Description

This Pomegranate Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing is a vibrant and festive side dish perfect for holiday entertaining. Combining crisp winter greens, sweet pomegranate arils, crunchy candied walnuts and pumpkin seeds, creamy cheese, and a tangy honey mustard dressing, this salad balances sweet and savory flavors beautifully. It’s quick to assemble and packed with fresh, seasonal ingredients that complement rich holiday meals like roasted turkey or pork tenderloin.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Candied Nuts and Seeds:

1 1/2 cups raw walnut halves
1/2 cup hulled pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
Kosher salt, to taste
Chili flakes, to taste

For the Salad:

6 cups assorted salad greens
2 cups curly endive (frisée)
1 to 2 apples or pears, chopped
2 avocados, sliced
2 cups pomegranate seeds
1 cup crumbled cheese (blue, goat, or feta)

For the Dressing:

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp fig preserves
2 tsp grated orange zest
2 tbsp orange juice
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

Candy and Toast the Nuts and Seeds: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, toss raw walnuts and pumpkin seeds with honey or maple syrup, chipotle powder, kosher salt, and chili flakes. Spread mixture evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until fragrant and toasted. Remove and immediately sprinkle with flaky salt. Let cool completely.
Assemble the Salad: In a large salad bowl, combine the assorted salad greens and curly endive. Add chopped apples or pears, sliced avocados, and pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle crumbled cheese over the top, then add the cooled candied nuts and seeds. Gently toss to combine, layering ingredients first for a pretty presentation.
Make the Orange Balsamic Dressing: In a glass jar or small bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic or apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, fig preserves, orange zest, orange juice, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Seal and shake vigorously until smooth and emulsified, or whisk until combined. Optionally add more orange zest for brightness.
Dress and Serve the Salad: Just before serving, drizzle the dressing evenly over the tossed salad. Gently toss to coat the greens and toppings without wilting. Serve immediately and enjoy the fresh flavors and festive textures.

Notes

Add dressing right before serving to prevent greens from wilting and becoming soggy.
Watch nuts and seeds carefully while toasting to avoid burning; they can go from golden to burnt quickly.
Slice avocado at the last moment and optionally sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent browning if prepping ahead.
Start with half the dressing and add more as needed to avoid overdressing the salad.
You can substitute walnuts and pumpkin seeds with pecans, almonds, or sunflower seeds.
For greens, spring mix or baby spinach can be used if frisée is unavailable.
Dried cranberries or grapes can replace pomegranate arils; soak dried fruit in warm water to plump.
Any creamy cheese like ricotta or fresh mozzarella can replace blue cheese, goat, or feta.
Fig preserves can be swapped with apricot jam, orange marmalade, or a bit of maple syrup.
White wine or regular white vinegar can substitute apple cider vinegar; add a pinch of sugar if desired.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Salads
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas salad, holiday salad, pomegranate salad, honey mustard dressing, candied nuts, festive salad, holiday side dish