Pasta Salad Cranberry Vinaigrette (Print Version)

Colorful pasta and chicken mix with fresh vegetables, tossed in a tangy cranberry vinaigrette dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta & Protein

01 - 10 oz rotini pasta
02 - 2 cups cooked chicken breast, diced or shredded (approx. 8.8 oz)

→ Vegetables

03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1 cup cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
07 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

→ Cranberry Vinaigrette

08 - ⅓ cup leftover cranberry sauce (smooth or chunky)
09 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
11 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup (optional)
12 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
13 - ½ tsp salt
14 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Garnishes (optional)

15 - ¼ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped
16 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

# How to Make It:

01 - Boil rotini in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
02 - In a large salad bowl, mix cooled pasta, cooked chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, and baby spinach.
03 - In a separate bowl or jar, whisk together cranberry sauce, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey (if using), Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
04 - Pour the cranberry vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust salt or pepper as necessary.
06 - Optionally sprinkle toasted nuts and fresh parsley before serving.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It transforms pantry staples into something that tastes restaurant-ready without fussy techniques.
  • The tartness from cranberry cuts through the richness of the vinaigrette in a way that makes you want another bite.
  • You can throw it together in under an hour and it's naturally dairy-free, which saves you from explaining dietary choices.
02 -
  • If you dress this salad more than a few hours ahead, the pasta absorbs the dressing and becomes dense—keep the vinaigrette separate if you're making it the night before, then toss just before serving.
  • Toasting the nuts yourself makes a genuine difference; they'll taste buttery and deep instead of flat, and that detail is worth the extra five minutes.
03 -
  • Toast your own nuts in a dry skillet for two or three minutes just before serving—they'll smell incredible and taste like they belong to this dish rather than like something that came from a bag.
  • If you don't have leftover cranberry sauce on hand, use whole-berry cranberry sauce from a can or a jar, but strain some of the liquid away first so the vinaigrette doesn't become too thin and jammy.
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