Description
A vibrant and festive Christmas Salad combining fresh mixed greens, juicy pomegranate seeds, creamy feta cheese, and a sweet-tangy balsamic dressing. Perfect as a refreshing holiday side dish that brings color, texture, and seasonal flavors to your table.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 6 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
Dressing Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large salad bowl, add the mixed greens, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, diced red bell pepper, pomegranate seeds, crumbled feta cheese, thinly sliced red onion, toasted pecans or walnuts, and dried cranberries. Gently toss them together to mix all the components evenly.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until the mixture is smooth and emulsified, ensuring the honey is fully dissolved.
- Toss Salad with Dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently but thoroughly to coat all the ingredients with the dressing without bruising the delicate greens.
- Garnish and Serve: Add a few extra pomegranate seeds or nuts on top as a garnish to enhance the festive appearance. Serve immediately for the freshest taste and texture.
Notes
- This salad pairs beautifully with roasted meats during holiday meals.
- You can substitute goat cheese in place of feta for a milder flavor.
- Adding sliced pears or apples introduces a pleasant extra sweetness.
- To toast nuts, dry roast them in a skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant.
- For a vegan version, omit the feta cheese and substitute honey with maple syrup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 270 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
