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Home » Salads » Christmas Salad Recipe

Published: October 14, 2021 Last Modified: October 14, 2021 By Sara 14 Comments

Christmas Salad Recipe

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This Christmas salad is a blend of mixed greens, oranges, pomegranate, feta cheese and candied pecans, all tossed in a homemade dressing.

This Christmas salad is a blend of mixed greens, oranges, pomegranate, feta cheese and candied pecans, all tossed in a homemade dressing. An easy and festive salad that is the perfect addition to any holiday menu!

When I’m looking for a salad that features winter produce, I turn to favorites such as kale salad, brussels sprouts salad and this colorful and refreshing Christmas salad.

This Christmas salad is a blend of mixed greens, oranges, pomegranate, feta cheese and candied pecans, all tossed in a homemade dressing. This Christmas salad is a blend of mixed greens, oranges, pomegranate, feta cheese and candied pecans, all tossed in a homemade dressing.

Christmas salad with oranges, pomegranate and candied pecans.

If I’m making the menu for the holidays, I always include at least one salad for nutrition and to provide a lighter counterpart to the heavier main course options. This Christmas salad features a sweet and savory blend of fruit, cheese and nuts that ends up being the perfect flavor combination.

How do you make Christmas salad?

This salad starts with small oranges such as tangerines or clementines, which are peeled and placed in a bowl of mixed greens along with feta cheese, candied pecans and pomegranate seeds. Make a homemade dressing with a few simple ingredients, then pour it over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Bowls of lettuce, oranges, pomegranates, cheese and pecans.

Tips for the perfect salad

  • You can use canned mandarin oranges, or any variety of fresh orange that is peeled and cut into segments. I prefer the fresh oranges as they have a better texture than the canned variety.
  • I like to buy a block of feta cheese and crumble it myself. Pre-crumbled feta cheese often contains anti-caking agents and stabilizers, and it doesn’t have as good of a flavor in my opinion.
  • You can buy candied pecans at the grocery store, or make your own with my recipe.
  • When I’m looking to save on prep time, I buy a container of pomegranate seeds at the grocery store instead of removing the seeds from a whole pomegranate. I also get a tub of pre-washed greens to make life a little easier.

A bowl of homemade salad dressing with a whisk in it.

Make ahead instructions

One of the most important features of a holiday salad is that it can be prepared in advance, because no one wants to be in the kitchen chopping produce on Christmas. Feel free to make the salad dressing up to 3 days in advance. Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it, then shake well and pour over the salad. The oranges and pomegranates can be prepped up to one day in advance. When you’re ready to eat, simply place the ingredients in a bowl with the lettuce, add the dressing and serve.

Greens topped with fruit, feta cheese and candied pecans.

Christmas salad flavor variations

This salad is fabulous as-is, but you can add other ingredients to make it your own.

  • Fruit: Instead of oranges, try another cold weather fruit such as apples, pears or persimmons.
  • Nuts: While I think the pecans go well with the flavors in the salad, other options include almonds, walnuts or even cashews. You can choose roasted or candied nuts, but I feel the candied nuts add a nice crunch and sweetness.
  • Cheese: Swap out the feta for blue cheese, shaved parmesan, ricotta salata or small mozzarella balls.
  • Add-Ins: Feel free to add other ingredients such as shaved fennel, red onions, avocado or dried cranberries.

Tongs serving up a portion of Christmas salad.

You can’t go wrong with this salad, in fact, I make it all winter long!

More salad recipes you’ll enjoy

  • Broccoli Salad
  • Arugula Salad
  • Beet Salad
  • Green Bean Salad
  • Strawberry Spinach Salad

Christmas Salad Video

Christmas salad with oranges, pomegranate and candied pecans.
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5 from 13 votes

Christmas Salad

This Christmas salad is a blend of mixed greens, oranges, pomegranate, feta cheese and candied pecans, all tossed in a homemade dressing. An easy and festive salad that is the perfect addition to any holiday menu!
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 16 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 290kcal
Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 7 cups mixed spring greens
  • 1 1/4 cups orange segments mandarin oranges, clementines or tangerines
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds can substitute dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled
  • 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 shallot minced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Place the mixed greens, oranges, pomegranate seeds, feta cheese and pecans in a large bowl.
  • Place all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, whisk until smooth.
  • Drizzle the dressing over the salad mixture to taste, then gently toss to coat. You may have dressing left over. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 193mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 137IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Comments

    1. Janeen says

      December 27, 2021 at 5:46 pm

      5 stars
      This salad came out so wonderful! The flavors were perfect!

      Reply
    2. Bella says

      December 25, 2021 at 6:42 pm

      5 stars
      This was the best salad! The dressing was amazing. I used cranberries instead. Make sure you watch a tutorial on how to segment oranges if you didn’t know how.

      Reply
    3. Cartha Smit says

      December 23, 2021 at 9:22 pm

      If I don’t want to make the salad dressing, what kind would you suggest I buy?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        December 27, 2021 at 9:21 am

        Something like a balsamic or apple cider vinaigrette!

        Reply
    4. Sharon Chen says

      November 19, 2021 at 4:07 am

      5 stars
      This recipe gets me excited for Christmas! Yummy!

      Reply
    5. Kate says

      November 19, 2021 at 2:36 am

      5 stars
      What a gorgeous festive salad – so easy to get bogged down with all the carbs at Christmas and a zingy fresh salad is the perfect antidote!

      Reply
    6. Dannii says

      November 19, 2021 at 12:20 am

      5 stars
      A christmas salad is a must in our house. We always add brussel sprouts and kale to ours too.

      Reply
    7. veenaazmanov says

      November 18, 2021 at 11:06 pm

      5 stars
      Healthy Greens, Nutty Walnut and yummy fruits. Definitely make a great combination. I love this salad recipe.

      Reply
    8. Mirlene says

      November 18, 2021 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      Loving the bright colors on this christmas salad. You cant go wrong having a festive salad with oranges, pomegranates and the pecans mixed in!

      Reply
    9. Gina says

      October 21, 2021 at 11:03 am

      5 stars
      So festive! Love the brightness in the flavors of this salad. Gorgeous way to get some greens in for the holidays.

      Reply
    10. Jess says

      October 21, 2021 at 10:56 am

      5 stars
      This makes for a perfect festive salad for the holidays! I love all the flavors that come together for a delicious salad.

      Reply
    11. Anjali says

      October 21, 2021 at 10:09 am

      5 stars
      This salad is so bright and festive!! It will go perfectly on our holiday menu this year and will pair so well with so many other dishes! Yum!

      Reply
    12. Julie says

      October 21, 2021 at 10:01 am

      5 stars
      Love all the vibrant colors and the fresh fruit in this Christmas Salad. It’s a nice addition to any Christmas dinner.

      Reply
    13. Kate says

      October 21, 2021 at 9:45 am

      5 stars
      Such a beautiful salad! Christmas can be total over-indulgence in heavy, starchy foods and this is such a refreshing side to serve over the holiday season.

      Reply

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