This Christmas Salad is a fresh, fruity, and festive salad that is super easy to make. From its delicious winter flavors to its gorgeous wreath-like appearance - this side dish will definitely mark its presence on your holiday table. Made of 6 simple raw ingredients and ready in less than 10 minutes, you'll probably be making this persimmon salad all season long!
This winter salad is made with fresh seasonal persimmons and pomegranates nestled amidst salad greens with a sprinkling of crunchy nuts and crumbly cheese. It is served as a beautiful wreath with homemade honey mustard salad dressing that adds another layer of sweetness and tanginess to this fresh, raw salad.
Why You'll Love this Christmas Salad
- A simple and easy dish. Make your holiday preparations less stressful by investing in quick and easy side dishes like this salad - where no cooking required! All you have to do is to assemble all the ingredients in a bowl in less than 5 minutes for a flavor-packed salad in no time. This will give you more time to focus on perfecting your Sunday Pot Roast, Pineapple Glazed Ham Slices, or other holiday main or entree.
- It makes a festive and elegant centrepiece. Just look at those stunning colors and textures artfully placed on a round platter. This salad is designed to look like a Christmas wreath which makes it so beautiful. It can even be the centerpiece of your holiday feast!
- Healthy and refreshing. With its sweet and tangy flavor combination, this salad is ideal for cleansing your palate from all the saucy and seasoned main courses. It is a low-calorie salad made of nutritious fruits that are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber.
- Loaded with fresh fruit. This holiday salad is made with fresh seasonal fruits including persimmons and pomegranates - which is what sets this delicious salad apart from others. Aside from their ample sweetness and juicy goodness, they also make this salad so pretty with their vibrant colors and unique textures.
- It is a party in your mouth. This salad is a mix of different flavors and textures that works perfectly with each other! It is earthy, sweet, nutty, tart, and tangy all at the same time. Enjoy crisp salad greens, plump and juicy persimmons, popping pomegranate seeds, crunchy walnuts, and soft cheese in every bite!
Ingredient Notes
To make this easy and festive Christmas Salad, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in the recipe card below):
- salad greens - you can buy spring mix salad greens pre-packed and chopped for easier preparation. A bag usually includes baby lettuce, spinach, arugula, chard, radicchio, kale, and endive. You can also buy these separately and just use any kind of salad greens that you like.
- fruits - aside from persimmons and pomegranate seeds, you can also try other berries and fruits that you like. You could substitute the persimmons for mandarin orange slices which is also quite popular.
- walnuts - other nuts such as shaved almonds, pistachios, or pecans will also work for this recipe.
- feta cheese - feta adds a soft, creamy texture and tangy flavor to the salad. You can substitute this with goat cheese or a vegan feta if you prefer.
- honey mustard salad dressing - feel free to use store-bough dressing or make your own in just minutes. Make homemade dressing by simply mixing balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, honey, salt, and ground black pepper in a bowl.
How to Make the Best Christmas Salad
- Place dressing. In a large serving dish, place a small round bowl in the center. Pour the honey mustard salad dressing into the small bowl in the center of the salad to make it look like a wreath.
- Arrange salad ingredients. Arrange the salad greens around the bowl. Add persimmons and walnuts over the greens.
- Add toppings. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and feta cheese on top.
How to Make Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing
To make homemade honey mustard salad dressing, simply combine and stir together:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
Recipe Variations
- Make it vegan. To make this salad vegan, you have to just use vegan feta cheese and a vegan honey mustard dressing (if making your own use maple syrup instead of honey). That's all it takes to make this Christmas Wreath Salad plant-based.
- Use different fruits. Raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, cherries, mandarin oranges, kiwis, avocados, and apples can also be used to make this salad! Make sure to be mindful of colors and textures when choosing your fruits.
- Veggie-fy your salad! Aside from salad greens, why not add more vegetables like Brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, and tomatoes? Add you favorite veggies.
How to Serve
Christmas Salad is best served chilled or at room temperature. Since the dressing is placed in a bowl in the center and not mixed in the salad, it will stay crisp and fresh longer so you can make it ahead of time. This is perfect served on the side of holiday dishes such as:
- Roast Beef
- Harissa Spatchcock Chicken
- Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Cranberries
- Garlic Rosemary Rack of Lamb
- Ground Beef Meat Pie
- Instant Pot Osso Buco
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- No to watery salad. Drain or wipe any excess liquids from the greens and fruits before assembling the salad to make sure it does not become watery. A salad spinner works wonderfully for drying washed leafy vegetables.
- Be creative. Put some thought into designing your Christmas Salad. Spread the different colors and textures around to make it look as pretty as can be.
- Save time. Buy packed pomegranate seeds and mixed spring greens instead of buying them fresh and whole. This will cut your preparation time in half. You can also make the salad dressing ahead of time and just keep it chilled in the fridge until you're ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answer is no, as persimmon peel is edible. This is a matter of personal preference, so if you want to keep the peel-on, that is entirely okay!
Yes, of course. Just make sure to keep it light to complement the salad itself. You can try my Greek Salad Dressing or Homemade Italian Dressing.
Absolutely! You can keep it chilled it in the fridge overnight. Make sure it is covered with plastic wrap to keep it fresh.
Storing Salad
Make Ahead Instructions
To make ahead, assemble the salad and make the dressing but store them in separate airtight containers. The salad ingredients can last up to 5 days, and the dressing up to 2 weeks. When ready to serve, serve the dressing in the middle as a wreath or pour it on and toss to combine.
How to Store
You can store leftover Christmas salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, and more if the dressing is not yet drizzled over the salad. With dressing, the greens will start to wilt the longer they're stores. I do not recommend freezing this salad because the greens will wilt and lose their texture and the fruits will become dry.
More Salad Recipes
- 40 Best Salad Recipes
- Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Fall Harvest Salad
- Butternut Squash Salad
- Sweet Kale Salad
- Mandarin Orange Salad
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Recipe
Christmas Salad
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Christmas Salad is a fresh, fruity, and festive salad that is super easy to make. From its delicious winter flavors to its gorgeous wreath-like appearance - this side dish will definitely mark its presence on your holiday table. Made of 6 simple raw ingredients and ready in less than 10 minutes, you'll probably be making this winter salad all season long!
Ingredients
- 10 ounces spring mix salad greens
- 2 persimmons, peeled and chopped into ½ inch pieces
- ⅔ cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup honey mustard salad dressing*
Instructions
- In a large serving dish, place a small round bowl in the center. Arrange the salad greens around the bowl. Add persimmons and walnuts over the greens. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and feta cheese on top.
- Pour the honey mustard salad dressing into the small bowl in the center of the salad to make it look like a wreath.
Notes
*To make homemade honey mustard salad dressing: Simply combine and stir together: 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt (or more to taste), and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper.
Make ahead instructions: To make ahead, assemble the salad and make the dressing but store them in separate airtight containers. The salad ingredients can last up to 5 days, and the dressing up to 2 weeks. When ready to serve, serve the dressing in the middle as a wreath or pour it on and toss to combine.
How to store: You can store leftover Christmas salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days, and more if the dressing is not yet drizzled over the salad. With dressing, the greens will start to wilt the longer they're stores. I do not recommend freezing this salad because the greens will wilt and lose their texture and the fruits will become dry.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Assemble
- Cuisine: American
Della says
Delicious! Leftovers held up well - we ate the salad on second day with grilled chicken. This recipe will be used again and again!