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 festive 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 this 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.
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.
For the 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
How to Make it
It only takes about 10 minutes to whip up this elegant holiday salad. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Whisk
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.
Step 2: Season
Add the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Reserve.
Step 3: Assemble
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.
Step 4: Add Toppings
Top the greens evenly with the crumbled goat cheese, toasted pecans and pomegranate seeds.
Note: Depending on the size of your serving plate, you may have to adjust the topping amounts slightly.
Step 5: Add Vinaigrette
Pour the vinaigrette into the small serving dish in the center.
Step 6: Serve!
Serve!
Serving Suggestions
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.
If you have vegetarian guests coming over, this dish allows them to take part in the festivities. Remove the cheese to the side to provide a dish for vegans.
Serve it with these Christmas-inspired main dishes: beef tenderloin with bourbon mushroom sauce or skillet pork tenderloin with white wine sauce.
As for drinks, this pomegranate mojito mocktail seems very fitting.
Make Ahead Tips
When you're in a pinch, this salad is great for last-minute courses--throw it together before your guests arrive (without the vinaigrette), 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.
The dressing can be made up to two weeks in advance, but make sure to shake it before pouring it into the serving dish.
Did you and your guests enjoy this holiday-themed Christmas salad recipe? Let me know in the comments!
Hungry for more? Try our Brown Gravy Recipe
📋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. Each tablespoon has approximately 60 calories and 5 grams fat.
- Depending on the size of your serving plate, you may have to adjust the topping amounts slightly.
- Leftover vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks but be sure to shake it before serving.
- If you have vegetarian guests coming over, this dish allows them to take part in the festivities. Remove the cheese to the side to provide a dish for vegans.
- When you're in a pinch, this salad is great for last-minute courses--throw it together before your guests arrive (without the vinaigrette), 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.
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.
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