Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe
A festive and refreshing Christmas Salad featuring baby spinach or mixed greens, fresh pomegranate seeds, cranberries, crisp apple slices, candied nuts, and optional feta cheese, all tossed in a sweet and tangy honey mustard dressing. Perfect as a colorful side dish or starter during the holiday season.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 4 cups baby spinach or mixed greens
- 1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds
- 1 cup fresh cranberries (or dried cranberries)
- 1 medium apple, thinly sliced (such as Gala or Granny Smith)
- ½ cup candied pecans or walnuts
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
Honey Mustard Dressing
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Salad Greens: Wash your baby spinach or mixed greens thoroughly. Use a salad spinner or gently pat them dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture, ensuring the salad isn’t soggy.
- Slice the Apple: Core and thinly slice the apple. Leave the skin on for added color and nutrients if desired.
- Prepare the Pomegranate and Cranberries: If using fresh pomegranate, carefully remove the seeds. For fresh cranberries, you may leave them whole or slice in half for a milder flavor. If using dried cranberries, no preparation is needed.
- Toast the Nuts (Optional): Place the candied pecans or walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Make the Honey Mustard Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper until smooth and emulsified. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large salad bowl, combine the dried greens, pomegranate seeds, cranberries, apple slices, toasted nuts, and crumbled feta cheese and red onion if using. Toss gently to mix ingredients.
- Dress the Salad: Drizzle the honey mustard dressing over the salad. Toss gently again to evenly coat the salad without overdressing.
- Serve: Serve immediately as a fresh, colorful side dish or starter perfect for holiday gatherings.
Notes
- To toast nuts without candied coating, simply use raw pecans or walnuts and toast as instructed.
- Adjust the sweetness of the dressing by varying the amount of honey to your preference.
- For a vegan version, omit the feta cheese and use maple syrup instead of honey.
- Use dried cranberries if fresh cranberries are unavailable; rinse them to soften if preferred.
- Add red onion for extra sharpness or omit it for a milder salad.
- Prepare all salad components just before serving to keep greens crisp and fresh.
Keywords: Christmas salad, honey mustard dressing, holiday salad, spinach salad, pomegranate salad, cranberry salad, festive salad, healthy holiday side
