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Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.3 from 89 reviews
  • Author: Elizabeth
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: American

Description

A vibrant and festive Christmas Salad featuring fresh baby spinach or mixed greens, sweet pomegranate seeds, tangy cranberries, crisp apple slices, and crunchy candied nuts, all tossed in a luscious honey mustard dressing. This refreshing salad is perfect for holiday gatherings or as a light, healthy side dish.


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
  • ½ cup candied pecans or walnuts

Honey Mustard Dressing

  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste


Instructions

  1. Prepare Greens: Wash and thoroughly drain the baby spinach or mixed greens, then place them in a large mixing bowl to serve as the base of the salad.
  2. Add Fruit and Nuts: Incorporate the pomegranate seeds, cranberries, thinly sliced apple, and candied pecans or walnuts into the greens, mixing gently to combine the ingredients evenly.
  3. Make Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together honey, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
  4. Toss Salad: Pour the honey mustard dressing over the salad mixture, then gently toss everything together to ensure all components are well coated with the dressing.
  5. Serve: Serve the salad immediately to enjoy the fresh, vibrant flavors and crisp textures at their peak.

Notes

  • For a nut-free version, omit the candied nuts or substitute with seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
  • If fresh cranberries are not available, dried cranberries work well and add a pleasant chewiness.
  • Adjust honey amount in dressing for desired sweetness.
  • To make the salad vegan, substitute honey with maple syrup.
  • Serve salad chilled for best freshness.