This homemade salad topper mix is an absolute game-changer! It is easy to make and will level up all your salads. Make it during meal prep and sprinkle it on your salads throughout the week for some added healthy fats and delicious crunch!
This salad topping mix recipe is similar to a mix that you can find at Costco but it is homemade. So you can customize it any way you want! I like to make it at home mostly so that I can control the type and amount of oil used.
I love to sprinkle this on just about any salad! Then top it off with your favorite dressing and you are good to go! For some dressing inspiration check out my guide to making homemade dressings here. Some of my favorites are this vegan ranch dressing, and this poppy seed dressing. It also tastes delicious with balsamic dressing. Yum!
This crunchy salad topper will be a terrific addition to your next salad!
Ingredients
- Seeds - You can use any seed that you like. The recipe calls for pumpkin, sunflower, and hemp seeds.
- Nuts - I love sliced or slivered almonds on my salad! If you have other nuts that you love, throw them in.
- Dried Cranberries - You can use other dried fruit here or leave these out. Sometimes I leave them out of the topping mix and add them to my salad separately.
- Salt and Oil - We just use a little bit here. They both make a huge difference to the taste of the nuts and seeds. However, If you don’t use these ingredients in your cooking you can easily leave them out. Avocado oil or olive oil are great for this recipe.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 300° F or 150° C. Combine your pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and almonds on a rimmed baking sheet and spread them out evenly.
I like to use an oil spray bottle to spray oil over the top of the nuts. I find I use less oil this way. If you don’t have one, drizzle about a teaspoon of oil over the top and mix it into the nuts.
Sprinkle a little salt over the top of the nuts. I used about ½ a teaspoon. If you are feeling fancy you can add other spices or herbs.
Bake the seed and nut mixture in the oven for around fifteen minutes. Every oven is different and they can burn easily so keep a close eye on them.
Once your mixture is done baking, let it cool completely.
Now you can mix in the hemp seeds and dried cranberries.
If you have been in a boring salad rut this mix is a great way to add excitement to your salad game. It is my secret weapon for adding a great crunch that rounds out any salad. It is perfect for meal prep and did I mention how easy it is?
Storage
Store your salad topping mix in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Variations
You can add any type of nuts or seeds to the mix depending on what you like. Some options are sesame seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, etc.
Top tip
Nuts and seeds go from done to burnt in the blink of an eye! This is not a recipe that you want to step away from. Keep an eye on your mix while it is in the oven so that it doesn’t overcook.
FAQ
Yes! You can easily make this salad topper mix oil-free. You will need to bake it at a lower temperature and bake it for a shorter amount of time. Alternatively, you can toast the nuts and seeds on a frying pan over the stove.
What do I eat this with?
You can add this crunchy salad topper to your favorite salad. I like to make a simple salad with arugula, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted red onions, tahini dressing, and this nut and seed mix. You can also eat it by itself like a trail mix. I've also heard that it is delicious on pumpkin soup! Yum.
Let me know below how you like to enjoy this mix!
Salad Topper Mix
Ingredients
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup almonds sliced or slivered
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300° F (150° C).
- On a baking sheet, add pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and almonds together and mix.
- Using an oil spray bottle spray the nuts lightly and evenly over the top. *See notes.
- Sprinkle salt over top.
- Roast in oven for about 15 minutes. Keep a close eye on them so they don't burn.
- Let the nut mixture cool and then stir in hemp seeds and dried cranberries.
- Store in an airtight container and enjoy on top of salads or as a snack!
Notes
- If you don't have an oil spray bottle, you can drizzle about 1 teaspoon over the nuts and stir together to coat.
- Store in an airtight container for about two weeks.
- Serving information is based on a serving size of 2 tablespoons.
- Makes about two cups.
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