ImageA bed of spinach and lettuce topped with pomegranates, pine nuts, clementine segments, julienned red onions and chopped beets. Salad dressing sits off to the side.
Photography by Meghan Rodgers

Festive Christmas Salad Recipe

by Meghan Rodgers

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December 2, 2020

A bed of spinach and lettuce topped with pomegranates, pine nuts, clementine segments, julienned red onions and chopped beets. Salad dressing sits off to the side.
A bed of spinach and lettuce topped with pomegranates, pine nuts, clementine segments, julienned red onions and chopped beets. Salad dressing sits off to the side.

While I love indulging in a hearty holiday feast — hello, homemade four-cheese ravioli — a light and fresh salad is always a nice option in a Christmas spread. With all the creamy sauces, cookie platters, and over-the-top sides, a simple, vegan leafy green salad is a welcome sight. 

But simple doesn’t have to mean boring! This bright and cheery recipe is loaded with flavorful spinach, citrus, beets, pine nuts and more. 

When I think of Christmas, I think of bursts of color in all colors of the rainbow, represented in the glittering lights, odd-shaped boxes, and beautiful bows. To me, this salad fits right in, with its glowing pomegranates arils, purple onion “ribbons”, and a plethora of produce shapes.

The combination makes for this sweet and savory, earthy and eye-popping recipe. The simple mustard vinaigrette adds a bit of tang and ties the whole dish together. 

Plus, isn’t it pretty enough to serve as a table centerpiece?

Pro tip: If you’re making this recipe for the holidays, prepare the pomegranate the night before. Even if you’ve done it a hundred times, working all those tiny arils out from the peel can be a bit tedious — and messy if you try to rush the process. Take your time and store the seeds in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’ll keep for a few days. You can also buy just the arils, but I try to stay away from excess packaging. Plus, produce is an easy one — nature provides the packaging! When you’re done, either compost the peel or save it for any of these 11 health benefits.

The same goes for the beet. Properly stored in the refrigerator, cooked beets will last 3 to 5 days 

These two prep steps will have you tossing the salad together in no time on a holiday or any day you want to delight with a delicious, show-stopping salad.

Festive Christmas Salad Recipe

Ingredients

4 cups spinach

1 cup mixed greens

2 clementines, peels and segmented (mandarin or other oranges will also work!)

1/2 cup cooked beets, peeled and chopped

1 cup cabernet cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup red onion, julienned

1/4 cup pomegranate arils

3 tbsp pine nuts

2 dates, chopped

Dressing

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

2 tbsp fresh-squeezed orange juice

2 tsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Directions

  1. Arrange a bed of spinach and mixed greens in a large serving bowl.
  2. Whisk together all dressing ingredients. 
  3. Add salad toppings and drizzle with dressing. 

Love pomegranates? Try our Maple Roasted Carrots with Pomegranates and Pistachios recipe too!

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Meghan Rodgers is a media professional and writer covering travel, food and the environment. Find her writing on the food blog EverybodyCraves and her adventures on Instagram.