Description
Festive Christmas salad dazzles with seasonal flavors and colorful ingredients. Crisp greens, roasted nuts, and tangy cranberries create a delightful holiday side dish you’ll enjoy sharing with family.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups (200 g) mixed salad greens (spinach, arugula, or romaine)
- 1 cup (150 g) pomegranate seeds
- 1 cup (150 g) fresh orange segments (or mandarin slices)
- ½ cup (75 g) dried cranberries
- ½ cup (50 g) candied pecans or walnuts
- ½ cup (50 g) crumbled feta or goat cheese
- ¼ cup (60 ml / 2 fl oz) olive oil
- 2 tbsps fresh orange juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Vinaigrette Creation: Whisk olive oil, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a container until a smooth emulsion forms.
- Salad Assembly: Layer mixed greens in a large serving bowl, creating a verdant foundation for the festive dish.
- Fruit and Nut Infusion: Scatter pomegranate seeds, orange segments, dried cranberries, and candied pecans across the greens, ensuring an even distribution of colors, textures, and flavors.
- Cheese Embellishment: Delicately crumble cheese over the salad, introducing a creamy element that contrasts with the crisp ingredients.
- Final Touch: Immediately before serving, drizzle the prepared vinaigrette sparingly and gently toss to coat each component, preserving the salad’s vibrant textures and presenting an elegant holiday starter or side dish.
Notes
- Whisk Vinaigrette Thoroughly: Blend ingredients vigorously to create a smooth, well-emulsified dressing that coats ingredients evenly without separation.
- Layer Ingredients Strategically: Add delicate components like orange segments and pomegranate seeds last to maintain their pristine appearance and prevent bruising.
- Control Dressing Application: Drizzle vinaigrette sparingly to prevent salad from becoming soggy, ensuring ingredients retain their crisp texture and vibrant colors.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Swap cheese for dairy-free alternatives like nutritional yeast or omit for vegan version, and use gluten-free nuts to accommodate various dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg