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Honey Dijon Apple Cranberry Bacon Salad is the ultimate fall salad that checks all the boxes: sweet, savory, crunchy, and fresh! With crisp apples, tart cranberries, smoky bacon, and a nutty crunch of walnuts over a bed of baby spinach, every bite is balanced and flavorful. Tossed in the most perfect honey Dijon dressing, this salad shines with simple ingredients that deliver bold taste.
This dish isn’t just a holiday favorite, it’s one you’ll want year-round. Whether you’re making it for Thanksgiving, a weekend dinner, or just a quick lunch, this apple bacon salad is guaranteed to impress. It pairs beautifully with Crispy Smashed Potatoes—the golden, buttery crunch of the potatoes complements the freshness of the salad perfectly for a satisfying, well-rounded meal. Around here, with a house full of friends and the Entice Films crew always ready to taste-test, this recipe never lasts long. It’s safe to say this apple cranberry bacon salad recipe is one of those gems you’ll make on repeat.
What Makes This Recipe Work
This Apple Cranberry Bacon Salad brings together the best flavors of fall in one bowl. Crisp apples pair beautifully with smoky bacon and tart cranberries, while walnuts add a nutty crunch that keeps every bite exciting. The honey Dijon dressing ties it all together with the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
What makes it even better is how versatile and effortless it is. You can serve this apple bacon salad as a festive Thanksgiving starter, a quick weekday lunch, or even as a light dinner. The combination of fresh greens, fruit, and savory elements makes this cranberry bacon salad both satisfying and refreshing, proving it’s a dish you’ll return to again and again.
What Goes Into Apple Cranberry Bacon Salad
Fresh, crunchy, and full of flavor, this salad brings simple ingredients together in the best way. Each component adds a unique texture and taste, making this apple cranberry bacon salad recipe shine every time you serve it.
- Crisp Apples: A mix of sweet red apple and tart granny smith gives this salad a perfect balance of flavors and a refreshing crunch.
- Dried Cranberries: Naturally sweet and slightly chewy, cranberries add brightness and a festive pop of color to the bowl.
- Smoky Bacon: Savory, crispy bacon cuts through the sweetness and adds a salty bite that makes this apple bacon salad irresistible.
- Honey Dijon Dressing: Olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon mustard whisk together into a tangy-sweet dressing that ties the whole salad together.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Apple Cranberry Bacon Salad
- Prep the Salad: Add baby spinach, dried cranberries, crushed walnuts, Danish feta, sliced red apple, sliced Granny Smith, red onion, and cooked bacon to a large bowl. Toss gently to combine.
- Make Dressing and Toss: Whisk olive oil, honey, apple cider vinegar, and Dijon in a small bowl until smooth and slightly thickened. Pour over the salad, toss to coat, and serve.
This Apple Cranberry Bacon Salad is light, fresh, and versatile, making it the perfect companion to hearty mains. Pair it with Sun Dried Tomato Cheesy Meatballs for a rich, savory contrast that balances beautifully with the sweetness of apples and cranberries.
It also works wonderfully alongside Creamy Beef Stroganoff With Mushrooms, where the crisp greens cut through the creamy sauce. Or serve it with flavorful Carne Asada, where the smoky, charred beef complements the salad’s sweet tangy flavors for a meal that feels complete and satisfying. And if you’re craving another fresh and vibrant option, my Thai Beef Salad is packed with herbs, crisp veggies, and tender beef for the ultimate refreshing bite.
Recipe FAQ’s
A mix of sweet red apples and tart Granny Smith apples gives the best flavor and texture. You can also use Honeycrisp or Fuji if you prefer a sweeter apple bacon salad.
Pecans, almonds, or even pumpkin seeds are excellent swaps that still give crunch while keeping the flavors balanced.
Danish feta is creamy and tangy, but goat cheese or blue cheese can be used if you’d like a stronger flavor profile.
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Honey Dijon Apple Bacon Cranberry Salad
Ingredients
Salad:
- 4-6 cups baby spinach or mixed salad leaves including spinach
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup crushed walnuts
- 1/3 cup Danish feta cheese
- 1/2 red apple sweet, sliced
- 1/2 granny smith apple sliced
- 1/4 cup red onion sliced
- 4 slices bacon cooked and sliced or chopped
Dressing:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3-4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Add all of the SALAD ingredients into a large salad bowl.
- Combine all of the DRESSING ingredients in a smaller bowl and mix well. Pour the dressing over the salad.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this salad for lunch. It was wonderful! I added chopped, boiled egg to it. In the future, I will start with way less EVOO and honey. Those two flavors seemed to overwhelm the dressing. I added alot more mustard to try to balance the flavors. Overall, I enjoyed this recipe and will make again.
Just made it for the second time in one weekend and guests and family all requested the recipe! Perfect salad and especially delicious in fall with all the apples in season. I used cherries for the cranberries and toasted the walnuts. Best dressing ever. Thank you!
Hi Beth, it’s wonderful to hear that the salad was such a hit with both guests and family! Using cherries in place of cranberries and toasting the walnuts are excellent personal touches. I’m thrilled that you enjoyed the dressing, and it sounds like you’ve mastered a delicious fall salad.
Delicious (and I even forgot to add the bacon!). Will definitely make this again. Thank you for posting it!
Absolutely delicious!
Made this for dinner tonight – followed recipe exactly but added diced cooked chicken so we could make it a meal. As we started eating the salad my husband commented that it would be really good with beets in it – so we added canned beets to the meal. With or without the addition of beets this was an awesome meal!!! Will definitely make again! Thank you for the yummy recipe!!
If you were serving this as a ladies luncheon what soup would you recommend?
What do you think of ham and potato?
This was so yummy – I totally forgot the onion but the rest was light and perfect, just sweet enough in my opinion. It’s so perfect I’m bringing it to my family’s Thanksgiving to offset the heavier things (like the creamy parmesan bacon brussel sprouts I also made from this site, oh man, so good!!!). I think it’s a salad that folks will actually make room for on their Thanksgiving plate! 🙂
So simple but very delicious. I used mixed greens and baby spinach. Unfortunately since the red onion isnt suggested in the actual list of ingredients it was omitted but I think it would add a nice touch next time. I used creamy feta as suggested and cut it myself which did make a difference (we used leftover slices of apples/feta as a snack to go with our wine too). The dressing seemed a little sweet at first (I would start out with 2 tbs honey then add the 3rd as needed) but it evened out nicely spread out over the salad. Definitely making that again for other salads. 3rd time making a recipe from here for date-night with great success! Loving everything!
I made the Honey, Dijon, cranberry, bacon salad this evening. I served it with grilled, sliced Rib Eye steak. Delicious! I used half the Dijon, added thin slices of red onion, cucumber,sliced pear, and avocado. Very satisfying. Thank you for this wonderful recipe ?
I took this salad to a Friendsgiving and it was a hit! Even the people who don’t like salad ate two servings. I really liked the Danish feta; it was much mellower which is great for a crowd with all different preferences. I also soaked the apples in one cup of water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt dissolved in it to prevent browning; it doesn’t change the flavor of the apples and they stayed fresh looking the whole time. I will definitely be making this salad again.
I made this yesterday for our Thanksgiving feast. Yea I know it was early, but the kids have their own thing to do on actual Thanksgiving. Doubled the recipe and it was gone!! So easy, peasy you really didn’t need to add directions. Went perfect with the crispy skin slow cooker turkey recipe of yours, which another easy, peasy recipe. Another keeper!
Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful Thanksgiving.