This Spinach Salad is great for a light Thanksgiving side! It’s super simple to put together with festive fall ingredients that everyone loves! Baby spinach leaves and crisp butter lettuce makeup the greens. Topped with chewy dried cranberries and thinly sliced Anjou pears for some sweetness. Sprouted pumpkin seeds are the perfect salty and crunchy addition. Not to mention they are so good for you and of course a fall staple! Finally, I can’t have my salad without some cheese…Manchego is the perfect cheese to top it. It’s a semi-soft cheese with a sweet and nutty flavor, also great for cheese plates! Finishing this salad off with a good vinaigrette is a must. I like my go to red wine, honey and dijon recipe it pairs great with the fruit in this salad!
I like to prep this salad ahead of time the morning of Thanksgiving. Just mix the lettuce, cranberries and pumpkin seeds in a large salad bowl and store in the refrigerator. Whisk dressing ingredients together and keep refrigerated in an airtight container. When ready to serve, slice up the pear and cheese and drizzle the dressing over the salad, give it a toss and you’re good to go!
Tip: If you want some extra crunch and sweetness a fun additional topping is candied walnuts!
This Spinach Salad is the perfect way to get festive on Thanksgiving with little effort. It's light, refreshing and packed with good for you ingredients!
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 3 ounces butter lettuce, torn
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (I use sprouted and lightly salted)
- 1.5 ounces Manchego cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 medium Anjou pear, thinly sliced (you can use your favorite type of pear)
Dressing
- 1.5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 pinch of salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon plain nonfat greek yogurt
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk all of the dressing ingredients together, set aside.
- In a large salad bowl mix together spinach, butter lettuce, cranberries and pumpkin seeds. When ready to serve top with sliced pear and cheese. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss, serve immediately.
Notes:
- To make ahead of time mix the lettuce, cranberries and pumpkin seeds in a large salad bowl and store in the refrigerator. Whisk dressing ingredients together and keep refrigerated in an airtight container. When ready to serve, slice up the pear and cheese and drizzle the dressing over the salad, give it a toss and you're good to go!
- Dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator
