Cranberry Salad Dressing

Recipe: Cranberry Salad Dressing

This pretty pink creamy  Cranberry Salad Dressing is perfect for the Holiday Meal. With tangy and sweetish taste, it pairs well with a fruity salad. And the best part of making this salad dressing is that you can use your leftover cranberry sauce. Or make some more cranberry sauce so you can use it to make the salad dressing.

 

A First For Me

While I’ve had several opportunities to enjoy dried cranberries – in salads, bakes, granola, energy bites, had not tried fresh cranberries till I came to Canada. Our first winter 2021, I got excited when I saw fresh cranberries. Bought a packet, tried one and it was soooo tangy. I used a generous to bake Orange Cranberry Muffins and Cake. But had some leftover. Every day I ate a couple as I don’t mind the tangy taste.

This year, forgetful hubby came back from shopping with a bagful of cranberries, thinking he can add them to his oats as they are. Now he is doesn’t like tangy food that much. Again baked an Orange Cranberry Loaf.  When my son and his girlfriend came down for Christmas, I asked her what else we can use the cranberries for. She replied cranberry sauce or jelly. The package itself had the cranberry sauce recipe.

So I made the cranberry sauce. We used some for our baked brie…and it tasted sooo good. The remaining I used up for the dressing. Perfect! Then I went and bought another bag and hubby is giving me that look and thinking “why did she buy another bag of cranberries? Is she going to make more sauce?” Well, I used them to make Indian style pickle. And soon the recipe will be on my blog.

 

Sharing This Recipe With Sunday Funday Group

This weekend we’re making Salad Dressings from scratch as Sue suggested. I was thinking of making strawberry vinaigrette to go with the pear and brie salad I was planning for our New Year Dinner. When I made the cranberry sauce, I knew it was too much for the baked brie. So I googled “how to use up leftover cranberry sauce.” And so many suggestions came up – muffins, bars, meatballs, serve with chicken, make jello dessert, cheesecake, thumbprint cookies filling, smoothie and a dressing. Yippee, dressing sounds awesome. So shelved the idea of strawberry vinaigrette and made cranberry salad dressing with leftover cranberry sauce.

I paired Cranberry Salad Dressing with Pear And Brie Salad and it was a hit with my guests. I often make the salad and pair it with other dressings, homemade or ready made. But by far, this dressing was a complete game changer. Almost like serving a salad in a 5 star restaurant.

Cranberry Salad Dressing

With most recipes that I tend to Google, I check out several. Pick from each what I feel will work for me. Some called for quite a bit of sugar and the sauce already has some. Others had more vinegar. This salad dressing recipe is a keeper and will be making some again during the holiday season. I added a bit more olive oil to the remaining dressing so that I could keep it a bit longer for other salads.

 

Salad Dressings

The most important thing about salad dressings is to get the salt, acid and fat in a proper balance.  Basically, there are two main kinds of salad dressings – vinaigrette and creamy dressings. Vinaigrette tend to be slightly more acidic and are pourable. Creamy ones tend to be with more fat and viscous.

 

Some Salad Dressings You May Like

TROPICAL PASTA SALAD & LEMON POPPY SEED DRESSING
Tropical Pasta Salad is a colourful, refreshing, filling and different. The stars of this delicious salad besides the pasta are ripe mango, avocado and fresh pineapple. Easy to put together, this tropical pasta salad is perfect as a summer time light meal, for potluck parties and for picnics. Tastes really good with the Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing.
Check out this recipe
RAINBOW SALAD BOWL
Colourful, healthy, crunchy, filling and delicious, enjoy Rainbow Salad as a light meal or serve it as a party salad.
Check out this recipe
APPLE CARROT SALAD
Apple Carrot Salad is a delicious, crunchy, tangy and refreshing salad that is perfect as a light lunch option or as a side dish. With homemade lemon vinaigrette, this is my go to salad for picnics and potlucks. An easy salad which does not require too many ingredients.
Check out this recipe
MOROCCAN RAINBOW CARROT SALAD
Moroccan Rainbow Carrot Salad is a colourful, healthy and delicious warm salad using coloured carrots with homemade Moroccan Spice Mix and Fresh Orange Dressing.
Check out this recipe
SUMMER AVOCADO SALAD & CREAMY LEMON DRESSING
Summer Avocado Salad is an easy, healthy, filling, nutritious salad. With two summer fruits, avocado and juicy fresh tomatoes, I like to enjoy this salad as a light meal. I add some roasted nuts and seeds and in no time a delicious summery salad is ready.
Check out this recipe
BLACK BEAN & CORN SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING
Check out this recipe
TURMERIC YOGURT DRESSING
Turmeric Yogurt Salad Dressing has flavours of fresh turmeric and ginger infused well into the plain yogurt, making this dressing not only a naturally colourful, but also a very delish one.
Check out this recipe
GREEK SALAD/HORIATIKI SALAD
Greek Salad/Horiatiki Salad is insanely an easy, super delicious and flavourful salad to put together. With homemade Greek Dressing and feta cheese, it makes a refreshingly light meal.
Check out this recipe

