Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad with Cranberries

This Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad with cranberries simply bursts with flavour! It's a perfect combination of fresh mixed greens, tangy gorgonzola cheese, crunchy walnuts, and sweet dried cranberries, all dressed in a maple balsamic vinaigrette.

❤️ Why you'll love this salad with blue cheese

• Something a little different! With gorgonzola cheese as the star ingredient, this salad has both creamy and crunchy textures.
• Nutritious. It's a great way to eat nutritious greens while still feeling indulgent, making it perfect for lunch, dinner, or a side dish for any occasion.
• Easy to make. Not only is it delicious, but it's also a healthy option that's easy to make.
• Flavourful. Not everyone likes the pungent flavour of blue cheese, but if you're a fan of any of the blue cheese varieties, like Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Cambozola (and more) you'll appreciate the distinct flavours in this salad.

🛒 Ingredients

You'll find a complete list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. But before we get to the full recipe, here are a few notes about the ingredients you'll need.

• mixed greens (such as spinach, arugula, and romaine, or baby kale)
• your favourite blue cheese, crumbled, like Gorgonzola cheese or Roquefort
• chopped walnuts
• dried cranberries
• red onion: If you find red onions too sharp, you can remove the "bite" by soaking onion slices in cold water for 15 - 20 minutes, then drain.
• easy maple balsamic dressing: This slightly sweet dressing adds to the ideal balance of sweet and savoury in this recipe.

🔪 Instructions

🔁 Possible Variations

• Add fruit: Make a pear blue cheese salad or an apple blue cheese salad! Add thinly sliced pears or apples to add colour, texture and more natural sweetness to contrast with the sharp cheese.
• Use different dried fruits: Substitute snipped dried apricots, snipped dried figs or chopped dates for the dried cranberries.
• Use different nuts: try toasted hazelnuts or pecans.
• Not sure about using blue cheese? This Arugula Pear and Parmesan Salad with Maple Walnuts is a great choice!

👍🏼 Helpful tips for how to toast walnuts

Taking a few minutes to toast the walnuts will pay off in a big boost of flavour! Toasting will help to release the nuts' natural oils, intensifying their flavour and darkening their colour. If you find that walnuts sometimes taste harsh, toasting will soften that bitterness.

The easiest method for toasting a small amount of nuts for a salad is to use the stovetop. Place the walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat. Shake the pan every minute or so to prevent them from browning too much. When you smell a deep nutty flavour, remove them from the heat and let them cool before adding them to your salad.

❓Reader's Questions

🍽 What to serve with blue cheese and walnut salad

1. Baked Lemon Chicken with Garlic Mashed Potatoes: A simple baked chicken dish is a classic pairing with a hearty salad. Add garlic mashed potatoes on the side to round out the meal.
2. Bourbon Maple Glazed Salmon with asparagus: The richness of baked salmon pairs well with the tangy blue cheese in this salad. Add Charred Asparagus and Crispy Lemon Oven-Roasted Potatoes on the side for a healthy and satisfying meal.
3. Mushroom Black Bean Burger with Smoky Sweet Potato Wedges: For a meatless option, try a veggie burger with a side of sweet potato fries. The natural sweetness of the fries and the tanginess of the blue cheese balance the savoury burger flavours beautifully.

⏰ Storage Instructions

To store: You can make this blue cheese salad ahead of time. Store it covered in the fridge and add the dressing just before serving.

🗒 More healthy salad recipes

📖 Recipe

Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad with Cranberries

This Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad with cranberries simply bursts with flavour! It's a perfect combination of fresh mixed greens, tangy gorgonzola cheese, crunchy walnuts, and sweet dried cranberries, all dressed in a maple balsamic vinaigrette.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salads and Dressings

Cuisine: French, Italian

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 as a side salad

Calories: 342kcal

Author: Elaine

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Ingredients

Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad

• ▢ 6 cups fresh mixed greens, like spinach, arugula, kale or romaine
• ▢ ½ cup blue cheese, or Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• ▢ ½ cup walnuts, toasted
• ▢ ¼ cup red onion, diced or sliced
• ▢ ¼ cup dried cranberries

Maple Balsamic Dressing

• ▢ 1 tablespoon shallot, minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ▢ ¼ cup olive oil, extra virgin
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon each sea salt or Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

• Toast the walnuts in a small skillet or sauté pan over medium heat on the stovetop for about 7 minutes. Shake the pan every minute or so, watching carefully that the nuts don't brown too quickly. When you smell a deep nutty aroma, remove the pan from the heat and let the walnuts cool completely.
• Wash and dry the salad greens. If using spinach or baby kale, remove the tough stems.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the mixed greens, crumbled blue cheese, walnut halves (or chopped walnuts), diced or sliced red onion and dried cranberries.
• In a separate small mixing bowl or jar with a lid, whisk together the maple balsamic dressing ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss until all ingredients are evenly coated. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 236mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 587IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 1mg

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