Description
Looking for a stunning festive salad for the holidays? Why not try our beautiful Christmas salad! This Christmas Wreath Salad brings big flavors with every ingredient. Decorated in a wreath shape, it's more than just a salad it's also your table centerpiece.
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate concentrate
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mustard (any mustard)
- salt and pepper to taste
For the salad
- 6-8 cups mixed greens - baby spinach, rocket etc. Platter dependent, you may need less or more.
- 1 cup pomegranate arils, divided (175g tub)
- 1/3 cup fresh cherries (or your seasonal fruit)
- 1 cup pecans (1/2 - 1/3 of 100g packet)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 100 grams blue cheese
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/2 cup almond flakes
Instructions
- Making the Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette: In a small jar add the salad dressing ingredients, close and shake well.
- Toasting the pecans: Add a tablespoon of butter to a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Toss in the pecans, stirring occasionally for about 4-5 minutes until they turn a darker golden brown. Season with a sprinkle of sea salt while still warm, and let them cool down.
Build the wreath shaped salad
- Arrange the Greens: In a large round plate, bowl or board, arrange the greens all around the bowl. Sprinkle half of the pomegranate seeds, add cherries around the plate over the greens.
- Finishing touches: Add almond slivers, blue cheese, avocado slices, toasted pecans and the remaining pomegranate arils. Place a small bowl in the center of the serving plate and pour in the salad dressing.
- To Serve: Serve on individual plates, add the dressing and enjoy!
Notes
Building the salad
Use the quantity of the salad greens as a guide because it will depend on how small or large your platter is. If your serving is for 6 to 8 people then work on a large round platter or even a board works. Always start working from the outside in with the greens first. Try and make the greens quite fluffly so that you can tuck some nuts and pomegrante in there for pleasant surprise bursts in the mouth 🙂 That's the reason I love adding them in layers and not just dumping everything on top!
Toasting the Pecans
Tip! Adding salt is ideal if you are using the pecans as a snack. In the case of this salad recipe, you can omit adding salt and simply season the salad overall. Remember we still have salt in the salad dressing.
FAQ'S
Can I make this salad ahead?
Yes absolutely you can, just remember that the 'wet' ingredients like the aril seeds and the cheese is alway best added at the last minute to avoid any soggy taste. It's wonderful because this is the type of salad that's fun and creative so you can give it to members of your family to arrange. Give them carte blanche, it's the holidays!
What is a Christmas wreath salad?
A Christmas wreath salad is a salad that forms a wreath to resemble the season, using ingredients that are popular this time of year. The christmas wreath in itself is a religious symbol used for everlasting life.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Mains, Side Dish
- Cuisine: American, Western
Nutrition
- Calories: 329
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 157
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 16
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 10