Pomegranate Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe
A festive Pomegranate Christmas Salad featuring crunchy candied walnuts and pumpkin seeds, crisp greens, sweet apples, creamy avocado, and tangy blue cheese, all brought together with a vibrant honey mustard dressing infused with fig preserves and orange zest. Perfect for holiday gatherings or any special occasion.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Candied Nuts and Seeds
- 1 1/2 cups raw walnut halves
- 1/2 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
- Kosher salt, to taste
Honey Mustard Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp fig preserves
- 2 tsp grated orange zest
- 3 tbsp fresh orange juice
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad Components
- 6 cups assorted salad greens
- 2 cups curly endive (frisée), sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 to 2 apples or pears, thinly sliced
- 2 avocados, sliced just before serving
- 2 cups pomegranate seeds
- 1 cup crumbled cheese (blue, goat, or feta)
- Chili flakes, to taste (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Candied Nuts and Seeds: Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a bowl, mix the walnuts, pumpkin seeds, honey, chipotle powder, and a generous pinch of kosher salt until they’re evenly coated. Spread this mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes to crisp up and deepen the flavors.
- Make the Honey Mustard Dressing: While the nuts toast, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, fig preserves, orange zest, and orange juice in a jar or bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Whisk or shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified and smooth. Set aside at room temperature.
- Prepare the Fresh Salad Components: Wash and thoroughly dry salad greens and endive; slice the endive into 1-inch pieces and add both to a large salad bowl. Thinly slice apples or pears and add to the bowl. Keep avocados, blue cheese, and pomegranate seeds ready but add them later to keep avocados fresh.
- Assemble and Dress the Salad: Once candied nuts and seeds have cooled, add them to the salad bowl with pomegranate seeds and most of the blue cheese, reserving some for garnish. Slice avocados just before adding to prevent browning. Pour the honey mustard dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine without crushing delicate ingredients.
- Finish and Serve: Transfer salad to a serving platter or individual plates. Garnish with the reserved blue cheese crumbles and a light sprinkle of chili flakes for heat and color. Serve immediately while nuts are crisp and greens are fresh.
Notes
- Allow candied nuts and seeds to cool completely to achieve maximum crunch.
- Slice apples just before assembling to avoid browning or toss with lemon juice if preparing early.
- Add avocados last to prevent oxidation and browning.
- Use your preferred cheese—blue, goat, or feta—all work beautifully with flavor contrasts.
- Adjust chipotle powder and chili flakes to control the heat level according to taste.
Keywords: Pomegranate Christmas Salad, Holiday Salad, Candied Nuts Salad, Honey Mustard Dressing, Festive Salad, Winter Salad, Blue Cheese Salad, Healthy Salad
