Homemade Cranberry Spinach Salad

Here is my favorite cranberry spinach salad recipe, with crispy toasted almonds, sweet dried cranberries, and a homemade honey-poppy seed dressing that brings everything together perfectly.

This salad has become my go-to whenever I need something fresh and easy for dinner parties or family gatherings. I love how the sweet cranberries balance out the earthy spinach, and that dressing? Everyone always asks me for the recipe!

What Kind of Spinach Should I Use?

For this salad, you’ll want to use fresh baby spinach rather than mature spinach leaves, as the tender baby leaves have a milder flavor and softer texture that works perfectly in salads. You can find baby spinach pre-washed in bags or containers at most grocery stores, which makes prep super easy. If you only have regular spinach on hand, just remove any tough stems and tear the larger leaves into bite-sized pieces. Avoid using frozen spinach for this recipe since it gets too watery and won’t give you that fresh, crisp texture you’re looking for in a salad.

Options for Substitutions

This salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Spinach: You can swap spinach for mixed greens, arugula, or spring mix. Baby kale also works well if you want something with a bit more texture.
• Almonds: Walnuts, pecans, or candied nuts make great substitutes. You can also use sunflower seeds if you need a nut-free option.
• Cranberries: Dried cherries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots work nicely here. If you want something fresh, try pomegranate seeds or sliced strawberries.
• White wine vinegar: Red wine vinegar or champagne vinegar can step in without changing much. In a pinch, use rice vinegar for a milder taste.
• Cider vinegar: If you’re out, just use more white wine vinegar or substitute with lemon juice for a fresh citrus note.
• Shallot: A small amount of finely minced red onion or even a clove of garlic can replace the shallot in the dressing.
• Sesame and poppy seeds: These add nice texture but can be left out if you don’t have them. You could also use just one or the other without any issues.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with this salad is dressing it too early, which causes the spinach to wilt and turn limp – always wait until right before serving to add the dressing and toss.

If you’re using fresh cranberries instead of dried, they can be quite tart and hard, so consider giving them a quick soak in warm water with a bit of sugar for 10 minutes to soften them up.

To get the most flavor from your almonds, toast them in a dry pan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant, but watch them closely since they can burn quickly.

When making the dressing, make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before adding the other ingredients, otherwise you’ll end up with grainy bits at the bottom of your bowl that don’t distribute evenly throughout the salad.

What to Serve With Cranberry Spinach Salad?

This salad is hearty enough to be a light lunch on its own, but it also makes a great side dish for grilled chicken or salmon. I love serving it alongside roasted turkey during the holidays since the cranberries and almonds complement the flavors so well. If you want to make it more filling, try adding some grilled shrimp, sliced steak, or even chunks of feta or goat cheese on top. This salad also pairs nicely with a warm bowl of soup like butternut squash or French onion for a complete meal.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep the dressing in a sealed jar or container in the fridge for up to a week. Store the spinach, almonds, and cranberries separately in the fridge so everything stays crisp and fresh. Only toss the salad together right before serving to prevent the spinach from getting soggy.

Make Ahead: This salad is perfect for meal prep! Prep all your ingredients and keep them in separate containers. The dressing actually tastes better after sitting for a day or two as the flavors blend together. Just give it a good shake before drizzling it over your salad.

Serve: If you have leftover dressed salad, it’s best eaten within a few hours while the spinach is still somewhat crisp. After that, the greens will wilt and won’t be as enjoyable. That’s why I always keep the components separate until I’m ready to eat!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1750-1950
• Protein: 35-40 g
• Fat: 125-135 g
• Carbohydrates: 145-160 g

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 20 oz spinach (I use Taylor Farms baby spinach for the best texture)
• 1 cup almonds (toasted and slivered for extra crunch)
• 1 cup cranberries (I prefer Ocean Spray craisins for their sweetness)

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2/3 cup olive oil (I like Pompeian extra virgin olive oil for dressings)
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp shallot (finely minced, about 1/8-inch pieces)
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Step 1: Prepare the Vinaigrette Base

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

In a medium bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved—this takes about 1-2 minutes of whisking.

The sugar needs to fully dissolve so the dressing has a smooth, balanced sweetness rather than gritty crystals.

Once dissolved, add the Dijon mustard and whisk to combine.

Step 2: Build the Complete Dressing

• vinegar mixture from Step 1
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp shallot
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds

Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the vinegar mixture from Step 1 while whisking constantly—this emulsifies the dressing and creates a cohesive, slightly creamy texture.

Once the oil is incorporated, whisk in the honey and minced shallot.

Finally, add the sesame seeds and poppy seeds, stirring to distribute them evenly throughout the dressing.

I like to let this sit for a minute so the seeds absorb some of the liquid and the flavors meld together slightly.

Step 3: Assemble and Dress the Salad

• 20 oz spinach
• 1 cup almonds
• 1 cup cranberries
• complete dressing from Step 2

Place the fresh spinach in a large bowl, then add the toasted slivered almonds and cranberries on top.

Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly with salad tongs or two forks, making sure every leaf gets coated with the vinaigrette.

Be gentle with the spinach to avoid bruising the delicate leaves, but ensure the dressing is evenly distributed—I find tossing from the bottom of the bowl upward gives the best coverage without damaging the greens.

Step 4: Serve Immediately

Transfer the dressed salad to a serving platter or individual bowls right away.

This salad is best enjoyed fresh, when the spinach is crisp and the almonds maintain their crunch—if it sits too long, the greens will begin to wilt and soften from the dressing.

Homemade Cranberry Spinach Salad

Delicious Homemade Cranberry Spinach Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1850 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the salad::

• 20 oz spinach (I use Taylor Farms baby spinach for the best texture)
• 1 cup almonds (toasted and slivered for extra crunch)
• 1 cup cranberries (I prefer Ocean Spray craisins for their sweetness)

For the dressing::

• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2/3 cup olive oil (I like Pompeian extra virgin olive oil for dressings)
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp shallot (finely minced, about 1/8-inch pieces)
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Instructions

 

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved—this takes about 1-2 minutes of whisking. The sugar needs to fully dissolve so the dressing has a smooth, balanced sweetness rather than gritty crystals. Once dissolved, add the Dijon mustard and whisk to combine.
• Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the vinegar mixture from Step 1 while whisking constantly—this emulsifies the dressing and creates a cohesive, slightly creamy texture. Once the oil is incorporated, whisk in the honey and minced shallot. Finally, add the sesame seeds and poppy seeds, stirring to distribute them evenly throughout the dressing. I like to let this sit for a minute so the seeds absorb some of the liquid and the flavors meld together slightly.
• Place the fresh spinach in a large bowl, then add the toasted slivered almonds and cranberries on top. Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly with salad tongs or two forks, making sure every leaf gets coated with the vinaigrette. Be gentle with the spinach to avoid bruising the delicate leaves, but ensure the dressing is evenly distributed—I find tossing from the bottom of the bowl upward gives the best coverage without damaging the greens.
• Transfer the dressed salad to a serving platter or individual bowls right away. This salad is best enjoyed fresh, when the spinach is crisp and the almonds maintain their crunch—if it sits too long, the greens will begin to wilt and soften from the dressing.