Thanksgiving Salad made with spinach, cranberries, crisp apples, and cinnamon, ready in 10 minutes. Super easy healthy side dish to serve during the holidays!
This Thanksgiving Salad with Spinach is the perfect seasonal salad to serve around the holidays or any time of year! Made with spinach, cranberries, crisp apples, and cinnamon. This salad combines all the best flavors of the season, plus it’s incredibly simple to make. All you need is a few ingredients, a few minutes of prep time, and you’ll have a delicious Thanksgiving side salad done in under 10 minutes!
Why You’ll Love Thanksgiving Salad with Spinach
Made with fresh ingredients, apple cranberry spinach salad is one of my all-time favorite salad recipes! You’ll love the crunch of the juicy apples, the tangy flavor of the cranberries, and the way it’s all complemented by a delicious homemade honey cinnamon dressing. All of that topped with toasted chopped almonds, and you’re in salad heaven!
Try it once, and this yummy salad will be making an appearance on your Thanksgiving menu every year!
If you choose to make this salad for Thanksgiving, you’ll love how quick and easy it is to make. When you’re already spending hours in the kitchen preparing dish after dish, having a simple and tasty salad thrown together in minutes is truly a life saver.
What is in Thanksgiving Salad with Spinach?
This easy fall salad is packed with simple, healthy ingredients. Making it the perfect salad to serve as one of your side dishes at Thanksgiving dinner or on a random weeknight!
To make this fresh salad, you’ll need:
- fresh baby spinach
- sweetened dried cranberries
- fresh apples – pick your favorite red apple
- olive oil
- honey
- chili powder
- ground cinnamon
- toasted chopped almonds (optional, but they add a great crunch)
How to Make Thanksgiving Salad with Spinach
The best thing about simple salads? They can be thrown together in a matter of minutes! Just gather together your ingredients, toss it all together, and you’re done!
In a big bowl, mix all of the ingredients together.
Serve and enjoy!
Optional: Add toasted almonds or pecans into the salad for a real special crunch!
Recipe Help
What is a good salad to make for Thanksgiving?
I love serving this Thanksgiving Salad at Thanksgiving. It comes with all the flavors you would expect during the season and compliments a traditional thanksgiving dinner so well! Cranberries, apples, and cinnamon make the perfect combination for a tasty salad.
It’s become a tradition in our household, and I hope it does for yours too! It’s a nice break from more hearty sides like mashed potatoes or green bean casserole. The best healthy salad for Thanksgiving is—you guessed it, Thanksgiving Salad! Ha!
Can you make this in advance?
Yes, you can make it the night before for a more intense flavor. If you’re busy cooking Thanksgiving dinner, it can be difficult to squeeze everything in, so prepping in advance can be a huge lifesaver. Luckily, this salad is something you can prep quickly the evening before. Preparing the night before will give your homemade dressing time to marinate. But I wouldn’t prepare it more than one day ahead of time to avoid mushy spinach. Once you’re ready to serve, stir the salad to refresh it, and voila, you’ve got your side salad.
Recipe Notes and Variations
Thanksgiving Salad is a great salad to customize, here are a few substitutes you can swap for:
- I prefer using Craisins for the sweet cranberries, but you can also use dried cherries if you’d like.
- Not a fan of apples? Try a chopped pear.
- Want to add cheese? You can sprinkle Feta cheese, tangy goat cheese, or Parmesan into the salad.
- You can swap baby kale for spinach if you prefer.
The perfect way to enjoy this salad is, however, if you like it! You can try a few different variations to see which flavor combinations taste best to you. The cranberries and cinnamon make it a tasty winter salad that encapsulates the sweet, warm flavors of the cooler months. It will make a great addition to your holiday table!
How to Store Thanksgiving Salad
You can keep this salad in an airtight container for 1-2 days, but I wouldn’t hold on to it any longer because the salad will become mushy. It’s best to enjoy it the day of or the next day for a stronger flavor profile.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do, and it makes its way to your list of favorite easy Thanksgiving salads!
Full Thanksgiving Dinner Menu
How to Make a Juicy Turkey
Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
Amish Potato Stuffing
Green Bean and Potato Casserole (With Fresh Vegetables)
Carrot Casserole
Butternut Squash Soup
Stuffing Balls
Gravy
Fluffy Bread Machine Rolls
Pumpkin Roll With Cream Cheese Filling
Easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe (my favorite pumpkin pie)
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Thanksgiving Salad with Spinach
PrintIngredients
- 1 6 ounce bag baby spinach
- 3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
- 1 apple pick your favorite red apple – cored and chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve and enjoy!
- Optional: Add 1/4 cup toasted almonds or pecans into the salad for a real special crunch!
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