Brighten up your holiday table with this Christmas salad! It's fresh and colorful, made with juicy pomegranates, roasted squash, and winter greens.
This Christmas salad is a fresh, festive addition to a holiday table! It features ruby red pomegranates, candied pecans, shaved pecorino, and roasted squash over a bed of winter greens. My go-to apple cider vinegar dressing ties it all together.
I make a version of this Christmas salad recipe every single year. I love the mix of tangy, sweet, and bitter flavors and creamy and crunchy textures. The jeweled tones of the winter produce are so pretty too.
If you want to add a pop of color to your spread of Christmas side dishes, this stunning salad is the best way to do it. I’m sharing my favorite variations below, plus make-ahead tips to help you streamline your prep. Happy holidays, friends!
How to Make This Christmas Salad
You can find the complete recipe with measurements below, but for now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes!
This Christmas salad has four main parts:
- The roasted vegetables – cubed butternut squash and red onion wedges
- The raw vegetables – kale, radicchio, and shaved Brussels sprouts
- The flavorful toppings – pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, and shaved pecorino cheese
- The dressing – this tangy apple cider vinaigrette
Get started by roasting the squash and onion. Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast until tender and browned, 20 to 35 minutes.
Tip: The onion wedges might be ready before the squash. If needed, pull them off the baking sheet and keep roasting the squash until tender. In the meantime, peel apart the onion layers.
Next, make the dressing. It’s super simple to whisk together with apple cider vinegar, honey, garlic, mustard, and olive oil.
Then, massage the kale with some of the dressing to help the kale wilt down. Add the radicchio, Brussels sprouts, and roasted squash and onions. Toss with the remaining dressing.
Finally, add the toppings and gently toss again. Season to taste and serve!
Make-Ahead Tips
There are a few ways you can get ahead on this salad recipe:
- Make the dressing up to 5 days ahead and store it in the fridge. The olive oil may solidify in the refrigerator. Not to worry—set it out at room temperature, and it’ll soften in no time.
- Roast the squash and onions up to 2 days ahead. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to make the salad.
- Dress the vegetables up to 1 day ahead. They’re all sturdy winter veggies, so they hold up well. Store in the fridge until you’re ready to serve, then top with the cheese, candied nuts, and pomegranates before you dig in!
Christmas Salad Variations
I never make this salad in exactly the same way twice. Here are a few of my favorite variations:
- Add more fruit. Toss in sliced apples or segments from two mandarin oranges. I love the juicy oranges and pomegranates together!
- Use another dressing, like my lemon vinaigrette, balsamic vinaigrette, or this delicious honey mustard dressing.
- Try a different cheese, like crumbled feta cheese, blue cheese, or shaved Parmesan.
- Replace the greens. Use tender mixed greens instead of the radicchio, Brussels sprouts, and kale.
- Go nuts with the nuts. Use regular toasted pecans instead of candied ones, or toss in walnuts, almonds, pepitas, or sunflower seeds.
- You could even skip the squash for a simpler green salad. Use thinly sliced raw onion to skip the roasting entirely.
Let me know what variations you try!
More Favorite Salad Recipes
If you love this holiday salad, try one of these delicious salad recipes next:
- Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad
- Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic
- Arugula Salad
- Pear Salad with Balsamic and Walnuts
- Or any of these 25 Winter Salad Recipes!
Christmas Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- ½ medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
- Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ bunch curly kale, 4 to 6 leaves, stemmed, leaves torn
- Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
- ½ small radicchio, thinly sliced
- 6 Brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
- ¾ cup candied pecans, or toasted pecans
- ⅓ cup pomegranate arils or dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup shaved Parmesan or pecorino cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the squash on one side of the baking sheet and the onion wedges on the other. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Roast for 20 to 35 minutes, or until tender and golden brown around the edges. Remove the onions before the squash if needed. Pull apart the onion layers.
- Place the kale in a large bowl and drizzle with some of the dressing. Use your hands to massage the leaves until they become soft and wilted and reduce in the bowl by about half.
- Add the radicchio, Brussels sprouts, roasted squash, onions, and remaining dressing. Toss well, then top with the pecans, pomegranates, and cheese. Gently toss. Season to taste and serve.
This salad looks absolutely festive and fresh, the colors and textures feel perfect for a holiday table. I love how the flavors balance sweet and savory and it actually reminded me of deez nuts peanuts being added for extra crunch and depth which would pair so well with the citrus and greens here. Thanks for sharing!