Description
Festive Christmas Salad brings holiday cheer to your table with crisp greens, jewel-toned pomegranate seeds, and tangy cranberry vinaigrette. Seasonal ingredients dance together, creating a refreshing side dish that celebrates winter’s bounty and delights guests with each colorful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Greens and Produce:
- 4 cups (960 milliliters / 32 ounces) mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or spring mix)
- 1 green apple, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (150 grams) pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup (75 grams) dried cranberries
Cheese and Nuts:
- ½ cup (75 grams) crumbled feta cheese (or goat cheese)
- ½ cup (60 grams) candied pecans or walnuts
Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters / 2 fluid ounces) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) Dijon mustard
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Craft a vibrant holiday vinaigrette by whisking olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small container until smoothly integrated and well-balanced.
- Select a spacious serving vessel and artfully arrange mixed greens as the foundational layer, creating a lush green canvas.
- Elegantly scatter pomegranate seeds across the greens, allowing their ruby-like jewel tones to provide visual contrast and burst of festive color.
- Delicately fan out crisp apple slices in an overlapping pattern, ensuring even distribution and appealing presentation.
- Sprinkle dried cranberries throughout the salad, adding pops of deep crimson and tangy sweetness.
- Crumble feta cheese across the surface, creating creamy white patches that complement the other ingredients.
- Generously distribute candied nuts, providing a crunchy, caramelized element that elevates the salad’s textural complexity.
- Just before serving, drizzle the prepared vinaigrette over the salad, ensuring each ingredient receives a light coating.
- Gently toss the components or alternatively, serve the dressing alongside, allowing guests to customize their portion according to preference.
Notes
- Swap feta for goat cheese or vegan alternatives to accommodate dietary restrictions and ensure everyone can enjoy this festive dish.
- Toast nuts in a dry skillet for enhanced flavor and crunchier texture, releasing their natural oils and deepening their nutty profile.
- Prep ingredients just before serving to maintain crisp greens and prevent apple slices from browning, keeping the salad looking fresh and vibrant.
- Double the vinaigrette recipe and store extra in the refrigerator for quick dressing on future salads, saving time and adding convenience to meal preparation.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 635
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 48 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 41 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg