Elegant Christmas Salad

Been searching high and low for Christmas holiday salad recipes or Thanksgiving salad ideas? Ours is loaded with crisp winter greens, seasonal fruit, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy praline pecans; it’s dressed with a simple maple-balsamic vinaigrette that’ll have your guests asking for the recipe, guaranteed. You can serve this beauty during Thanksgiving, too!

See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.

Why This Recipe is So Good

• When you’re juggling multiple dishes, having one salad for Thanksgiving and Christmas that requires nothing more than washing, slicing, and tossing is a win-win. A delicious salad that lets you focus on your main holiday dishes, oh heck yes!
• Unlike delicate lettuce salads that turn into a soggy mess the second dressing touches them, winter greens like arugula and baby kale stay crisp and gorgeous. You can prep the components ahead of time and assemble right before serving, without any drama.
• Let’s be real—presentation matters during the holidays, and I’m not boasting when I say this is the best Christmas salad and it delivers. The deep greens, bright red pomegranate arils, creamy white goat cheese, and golden pecans create this gorgeous color palette that screams celebration.

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What You Need to Know Before You Start

• I like to make the vinaigrette ahead; simply whisk together the balsamic, maple syrup, salt, and pepper first, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking. Store it in a jar in the fridge for up to a week—just give it a good shake before using since the oil and vinegar will separate. This is one of those make-ahead moves that’ll save your sanity on Christmas Day or during the Thanksgiving rush.
• Keep your apple or pear slices from browning, by mixing ½ teaspoon of salt per cup of cold water, soak your sliced fruit for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry. They’ll stay crisp and white for hours without any weird salty taste, and you can do this step a few hours ahead and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
• If you’re using praline pecans, add them just before serving to keep them crunchy. If you’re making regular toasted pecans instead, toast them in a 350°F oven for 7-10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until they smell amazing and nutty. Let them cool completely before adding to the salad.
• The secret to a great salad is keeping those greens dry until serving time. Pat your washed greens completely dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner, then store them with a paper towel in the container to absorb any moisture. When it’s go-time, toss everything together and drizzle with dressing right at the table for maximum freshness and crunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Recipe By: Cheryl Malik

Elegant Christmas Salad

Prep 15 minutes minutes

Total 15 minutes minutes

If you’ve been searching for Thanksgiving salad recipes or Christmas holiday salad recipes, ours is loaded with crisp winter greens, seasonal fruit, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy praline pecans, and it's dressed with a simple, but tasty maple-balsamic vinaigrette.

Cheryl Malik

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Equipment

• large mixing bowl
• Small bowl or jar for dressing
• whisk
• salad spinner optional, see recipe notes

Ingredients

For the Balsamic Vinaigrette

• ▢ ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• ▢ ½ cup good olive oil
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• ▢ Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

For the Salad

• ▢ 6 cups winter lettuce blend of choice arugula, spinach, baby kale, or combination
• ▢ 2 cups seasonal fresh fruit or produce sliced or cut into bite-sized pieces, see notes for suggestions
• ▢ 1 apple or pear, thinly sliced
• ▢ ¼ cup pomegranate arils or dried cranberries
• ▢ ¾ cup goat cheese crumbles
• ▢ ¾ cup praline pecans or toasted pecans, roughly chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup shallots thinly sliced
• ▢ Arugula sprouts optional, for garnish

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Instructions

 

Prepare the Balsamic Vinaigrette

• Combine ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup, ½ teaspoon salt, and fresh cracked black pepper in small bowl or jar.
• Slowly drizzle in ½ cup olive oil while whisking constantly until emulsified. Or shake all ingredients in jar with tight-fitting lid for 30 seconds.
• Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble the Salad

• Place 6 cups winter lettuce blend in large serving bowl.
• Layer 2 cups seasonal fresh fruit or produce over greens.
• Add 1 thinly sliced apple or pear on top.
• Sprinkle ¼ cup pomegranate arils or dried cranberries evenly over salad.
• Distribute ¾ cup goat cheese crumbles throughout salad.
• Scatter ¾ cup praline pecans or toasted pecans across top.
• Add ¼ cup thinly sliced shallots and arugula sprouts if using.
• Just before serving, drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

Make it Vegan: Omit goat cheese and double the praline pecans or add toasted pumpkin seeds. 

Make it Dairy-Free: Simply omit the goat cheese. The salad is still delicious and satisfying with all the other flavorful components.

Salad Spinner: For the crispest salad, wash and thoroughly dry your greens before assembling. Use a salad spinner if you have one, or pat greens completely dry with clean kitchen towels or paper towels. Wet greens will dilute the dressing and make the salad soggy.

Winter Greens Blend: A mix of arugula, baby spinach, and baby kale works beautifully. Arugula adds peppery bite, spinach brings mild sweetness, and kale provides sturdy texture. Pre-washed salad blends labeled “winter greens” or “power greens” work perfectly and save time.

Preventing Apple Browning: To keep apple or pear slices from browning, soak them in salt water (½ teaspoon salt per cup of cold water) for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry. This can be done up to 4 hours ahead.

Pomegranate Arils: To easily remove pomegranate seeds, cut pomegranate in half, hold cut-side down over bowl, and tap the back firmly with a wooden spoon. Seeds will fall right out. Or save time and buy pre-packaged arils in the refrigerated produce section.

Cheese Substitutions: Swap goat’s cheese with crumbled feta for a saltier flavor, blue cheese for bold tang, or shaved Parmesan for nutty richness. Each brings its own personality to the salad.

Toasting Pecans: If using plain pecans instead of praline, toast them in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 7-10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until fragrant and golden. Cool completely before adding to salad. Warm nuts will wilt the greens.

Shallot Substitutions: If you don’t have shallots, use thinly sliced red onion instead. Soak the onion slices in cold water for 10 minutes to mellow the bite, then drain and pat dry before adding to salad.

Vinaigrette Adjustments: Start with 2 tablespoons maple syrup and taste—some balsamic vinegars are sweeter than others. Add the third tablespoon if you prefer a sweeter dressing. The vinaigrette will separate when stored, so shake well before using.

Serving Size Flexibility: This recipe serves 6-8 as a side salad. For larger holiday gatherings, double or triple the recipe easily. For a main course salad, add protein.

Build-Your-Own Salad Bar: For parties with picky eaters or kids, set out all components separately and let guests build their own salads. This works great for accommodating different dietary needs too.

Dressing the Salad: Only dress what you plan to serve immediately. Undressed salad components can be stored separately and used for fresh salads over the next day or two.

Make Ahead: Vinaigrette can be made up to 1 week ahead and stored in refrigerator. Greens can be washed, dried, and stored up to 1 day ahead in airtight container with paper towel. Keep all components separate and assemble just before serving.

Storage: This salad is best served immediately after dressing. If you have undressed components left over, store them separately in airtight containers in refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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Approximate Information for One Serving

Calories: 304calProtein: 5gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 227mgPotassium: 125mgTotal Carbs: 11gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gNet Carbs: 9gVitamin A: 238IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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