Cranberry Pecan Cucumber Salad

Ready in 10 minutes, this cranberry pecan cucumber salad is a fresh and simple side dish for Fall! Sweet, salty and crunchy, it’s the perfect compliment to any meal. Vegetarian and gluten free, with a dairy free / vegan option.

A glass bowl filled with Cranberry Pecan Cucumber Salad with a serving spoon and fork to the side.

If you have been reading this blog for a decent amount of time, you probably know how I feel about weeknight side dishes. They are the bane of my existence!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I love roasted veggies with just about any meal. But sometimes you need to switch things up. And sometimes you don’t have the time to wait for them to cook in the oven. <— Truth.

So, with the holidays approaching and the lazy days of summer long behind us, let’s chat a super fast side dish for fall. This cranberry pecan cucumber salad!

We’re talking 10 minutes from start to finish.

We’re talking simple, simple, simple prep. Just a small bit of slicing and tossing everything together.

It’s crunchy, salty and sweet. 

Plus, it’s just kinda pretty. And we all know how I feel about pretty food. Major love.

A glass bowl filled with Healthy Cucumber Salad with a white napkin to the side.

Tips & Tricks For This Cranberry Cucumber Salad

  1. Like with all salads, feel free to play around with the ingredient amounts to get it to your taste. Salads are totally like sandwiches in my opinion – we all have different sweet spots.
  2. Not feeling the cucumber? Use your favorite greens instead.
  3. I absolutely adore this dressing for all things fall. Between the maple syrup and the apple cider vinegar, it’s just too darn perfect. I typically make a double batch and keep in the fridge to have on hand (it’s delicious with other salads, etc. as well).

A small white bowl filled with Cranberry Cucumber Salad with a fork to the side.

Additional Side Dishes You Might Enjoy:

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

This cranberry pecan cucumber salad is a fresh and simple side dish for fall! Ready in 10 minutes and topped with crumbled goat cheese!

Cranberry Pecan Cucumber Salad

Yield: about 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ready in 10 minutes, this cranberry pecan cucumber salad is a fresh and simple side dish for Fall! Sweet, salty and crunchy, it’s the perfect compliment to any meal. Vegetarian and gluten free, with a dairy free / vegan option.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • pinch of pepper
  • ¼ cup olive oil

For the salad:

  • 2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
  • ⅓ to ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
  • ⅓ cup raw pecans, chopped
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled*

Instructions

For the dressing:

  1. Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl. Whisk vigorously to combine.

For the salad:

  1. Add the cucumbers, red onion, pecans and cranberries to a large bowl. Pour in the desired amount of dressing (I usually use about half to three quarters) and toss to combine.
  2. Top with the goat cheese. Serve immediately!

Notes

*To keep this dairy free / vegan - omit the goat cheese. Season with additional salt to taste and / or add a fresh herb to the mix to pump up the flavor. Chopped basil or parsley would be lovely here.

Extra salad dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 323Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 202mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 23gProtein: 4g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.