and continues through November, and fresh cranberries may be purchased during that time.

Are Craisins dried cranberries? ›

Dried cranberries may be marketed as craisins due to the similarity in appearance with raisins, although the word "Craisin" is a registered trademark of Ocean Spray. Craisins were introduced as part of a packaged cereal produced by Ralston Purina in 1989.

Does Ocean Spray cranberry juice expire? ›

Ocean Spray juice products do not contain preservatives and must be capped tightly and refrigerated after opening. While we cannot say exactly how long our juice products will stay fresh after opening, in general they may be kept refrigerated for two to three weeks.

Is cranberry a fruit or vegetable? ›

Cranberries are a native North American fruit and a Thanksgiving staple for many families. Cranberries are potent sources of antioxidants, specifically from a subclass of flavonoids called proanthocyanidins, which are unique to and abundant in cranberries.

Can you eat raw cranberries in a salad? ›

You can add them to smoothies or salads, or eat them whole. Eating raw cranberries is safe and easy, though their sharp, bitter flavor isn't for everyone. Be sure to clean and sort them thoroughly.

Is cranberry actually good for you? ›

Cranberries provide a good source of various vitamins and antioxidants. Historically, Native Americans used cranberries as a treatment for bladder and kidney diseases, while early settlers from England used them to treat poor appetite, stomach complaints, blood disorders, and scurvy.

Why should cranberries not be eaten raw? ›

Yes, raw cranberries are safe to consume raw, but you probably don't want to eat them that way. "Cranberries are safe to eat raw. However, usually they are cooked and have sugar added because of the bitter and sharp taste they have when raw," says Kelly West Keyser, a registered dietitian in Alabama.

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