Description
A vibrant and festive Christmas Salad featuring fresh baby spinach, toasted pecans, dried cranberries, juicy mandarin oranges, tangy goat cheese, and pomegranate arils, all tossed in a zesty lime Dijon honey dressing. Perfect for holiday gatherings or a light, refreshing salad anytime.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Dressing
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 large lime juice, freshly squeezed
Salad Ingredients
- 6 oz baby spinach
- 1 cup pecan halves, toasted (some finely chopped)
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 3 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented
- ⅓ cup goat cheese, crumbled
- ⅓ cup pomegranate arils or more
Instructions
- Make the salad dressing: Combine the extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and freshly squeezed lime juice in a mason jar. Whisk well with a fork until the mixture is fully emulsified. Adjust the lime juice to taste for desired tanginess.
- Prepare the salad base: Arrange the baby spinach evenly into individual salad bowls or a large serving bowl if preferred.
- Add salad ingredients: Top the spinach with dried cranberries, mandarin orange segments, and crumbled goat cheese.
- Toss or arrange: If using a large serving bowl, add the dressing and toss the salad gently to combine. If serving in individual bowls, drizzle the dressing over each salad.
- Garnish and serve: Sprinkle the toasted pecan halves—reserving some finely chopped pecans for garnish—and the pomegranate arils over the top of the salad just before serving for added texture and color.
Notes
- To toast pecans, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- Adjust the sweetness of the dressing by adding more or less honey according to your taste preferences.
- For a creamier dressing, you can add a small spoonful of Greek yogurt or mayonnaise, though this is not traditional.
- Use fresh pomegranate arils for best flavor and presentation, but frozen ones can be used if fresh are unavailable.
- This salad can be prepared ahead of time by making the dressing and chopping ingredients separately; combine when ready to serve to maintain freshness and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
