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Best Homemade Cranberry Walnut Thanksgiving Salad with Feta

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A quick and easy Thanksgiving salad featuring sweet roasted cranberries, crunchy toasted walnuts, creamy feta, and crisp greens tossed in a tangy maple vinaigrette. Perfect for holiday gatherings and sure to impress even the pickiest eaters.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries (about 100g)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 cup walnuts (about 100g)
  • 6 cups mixed salad greens (about 180g)
  • ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled (about 75g)
  • ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup pumpkin seeds (optional)
  • ¼ cup olive oil (60ml)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (30ml)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (15ml)
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, toss the fresh cranberries with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup until coated. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 12-15 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until cranberries start to pop and release juices but still hold their shape. Let cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes.
  3. While cranberries roast, spread walnuts on a separate baking sheet (or push to one side of the cranberry pan if room). Toast for 5-7 minutes until fragrant and slightly darker. Let cool completely.
  4. In a small bowl or jar, combine ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Whisk until emulsified, or shake in a jar.
  5. In a large salad bowl, add 6 cups of mixed greens. Ensure greens are dry.
  6. Scatter cooled roasted cranberries, toasted walnuts, crumbled feta, thinly sliced red onion, and pumpkin seeds (if using) over the greens.
  7. Drizzle about half the vinaigrette over the salad. Gently toss everything together, lifting from the bottom. Add more dressing as needed.
  8. Serve immediately. If bringing to a gathering, keep dressing separate and toss right before serving.

Notes

For best results, toast walnuts fresh and let cranberries cool completely before adding to greens. To save time on the big day, roast cranberries and toast walnuts up to 3 days ahead; make dressing and slice onion the morning of. Always dress salad just before serving to keep greens crisp.

Nutrition

Keywords: cranberry walnut salad, Thanksgiving salad, feta salad, roasted cranberries, maple vinaigrette, holiday salad, easy salad recipe

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/best-homemade-cranberry-walnut-thanksgiving-salad-with-feta/