Delight your holiday guests with this stunning Christmas salad wreath. This easy and quick recipe offers a refreshing salad in the shape of a wreath so your guests can serve themselves while they admire your artistic flair.
A reddish-orange pomegranate vinaigrette adds a dash of red and contrasts with the green salad, completing the Christmas look. Serve this salad on a holiday plate for an extra touch.
When you serve dinner on Christmas Eve, you need light, refreshing courses to go along with heavy dishes like ham and mashed potatoes. Start with a Christmas salad made from fruit, nuts, lettuce and cheese that whets your guests’ appetites without making them full before the main event. Plus, a vegetable dish gives your guests a little nutrition before they move on to other courses.
Christmas Salad Ingredients
Resembling a traditional Christmas wreath with greens as the base, the pecans represent the pine cones, the pomegranate seeds the lights and the goat cheese appears to look like snow.
- pomegranate juice
- orange juice
- canola oil
- sugar
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
- mixed salad greens
- goat cheese
- pomegranate seeds
- toasted pecans
Tips & Tweaks
You could drizzle the vinaigrette over the Christmas dinner salad, but placing it in a serving dish helps the salad hold its “wreath” shape and prevents the lettuce from getting soggy. The vinaigrette holds up well in the fridge so you can use it for leftover salads and other dishes. You can prepare the dressing ahead of time, but give it a shake before pouring it into the serving dish.
When you’re in a pinch, this salad is great for last-minute courses–throw it together before your guests arrive, then stick it in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. Cover leftover salad with plastic or place it in a container to preserve the freshness.
If you have vegetarian guests coming over, this dish allows them to take part in the festivities. Remove the cheese to provide a dish for vegans.
Did your guests admire this holiday-themed salad? Let us know in the comments and please share the recipe.
Christmas Salad
Ingredients
For the Pomegranate Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup pomegranate juice
- 2 tablespoons orange juice - freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice - or to taste
- Salt and pepper - to taste
For the Salad:
- 6 cups mixed salad greens
- ¾ cup goat cheese - crumbled
- ½ cup toasted pecans
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
For the Pomegranate Vinaigrette:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pomegranate juice, orange juice and sugar. Slowly drizzle the canola oil into the mixture while constantly whisking so that it combines well.
- Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Reserve.
To Assemble the Salad:
- On a large serving plate, place a small circular serving dish in the middle (it will hold the vinaigrette). Scatter the mixed greens around the small serving dish in the shape of a wreath.
- Top the greens evenly with the crumbled goat cheese, toasted pecans and pomegranate seeds.
- Pour the vinaigrette into the small serving dish in the center. Serve!
Notes
- Nutrition information does not include the vinaigrette.
- Depending on the size of your serving plate, you may have to adjust the topping amounts slightly.
- Leftover vinaigrette can be refrigerated.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Hungry for more? Try our Brown Gravy Recipe