Festive Cranberry Crunch Salad
A delightful and crunchy salad featuring crisp broccoli and cauliflower, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, smoky bacon, and a creamy, tangy-sweet dressing. Perfect for holiday meals and easily made ahead!
Ingredients
- 3 cups broccoli florets (coarsely chopped into small bite-sized pieces)
- 2 cups cauliflower florets (coarsely chopped into small bite-sized pieces)
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped roasted pecans
- 3 tablespoons finely minced red onion
- 6 slices bacon cooked crispy and crumbled
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise (you can use light mayo for a healthier twist!)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (or use a natural sweetener like erythritol for fewer carbs)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Prepare Your Salad Mix: In a big bowl, gently combine all your fresh, crisp broccoli and cauliflower pieces with the sweet dried cranberries, the crunch of roasted pecans, the zesty red onion, and the smoky crumbled bacon. Give everything a good, gentle toss so it's all mixed up and ready for dressing!
- 2. Whip Up the Creamy Dressing: Grab a smaller bowl and whisk together your mayonnaise, sugar (or sweetener), red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper until it's beautifully smooth and creamy. This is where all that delicious tangy-sweet flavor comes from!
- 3. Dress, Chill, and Serve: Pour about half of your fantastic dressing over the colorful salad. Toss again until everything is lightly coated – you want just enough to bring it all together without making it soggy. For the very best flavor, pop the salad in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving. You can even make this delightful salad up to three days ahead, making your holiday meal prep a breeze!
Notes
Feel free to adjust the amount of dressing to your liking. For the best flavor, chill the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving. This salad can be made up to three days in advance.
Nutrition Information (per serving):
- Calories: 393 kcal
- Total Carbs: 24g
- Net Carbs: 21g
- Fats: 32g
- Protein: 4g
