Winter Salad & Warm Cranberry Honey Dressing makes eating salad outside of the summer months something you’ll crave. Big flavors and warm dressing will get salad back on your menu with a bang!
Do you find you eat salad all summer long and as soon as late September rolls around it goes on the back burner?
It’s soup recipes for the win instead?
Slow Cookers and Instant Pots cook away making hot hearty vegetable mixtures.
But eating a salad has seems best left for May and later. Until now.
This Winter Salad recipe is one you’ll crave in the summer months.
Similar to Fennel and Orange Salad, the beautiful colors, bright, delicious flavors will have everyone running to the dinner table every time it’s served.
How to Get Excited about Eating Winter Salad
Salad in the winter, when not eating it often, is like an oasis of sorts.
We all need our greens but a cold, light salad isn’t what we crave in the cold winter months.
There is a trick to get around this: big flavor and warm temperatures!
When making winter salad, combining seasonal fruits and vegetables creates exciting flavors and is visually beautiful,
‘We eat with our eyes first‘ really is true. The same goes for salads.
The prettier and more colorful, the more we want to eat them.
Winter produce has deeper flavor.
Combining the sweetness of fruit, some bitter greens, crunch from seeds or nuts creates an exciting, satisfying recipe.
Winter Salad Ingredients
This ingredients in this winter salad are simple.
They can be changed up to include any of your winter favorite ingredients too!
- Mixed Greens
- Pears
- Blackberries
- Pomegranate Arils (seeds)
- Pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels)
How to make Winter Salad
- Select two salad plates (or one larger plate if for a main dish portion).
- Divide the lettuce between the plates.
- Layer with the fruit, adding the pepitas on top.
- Drizzle with a few tablespoons of dressing and serve.
How Many Does this Winter Salad Recipe Serve?
This winter salad recipe makes two side salads or one entree salad. It can be doubled or quadrupled if serving a group.
Warm Cranberry Honey Dressing
Beautiful, pink Warm Cranberry Honey Dressing is full of healthy ingredients.
The vibrant flavors make eating salad addictive!
It will perk up the most ordinary of salad ingredients and is a great option for winter holiday salads.
Warm Cranberry Honey Dressing is a favorite to dress up any winter salad.
It is not only a beautiful presentation but full of antioxidants, polyunsaturated fats and Vitamin E (great for our parched skin and hair in the winter months).
Dressing Ingredients
- fresh cranberries
- honey
- shallots
- apple cider vinegar
- grapeseed oil
How to Make the Cranberry Dressing
The dressing is easy to prepare in a blender. Use it for any salads as well as this winter salad.
All the ingredients (except salt and pepper) are put in a blender and pulsed to make a smooth, silky dressing.
Warm the dressing briefly before serving for the best flavor. This can be done in the microwave.
Storing the Cranberry Dressing
Keep the dressing in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator.
Having it on hand makes it easier to add to greens or a full salad!
More Easy Dressing and Salad Recipes to Try
- Red Grape Jicama Walnut Salad with Mango-Jalapeno Poppy Seed Dressing
- 15 Salad Dressing Recipes to Get You Excited About Salad Again
- Mongolian Beef Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette
- How to Make Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Fennel and Orange Salad
Try These Recipes too
- Cranberry Goat Cheese Party Appetizer
- Cranberry Salsa
- Candied Pecans
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Recipe
Warm Cranberry Honey Dressing and Winter Salad
Ingredients
Ingredients for Warm Cranberry Honey Dressing:
- 1/4 cup fresh Cranberries
- 2 tablespoons Honey
- 3 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Mustard (dry)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Shallots
- 1/4 cup Grapeseed Oil
- Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste
Ingredients for side Winter Salad:
- 6 cups Mixed Greens (prepared mixed organic greens offer many options or use your favorite lettuce)
- 2 small ripe Pears , cored and sliced thinly lengthwise
- 20 large Blackberries rinsed
- 1/2 cup Pomegranate Arils (seeds)
- 6 tablespoons roasted Pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels; available in most bulk food areas of grocery stores)
Instructions
Instructions for Warm Cranberry Honey Dressing:
- Place all ingredients into a blender (except salt and pepper) and pulse to fully puree ingredients to emulsify the dressing. Warm for a few seconds in the microwave before dressing the salad.
Instructions for the Winter Salad:
- Place the greens on two salad plates (or one large plate if making one entree salad). Layer the pear slices, berries, pomegranate arils and pepitas on top of the lettuce. Dress with a few tablespoons of dressing and serve.
Nutrition
Originally published: November 16, 2014
Marcie W. says
Yummy! Both the salad and dressing sound fantastic! Just the touch of bright freshness a hearty winter meal needs.
Jeanette says
Look at all the colors in that salad. That would be a delicious salad to try. I’m trying to be healthier and this would be a great way of doing that.
Toni Dash says
I’ve learned if it’s not wonderful in flavor, I don’t want to eat it….no matter how good it is for me!
Melissa Chapman says
I think it is not so much that we don’t make salads in winter it is that we like big warm meals and comfort food to keep warm. I love the idea of this salad and dressing and will try and make it soon.
Toni Dash says
I agree Melissa. I think it’s normal to want hearty warm food; I’m the same way too. Give me soup any day right now! I do think the flavors and warmth of this dressing make salad exciting again for the cold months. It’s worked with my crew at least!
robin rue says
That cranberry honey dressing sounds amazing! I can’t wait to make it to put on my next salad.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
Thanks for sharing another great recipe. I always imagine that living with you must be like living in a five star restaurant at all times.
Toni Dash says
Ha, ha! I’d love to say ‘you’re right’ but frozen pizza is also a fave in my house.
Sommer @ASpicyPerspective says
This is one gorgeous salad! Pinned
Maureen says
I’ve been eating summer salads for weeks but at the run up to Thanksgiving, it doesn’t matter that it’s 100 degrees outside, I want American seasonal food. You can take the woman to Australia but the Yank is more than skin deep. 🙂 I love your warm winter salad. It’s pretty too.
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen says
That cranberry dressing feels like just the thing to turn this salad into one that pairs perfectly with the cool winter chill!
Toni Dash says
I could not agree more Sarah!
Victoria says
I absolutely love fall salads! And that dressing looks divine…ugh. So good.
Toni Dash says
I love them too Victoria. I think the deeper flavors allow fruits and vegetables to combine well too!
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
Usually I shy away from salads in the winter since they are so cold, but this warm dressing looks perfect!
Toni Dash says
I think that is true for me too Abby and frankly is probably deeply rooted in our survival DNA. Salads all summer long and heartier, warm foods in winter. This dressing is flavorful without being overbearing or too light as many summer dressings are; and having it slightly warm feels right for the season!