Fresh Thanksgiving Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing

Name: Fresh Thanksgiving Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 cups chopped lacinato kale, stems removed; 4 cups peppery greens, such as arugula or watercress; 2 sweet apples, thinly sliced; 1/2 cup dried cranberries; 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds; 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; Salt and black pepper to taste

A bright, crunchy holiday salad with sweet apples, tart cranberries, mixed greens, and a simple homemade dressing.

By Enzo81 Kitchen· American· October 25, 2026

Fresh Thanksgiving Salad with Honey Dijon Dressing

easy.enzo81.xyz

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

0 minutes

Total

15 minutes

Serves

6 servings

Holiday dinners are often full of rich and heavy dishes, so I always love having something crisp and fresh on the table. This salad brings together sweet sliced apples, tart dried cranberries, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and a mix of tender kale and peppery greens. It adds a lovely pop of color and balanced flavor to your Thanksgiving spread.

The best part is how easily you can prepare this ahead of time. You can shake up the apple cider vinaigrette a day or two early and slice your ingredients in advance, leaving you with just a simple toss right before dinner is served.

Ingredients

4 cups chopped lacinato kale, stems removed
4 cups peppery greens, such as arugula or watercress
2 sweet apples, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and black pepper to taste

4Instructions

1
In a small glass jar, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Cover tightly and shake until the dressing emulsifies.
2
Place the chopped kale into a large serving bowl. Pour a spoon of dressing over it and massage the leaves with your hands for one minute until tender.
3
Add the peppery greens, sliced apples, dried cranberries, and toasted pumpkin seeds to the bowl.
4
Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and toss everything gently right before serving.

Tips

You can mix up the dressing a few days ahead and store it in the fridge. Keep the dressed greens separate from the crisp apples until right before you sit down so everything stays fresh and crunchy.

#salad #thanksgiving #healthy #vegetarian #gluten free

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