Description
A vibrant and refreshing Christmas Salad featuring mixed spring greens, juicy orange segments, ruby-red pomegranate seeds, creamy feta cheese, and sweet candied pecans, all tossed in a homemade honey-Dijon dressing. Perfect as a light, colorful side dish for your holiday dinner that balances rich holiday mains with its bright and tangy flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad
- 7 cups mixed spring greens
- 1 1/4 cups orange segments (mandarin, clementine, or tangerine)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries if needed)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup candied pecans, roughly chopped
For the Dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine Salad Ingredients: Add the mixed spring greens, orange segments, pomegranate seeds, crumbled feta cheese, and candied pecans to a large salad bowl.
- Make the Dressing: In a smaller bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, minced shallot, salt, and pepper until the dressing is smooth and slightly creamy.
- Dress the Salad: Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad just before serving to maintain crispness of the greens.
- Toss and Serve: Gently toss the salad to evenly coat all ingredients with dressing, then serve immediately for the freshest flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use fresh orange segments rather than canned for the best flavor and texture.
- Crumble feta cheese from a block instead of pre-crumbled for a fresher taste.
- Buy pre-washed greens and pre-seeded pomegranate to save preparation time during busy holidays.
- The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- Keep salad ingredients separate and assemble just before serving to keep the greens crisp.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Christmas Dinner Ideas
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Christmas salad, holiday salad, festive salad, orange salad, pomegranate salad, feta cheese salad, candied pecans, honey Dijon dressing, vegetarian holiday side, no-cook salad