 

 

Salad Dressings Prepared By Members Of Sunday Funday

 

Palatable Pastime: Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
Mayuri’s Jikoni: Cranberry Salad Dressing
A Day in the Life on the Farm: Homemade Celery Seed Dressing
Sneha’s Recipe: Keto Vegan Passion Fruit Sour Cream Dressing
Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Chicken Caesar Salads with Homemade Caesar Dressing
Bloggetti: Easy Homemade Greek Salad Dressing
Sid’s Sea Palm Cooking: Old-Fashioned Cream Dressing for Salads
Culinary Cam: Basic Vinaigrette and Variations

Ingredient Required For Cranberry Salad Dressing

Cranberry Sauce

I made the cranberry sauce at home. It is pretty easy. For every cup of fresh cranberries you add ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup of orange juice or water. Add the liquid and sugar in a pan and heat it. Stir till the sugar melts. Add the cranberries. Allow the mixture to cook till the cranberries begin to pop. The liquid will have become thicker. Take the pan off the heat. Mash the cranberries a bit if you want to. On cooling the sauce will thicken, I have not used ready made sauce so am not sure how it would taste in the salad dressing. If you have tried let please let me know.

Vinegar

Use good quality red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar. I have used balsamic vinegar.

Sweetener

As the sauce is a bit sweet, I added little maple syrup. You can add honey, brown sugar or white sugar.

Oil Olive

Good quality olive oil. Add more if you want the dressing to stay fresh for a few more days.

Dijon Mustard

Goes so well with cranberries, so add some.

Salt

Add according to your taste. I have used normal table salt.  Can use sea salt, Himalayan Pink Salt.

Black Pepper

Freshly cracked pepper adds more flavour.

 

 

 

 

Watch How To Make Pear Brie Salad And Cranberry Salad Dressing

 

CRANBERRY SALAD DRESSING FROM LEFTOVER CRANBERRY SAUCE

mayurisjikoni
This pretty pink creamy  Cranberry Salad Dressing is perfect for the Holiday Party. With tangy and sweetish taste, it pairs well with a fruity salad. And the best part of making this salad dressing is that you can use your leftover cranberry sauce. Or make some more cranberry sauce so you can use it to make the salad dressing.
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course condiment, Salad
Cuisine International
Servings 1 cup

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup cranberry sauce
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar |balsamic vinegar
  • ⅓ -¼ cup olive oil
  • 1-2 tbsp maple syrup | honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Add all the ingredients in a measuring jug or a bowl.
  • Whisk to mix. Or use a blander.
  • Process till you get a smooth thick mixture.
  • Cranberry Salad Dressing is ready. Enjoy with a fruity salad or pour over mixed salad leaves. Enjoy.

Notes

  • Adjust the salt and pepper according to your taste.
  • Add a bit more oil for a thinner consistency. Alternately can add a bit of water to thin it down.
  • I have not tried this dressing with ready made cranberry sauce. If you have, let me know how it turns out taste wise.
Keyword cranberry salad dressing, cranberry salad from leftover cranberry sauce, how to make cranberry salad dressing from leftover cranberry sauce

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A Small Request:

If you do try this recipe then please either
add a comment below,
send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pear and Brie Salad

Recipe: Pear And Brie Salad

Pear And Brie Salad with sweet juicy pears, creamy brie and roasted nuts is a delightful holiday dinner salad or a light meal on its own. I served it with my homemade cranberry salad dressing and it was hit with the family. The first time I had this salad was as a starter at one of the restaurants in Dubai. Cannot remember which one. But the salad stuck in my head. The restaurant one was served with balsamic glaze. Every time I make it at home, I prefer to pair it with a fruity dressing.

 

Memories – Summer 2015

Reaching Montreal

It was our second trip to Montreal and obviously I was excited to spend a whole month with my son. As soon as we reached his home, it was ‘mum you rest, you must be tired after the long flight’ (14 hrs in flight and countless hours at the airports!). However this resting bit didn’t last too long. By evening he was reminding me first use up this and that. My ‘lack of sleep’ head could not register much. In that list was brie cheese. A few days later, he reminded me to use the brie cheese before it dries up or gets spoilt. I remembered the pear and brie salad I had enjoyed in Dubai. Had brie in the fridge but no pears or salad greens.

Jean Talon Market

So off it was to Jean Talon Market to buy the pears and salad greens. From my son’s place it is a good 30 minute walk. Its summer and we love that walk. Truthfully, hubby loves it more for the walk and I because I get to visit the vibrant colourful Jean Talon Market. They have quaint cafes, eateries within the market and around it. Hubby and I have lunch there, more specifically the delicious buckwheat crepes, shop and then walk back home.

Shopping

Shopping at the market is a delight… fruits, vegetables, herbs, plants, meat, fish, nuts, cheeses, wines etc etc.. the list is endless. We’d want to buy all the fruits and vegetables available but had to hold ourselves back. Why?? Well who would carry so much? Remember we have to walk back home with the load. So hubby’s take was buy what you need for 2 days and then we will come back. Don’t know if the veggies and fruits are cheaper at the market or the supermarket. However, we love to go to the market.

What we also enjoy is sampling the fruits. The sellers would cut up the fruits into slices and put it on a plate for everyone to sample.  We were lucky to enjoy fruits which we don’t get in Kenya readily – nectarines, apricots, peaches, cherries. Had plums too but must admit I love the ones that are grown in Kenya and Tanzania, they are much juicer, sweeter and nicer. Carried some cherries, nectarines, salad greens and pears. (We got Bartlett ones.) In Winter we get Bosc variety.

 

Present Time

Fast forward to 2023, I made this salad for our New Year Eve Party. I either make individual portions to serve as a starter or in one big plate to enjoy as a side dish. I had cranberry sauce left over from Christmas and used it up to make a pretty pink, sweet and tangy salad dressing.

You can serve it with

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Orange Vinaigrette

Lemon Za’atar Dressing

Some More Salad Recipes

SUMMER AVOCADO SALAD & CREAMY LEMON DRESSING
Summer Avocado Salad is an easy, healthy, filling, nutritious salad. With two summer fruits, avocado and juicy fresh tomatoes, I like to enjoy this salad as a light meal. I add some roasted nuts and seeds and in no time a delicious summery salad is ready.
Check out this recipe
QUINOA BURRITO BOWL SALAD
Quinoa Burrito Bowl Salad is a healthier way of enjoying burrito without all that extra rice, wrap and too many processed sauces. Quinoa replaces the rice, making this salad more protein rich and healthier without compromising on the overall flavour.
Check out this recipe
SWEET POTATO AND PASTA SALAD
Pasta & Sweet Potato Salad is a different, delicious and filling kind of salad. What I like about this salad is that it can be served warm or cold. Additionally, one can add any other ingredients to make it more appealing and filling. Add a dressing of your choice, a light one or a creamy one.
Check out this recipe
MANGO STRAWBERRY SALAD
Mango Strawberry Salad is a refreshing, delicious, colourful summer time salad. Easy to make, it can be served as a side dish or as a light meal. We enjoy this salad as a light lunch option as I add mozzarella which makes it filling. As for the dressing, add any of your choice.
Check out this recipe
APPLE CUCUMBER SALAD & ORANGE VINAIGRETTE
Apple Cucumber Salad is so easy to put together. It is a healthy, filling and crunchy salad. Ideal as a potluck, picnic, cookout salad.
Check out this recipe
PESTO PASTA SALAD
Pesto Pasta Salad is one of the easiest, tastiest salad that one can enjoy as a light meal. Healthy and versatile, add any salad ingredients of your choice.
Check out this recipe
Veggie Niçoise Salad
Veggie Niçoise Salad is a spin on the traditional salad which has tuna. A filling, refreshing and colourful salad, one can enjoy is as a light meal or as a side. Take it along for picnics or garden parties.
Check out this recipe
APPLE CARROT SALAD
Apple Carrot Salad is a delicious, crunchy, tangy and refreshing salad that is perfect as a light lunch option or as a side dish. With homemade lemon vinaigrette, this is my go to salad for picnics and potlucks. An easy salad which does not require too many ingredients.
Check out this recipe
TROPICAL PASTA SALAD & LEMON POPPY SEED DRESSING
Tropical Pasta Salad is a colourful, refreshing, filling and different. The stars of this delicious salad besides the pasta are ripe mango, avocado and fresh pineapple. Easy to put together, this tropical pasta salad is perfect as a summer time light meal, for potluck parties and for picnics. Tastes really good with the Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing.
Check out this recipe
BLACK BEAN & CORN SALAD WITH AVOCADO DRESSING
Check out this recipe
HONEYDEW CAPRESE SALAD
Honeydew Caprese Salad is a different and fresh twist to the classic caprese. With crunch from the cucumber, sweetness from the honeydew melon, slight tang from the tomatoes and ohhh the taste of fresh mozzarella makes this salad a perfect summer indulgence.
Check out this recipe
QUINOA TANGERINE SALAD
Quinoa Tangerine Salad is a very colourful, flavourful, protein rich and filling salad. Not difficult at all to make, add ingredients of your choice. Colour, different textures and taste makes any salad appealing for fussy eaters. What I like about this salad is that is can easily be enjoyed as a light meal or for picnics. Easy to make for potluck parties. 
Check out this recipe

Sharing This Recipe With Foodies_ Redoing Old Posts

When I made the cranberry salad dressing, it had to go with a salad. So I opted to redo the Pear And Brie Salad. Now if like hubby and me you love the flavour of the creamy brie, then you’ll love this salad. Actually Brie tends to pair so well with fruits and fruit jams/jellies. After having made it during my first visit to Montreal, never got the opportunity to make it till now. India and Kenya are not the best places for good quality brie cheese unless you visit a gourmet shop. Here in Magog, the choice is Brie is enormous and it can get a bit confusing.

The recipe was first posted on 11/07/2015. Posting an updated version on 26/01/2024

Ingredients Required For Pear And Brie Salad

Pears

For this recipe I have used 2 pears. Depending on the quantity you want to make, add more or less pears. If I make this salad as a light lunch option then I usually use one pear per person.

Brie Cheese

Buy good quality brie cheese or your favourite.

Salad Greens

I use mixed greens, arugula, baby spinach or sometimes butter lettuce. As such there is no fixed measurement for the amount of greens you can add to the salad. I like a generous amount per person.

Nuts

Roasted or candied pecans or walnuts pair very well with salad, adding a bit of crunch. I prefer roasted walnuts or pecans. Either toast them in a skillet over low heat or in the microwave oven. Put them on a microwave oven friendly plate and toast them for 2 minutes. Chop them up roughly. Don’t chop the nuts too finely.

Salad Dressing

Any salad dressing of your choice. I like to use fruity based dressings, homemade or ready made. I have this delicious raspberry vinaigrette that I was gifted. Love to use that. But when I served it for our New Year Eve Party I made Cranberry Salad Dressing and it paired so well with it.

 

 

 

Watch How To Make Pear Brie Salad And Cranberry Salad Dressing

 

PEAR AND BRIE SALAD

mayurisjikoni
Pear And Brie Salad with sweet juicy pears, creamy brie and roasted nuts is a delightful holiday dinner salad or a light meal on its own. I served it with my homemade cranberry salad dressing and it was hit with the family.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish, Starter
Cuisine International
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

FOR THE BRIE AND PEAR SALAD

  • 2 large pears
  • 100 g brie cheese
  • ½ cup pecans |walnuts
  • 4 cups salad greens

FOR THE CRANBERRY SALAD DRESSING

  • ½ cup leftover cranberry sauce
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar | balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ -⅓ cup olive oil
  • 1-2 tbsp maple syrup | honey
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper powder

Instructions
 

PREPARATION OF PEAR AND BRIE SALAD

  • Toast the pecans or walnuts in a skillet over low heat for 2-3 minutes.
  • Alternately roast them in the microwave oven. Put the nuts in a microwave friendly plate. Allow them to roast for 2 minutes.
  • Allow the nuts to cool down slightly. Then chop them up roughly.
  • Wash the pears. Cut them into slices.
  • Cut the brie cheese into slices.
  • Arrange salad greens on the plate or plates.
  • Arrange pear and brie slices.
  • Scatter the nuts over them.
  • Drizzle the salad dressing over it and serve.

PREPARATION OF CRANBERRY SALAD DRESSING

  • Add all the ingredients in a blender jug and puree till you get a smooth sauce.
  • Alternately, add everything in a large bowl or jug and use a hand blender.

Notes

  • Add more pears if you wish.
  • Add salad greens of your choice.
  • Use nuts of your choice.
  • Add a salad dressing of your choice.
  • Can add avocado with this salad.
  • Sometimes I add pomegranate arils.
Keyword brie pear salad, pear and brie salad, pear brie salad, pear salad

Pin For Later

A Small Request:

If you do try this recipe then please either

  • add a comment below,
  • send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
  •  tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
  • or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962