Description
This Christmas Salad is the ultimate holiday side dish—light, fresh, and bursting with festive flavor. Juicy pomegranate, sweet apples, creamy goat cheese, and candied pecans all come together over mixed greens for a colorful contrast to heavy mains. Perfect for holiday meals, easy dinners, or even winter potlucks, this easy recipe will brighten up any table. Whether you’re hunting for Christmas dinner ideas or quick winter food ideas, this healthy salad fits right in.
Ingredients
6 cups mixed greens
1 large Honeycrisp apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup pomegranate arils
1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup candied pecans
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
1. Place the mixed greens in a large salad bowl and gently toss to loosen them up.
2. Add the sliced apples and pomegranate arils, layering them across the greens.
3. Crumble the goat cheese over the top without overmixing.
4. Scatter the candied pecans, dried cranberries, and thin red onion slices on top.
5. In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
6. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad just before serving and toss gently to coat.
Notes
If prepping ahead, keep the dressing separate and add just before serving.
Toss sliced apples in lemon juice to prevent browning.
This salad is flexible—try swapping goat cheese with feta or pecans with walnuts.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
Keywords: Christmas salad, holiday salad, easy salad, healthy Christmas recipe, winter salad, fruit salad