Save to Pinterest Last November, I was staring down a container of leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving, wondering if there was life beyond toast and turkey sandwiches. On a whim, I whisked it into olive oil and vinegar, and something magical happened—that tart-sweet edge transformed into a dressing that made even day-old pasta exciting. Now this salad has become my go-to when I want something that feels both light and substantial, ready in under thirty minutes.
I brought this to a potluck once, and someone actually asked for the recipe before they'd even finished their first bite—which never happens at my gatherings. The combination of cool pasta, tender chicken, and that unexpected cranberry zing seemed to catch everyone off guard in the best way.
Ingredients
- Rotini pasta (300 g): The spiral shape catches the vinaigrette beautifully, so you get flavor in every bite rather than just on the surface.
- Cooked chicken breast (2 cups diced): Rotisserie chicken works wonderfully here if you want to skip the cooking step entirely.
- Cherry tomatoes (1 cup halved): Their sweetness balances the tartness of the cranberry dressing perfectly.
- Cucumber (1 cup diced): Adds a cool, crisp texture that keeps this salad from feeling heavy.
- Red bell pepper (½ cup diced): Brings a slight sweetness and a pop of color that makes the whole thing feel more vibrant.
- Red onion (¼ cup finely chopped): Provides a sharp bite; don't skip this even though it's a small amount.
- Baby spinach (2 cups roughly chopped): Wilts slightly from the warm pasta and vinaigrette, becoming tender rather than raw.
- Leftover cranberry sauce (⅓ cup): This is the star—smooth or chunky both work, though I prefer chunky for texture.
- Extra-virgin olive oil (3 tbsp): Quality matters here since it's a main component of the dressing.
- Apple cider vinegar (2 tbsp): Adds complexity that regular vinegar won't quite achieve.
- Honey or maple syrup (1 tbsp optional): Only needed if your cranberry sauce is aggressively tart.
- Dijon mustard (1 tsp): Acts as an emulsifier and adds subtle depth.
- Salt and black pepper (½ tsp and ¼ tsp): Taste as you go; store-bought cranberry sauce varies in saltiness.
- Toasted pecans or walnuts (¼ cup chopped): Toast them yourself for maximum crunch and flavor.
- Fresh parsley (2 tbsp chopped): A sprinkle at the end brings freshness and visual appeal.
Instructions
- Boil and cool the pasta:
- Cook rotini in salted water until just al dente—this usually takes about nine or ten minutes depending on your brand. Immediately drain and rinse under cold running water, stirring occasionally so the pieces don't clump together as they cool.
- Combine the main ingredients:
- In a large salad bowl, toss together the cooled pasta, chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, and spinach. The goal is everything distributed evenly so no bite tastes boring.
- Build the vinaigrette:
- In a separate bowl or mason jar, whisk the cranberry sauce with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey if using, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until it looks smooth and emulsified. If it seems too thick, add a tablespoon of water and whisk again.
- Dress and toss:
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently but thoroughly so every strand and vegetable piece gets coated. This takes longer than you'd expect, but patience pays off here.
- Taste and adjust:
- Pinch a piece of pasta with your fingers and taste it honestly. Add more salt, vinegar, or honey depending on what you're missing.
- Garnish and serve:
- Top with toasted nuts and fresh parsley just before serving, so they stay crispy rather than softening into the salad.
Save to Pinterest What I love most about this salad is how it brought back a conversation with my grandmother about using every last bit of what you cook. She'd never throw away leftover cranberry sauce, and now neither do I—this recipe feels like honoring that without being sentimental about it.
The Magic of Cranberry as a Dressing Base
The first time I made this, I wasn't sure if cranberry sauce would actually work as a vinaigrette. It turns out the natural pectin in cranberry gives the dressing body, and the fruit's tartness plays beautifully against olive oil and the sweetness in the salad vegetables. This isn't a light, peppery vinaigrette—it's bold and fruity and completely different from anything you'd make with just vinegar and oil. Once you understand how cranberry behaves in a dressing, you'll start thinking about leftover preserves and sauces differently.
Making It Your Own
This recipe is really forgiving about substitutions. If you don't have rotini, any pasta shape works fine—short shapes are easiest to toss. You can swap the chicken for shredded turkey, leftover roasted pork, or skip protein entirely and add chickpeas or crumbled feta instead. The vegetables are also flexible; what matters is having a mix of something sweet (tomato), something cooling (cucumber), and something sharp (red onion). The cranberry vinaigrette is what holds everything together, so that's the part I'd keep consistent.
Storage and Timing
This salad is genuinely better if you make it ahead—the flavors meld overnight, and the pasta softens just slightly without becoming mushy. The trick is keeping the dressing separate until you're ready to serve or eat. On day two, the spinach will have mostly disappeared into the salad, which actually makes it feel like more of a composed pasta than a leafy salad. You can store the dressed salad for about a day, though the nuts and parsley garnish should always go on fresh.
- Underdressed pasta is better than overdressed, since you can always add more dressing at the table.
- The salad tastes noticeably better cold, so chill everything before assembling if you have time.
- If you're taking this somewhere, pack the nuts and parsley separately and add them just before serving.
Save to Pinterest This is one of those recipes that proves the best meals often come from resourcefulness rather than precision—a way to use what you have and end up with something that tastes intentional and delicious. I hope it becomes a favorite of yours too.