Description
A festive and vibrant Winter Christmas Salad featuring candied nuts, fresh greens, and a delicious honey mustard dressing, perfect for holiday gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups raw walnut halves
- ½ cup hulled pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup
- ¼ tsp chipotle powder
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Chili flakes (optional, to taste)
- 6 cups assorted salad greens
- 2 cups curly endive (frisée)
- 1–2 apples or pears, chopped
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 2 cups pomegranate seeds (arils)
- 1 cup crumbled cheese (blue cheese, goat cheese, or feta)
- 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 orange zest (finely grated)
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, toss walnuts and pumpkin seeds with honey or maple syrup, chipotle powder, a generous pinch of kosher salt, and chili flakes (if using). Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake for ~15 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until fragrant and golden. Remove and sprinkle with flaky salt; let cool completely so they crisp up.
- Place salad greens and frisée in a large bowl. Add chopped apples or pears, sliced avocados, and pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle with crumbled cheese and add the cooled candied walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Gently toss to combine.
- In a 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 (or whisk) until dressing is smooth and emulsified.
- Just before serving, drizzle the honey mustard dressing over the salad. Toss gently to coat — be careful not to crush the avocado. Serve immediately while greens are crisp and nuts are crunchy.
Notes
- Dress the salad just before serving to avoid wilting.
- Toast the nuts carefully so they don’t burn.
- Slice avocados last to prevent browning.
- Store candied nuts & dressing separately in airtight containers ahead of time.
- Prep Time: 10–15 min
- Cook Time: 15–20 min
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking, Tossing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg