Description
A festive and refreshing Christmas Side Dish Salad featuring crisp Romaine lettuce, peppery baby rocket, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy candied almonds, tangy blue cheese, and juicy apple cubes, all tossed in a honey mustard vinaigrette dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 8 large lettuce leaves (Romaine)
- 30 g baby rocket
- 60 g dried cranberries
- 60 g candied almonds
- 30 g blue cheese
- 1 apple, cut into cubes
Dressing
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 50 ml olive oil
Instructions
- Make the dressing: Use a whisk to mix the Dijon mustard with honey, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Emulsify the dressing: Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuously whisking to create a smooth, emulsified dressing.
- Prepare the salad ingredients: Reserve a small portion of the ingredients that are not lettuce leaves (such as some cranberries, almonds, apple cubes, and blue cheese) for garnish.
- Combine salad base: In a large bowl, mix the Romaine lettuce, baby rocket, and the remaining salad ingredients (except the reserved ones) with half of the dressing, tossing gently to coat evenly.
- Assemble the salad: Transfer the salad to a serving dish, then top with the reserved cranberries, candied almonds, apple cubes, and blue cheese for an attractive finish.
- Dress and serve: Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and serve immediately to maintain freshness and texture.
Notes
- To make this salad lactose-free, substitute blue cheese with a dairy-free cheese alternative or omit it.
- Candied almonds can be replaced with toasted walnuts or pecans for a different nutty flavor.
- If you prefer a tangier dressing, add a little more lemon juice or red wine vinegar to taste.
- For extra crunch, consider adding sliced celery or cucumber.
- Prepare the dressing ahead of time and store it in the fridge to save prep time before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
