Dec 7, 2021(Last updated Nov 22, 2023)by Hannah Sunderani
Holiday Salad
Hi friends! Today I’m sharing a very easy holiday salad recipe! This is a festive side salad for you to serve at your holiday gathering. Made with pomegranate, avocado, clementine, toasted almonds, mixed greens, and an orange vinaigrette to drizzle. It’s bright, refreshing and crunchy, served alongside with a sweet citrus vinaigrette.
I love this salad recipe because it’s so easy to make, which is much appreciated when you have a million other dishes to prep for your festivities. Yet, this salad still brings the wow-factor worthy of a Christmas feast. This salad is bright and refreshing, which nicely offsets those heavier dishes.
So, let me tell you exactly how to make this salad so that you can make it pronto!
Holiday Salad Recipe:
This holiday salad is:
- bright and refreshing
- made with a festive citrus vinaigrette
- tangy, sweet and crunchy
- so easy to make
- perfect starter for your festive gatherings
- crowd pleaser (with vegans and non vegans)
All-in-all, it’s a great way to start your holiday festivities. We always start our Christmas dinner with salad and soup. And this salad is just perfect!
Might I recommend serving this salad as a starter paired with my vegan potato leek soup, or my curried butternut squash and sweet potato soup?
Featured Review
5 from 6 votes
“This salad is such a fresh and delightful accent to your dinner. I love the pomegranates and mandarins but my absolute favourite is the dressing. Soooo incredible 👏 Nice job Hannah!”-Shira Lyn Mitchell-Forsyth
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How to make this holiday salad
This holiday salad is so easy to make! It takes minutes. Which is exactly what we want when we have a million and one dishes to prepare for our holiday gathering. (Don’t worry, I got you covered).
To make this salad, start by preparing the orange vinaigrette. Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together. You can choose to either toss the greens in the dressing, or leave it on the side for people to serve themselves.
(Personally, I prefer the later so that the salad and dressing can be prepared in advance, and you can pack up leftovers to enjoy next day. Otherwise the leaves get too wilted to last more than a few hours. Here’s some other tips from Bon Appetit for how to keep leftover salad from getting soggy).
Then, we’ll toast the almonds in a skillet on medium-high heat until fragrant, this takes no longer than 5 to 7 minutes.
Finally, we’ll add all the salad ingredients to a large serving bowl, along with the toasted almonds.
Can you prepare this holiday salad in advance?
This salad can be prepared a few hours in advance! My recommendation is to keep the dressing on the side, so that the salad can last longer without wilting.
Once you’ve prepared the salad it’s helpful to cover the salad bowl in wrap and place in a cool area to keep crisp. Either a fridge or cold room work well for this.
Citrus vinaigrette:
The citrus vinaigrette can also be prepared 2 to 3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Make this salad with me!
Make this holiday salad with me on my Vegan Christmas Dinner Menu on YouTube.
Other salads you might like:
If you’re digging this salad you might also like these:
- Harvest Kale Caesar Salad
- Kale Sweet Potato Salad
- Vegan Caesar Salad
- Moroccan Kale and Chickpea Salad
And, if you haven’t checked out some of my meatless mains, my nut roast or vegan lentil loaf is a great alternative to turkey. I’ve served them for Christmas and Thanksgiving and they were a huge hit – even with the non-vegans.
Pin it on Pinterest!
Save this recipe for later! Pin it on Pinterest.
So there we have it we have it, a delicious and easy holiday salad recipe for you to enjoy at your festive gatherings. It’s the perfect starter served with soup to enjoy with your loved ones.
If you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I truly love hearing from you, and I’m always here to answer any questions you might have. And of course, tag me on Instagram with your pictures using the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.
GFGRFSFSGF
Holiday Salad
5 from 6 votes
By Hannah Sunderani
This holiday salad recipe is wholesome, bright, tangy, and refreshing. It's the perfect side salad to serve at your holiday gatherings. Loaded with sweet and savoury flavour and crunchy texture.
Print RecipePin Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes minutes
Total Time 15 minutes minutes
Serves 6 people
Ingredients
Orange Dressing
- ½ cup orange juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup green onions or shallots thinly sliced/chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or more apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp agave
- Pinch sea salt
- Pinch pepper
Salad
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- 5 oz mixed salad greens
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- 1 cup mandarine slices (fresh or canned)
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- Pinch pepper
Instructions
In a small bowl add the orange juice, green onions, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, agave, salt and pepper. Whisk together to combine.
Bring a small skillet to medium-high heat and toast the sliced almonds until lightly brown and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
In a large serving bowl add the salad greens. Top with avocado, clementine, pomegranate seeds and sprinkle with pepper. Serve salad with the orange dressing on the side for drizzling.
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Notes
Salad dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.
Salad can be prepared a few hours in advance if dressing is served on the side. Cover the bowl with wrap and keep in a cool area like the fridge or cold room.
Approvals
Nutrition
Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 402IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 1mg
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See more step-by-step instructions by visiting the recipe story here!
- Holiday
- Winter
- 15 mins or less
