Christmas Salad
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This Christmas salad is perfect for the holidays. It’s a spinach base filled with dried cranberries, pecans, mandarin oranges, pomegranate seeds, topped with a homemade honey dijon dressing. This salad is so sweet and light and pomegranate makes it so festive for the Christmas season. This salad is a perfect starter for any holiday meal.
I love easy holiday salads. I feel like they lighten up all the heaviness from all the other things we may eat this time of year. This is one of my favorite Christmas salads. The pomegranate makes it so festive.
If you’ve never worked with pomegranate before, it can get kinda messy from the juice. You’ll cut in half and squeeze the outside of it. Maybe do this over a sink or have some paper towels handy. The seeds will start to break up and come out. Add then to your salad but be careful not to get any of the rind in the salad. This is the white part in the center.
Equipment You’ll Need
The only equipment you’ll need for this recipe is a big salad bowl. You’ll also need something to mix up your dressing in. I love using a mason jar. You can add all the ingredients into it, close it and shake it up. Super simple and easy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Fresh Spinach:
I used 2-3 cups of fresh spinach. Spinach works best with this recipe.
Dried Cranberries:
I love dried cranberries. This is another fruity, Christmas-y component to the salad.
Fresh Pomegranate Seeds:
You’ll used about 1/4 of a cup of fresh pomegranate seeds. Pomegranates are not the easiest fruit to mess with, so have plenty of paper towels handy. They’ll make a mess, but be so worth it!
Mandarin Oranges:
I used canned mandarin oranges. I think they taste better from the can. Especially in the syrup.
Pecans:
They go perfect with the fruit, and add a crunch to the salad.
Feta:
I love feta cheese with any sweet salad.
Honey Dijon Dressing:
You’ll use equal parts dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and honey. You may need a little salt and pepper, too.
How to Make This Christmas Salad
Step One:
Add spinach to a large bowl. Drain the juice from the mandarin oranges and add them to bowl. Cut pomegranate in hate then squeeze. The seeds will come out. Add pomegranate seeds and rest of ingredients to bowl.
Step two:
Add all the dressing ingredients to a small bowl or mason jar. Stir well and add to salad.
Step three:
Serve and enjoy!
Christmas Salad
Equipment
- Large Salad Bowl
- Small Bowl
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups Fresh Spinach
- 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
- 1/2 cup Fresh Pomegranate Seeds
- 1 can Mandarin Oranges
- 1/2 cup Pecans
- 1/4 cup Feta
Honey Dijon Dressing
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Add spinach to a large bowl. Drain the juice from the mandarin oranges and add them to bowl. Cut pomegranate in hate then squeeze. The seeds will come out. Add pomegranate seeds and rest of ingredients to bowl.
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a small bowl or mason jar. Stir well and add to salad.
- Serve and enjoy!
Hold up…
Let me know if you tried this Christmas salad recipe. Did you like it? Did you add anything else to it? Let me know here or in the comments below. Happy holidays and happy cooking!
