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This festive Christmas salad is a refreshing addition to your holiday table, packed with sweet pears, tangy pomegranate, and crunchy pecans. Tossed with a bright orange poppyseed dressing, it’s as delicious as it is beautiful—perfect for impressing guests or savoring a quiet holiday dinner.
If you love beautiful salad recipes make sure you try our Autumn Apple Salad, Mexican Salad, and our Strawberry Poppyseed Salad next!
A Very Merry Christmas Salad
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about holiday meals, it’s this: you need something fresh and vibrant to balance all the indulgence on the table.
Enter this Christmas salad—a kaleidoscope of flavors and textures. Sweet pears, tangy bites of pomegranate, crunchy pecans, and creamy feta (or goat cheese, if you’re feeling fancy) are all brought together by a bright and citrusy orange poppyseed dressing.
It’s the perfect dish in between the mashed potatoes and the roast, adding just the right amount of crisp, refreshing contrast. Plus, it’s so beautiful it might just outshine your centerpiece.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Festive and Beautiful: Bright pomegranate arils, juicy pears, and creamy cheese create a show-stopping dish.
- Balanced Flavors: Sweet, tangy, nutty, and citrusy come together perfectly.
- Quick and Easy: Minimal prep for maximum holiday impact.
- Customizable: Swap cheeses, nuts, or fruits to fit your taste.
- Healthy and Fresh: A light, refreshing option to balance heavier holiday dishes.
Ingredients Needed
- Spinach: The fresh base for this salad. Swap for arugula, mixed greens, or kale for a different texture.
- Feta Cheese: Adds a creamy, tangy contrast. Goat cheese or blue cheese are excellent substitutes. Or if you’re not feeling adventurous with the cheese maybe a white cheddar to go with the fruit. Just cut it up into cubes and you can still make a beautiful presentation!
- Pomegranate Seeds: Provide juicy pops of sweetness and color. Substitute with dried cranberries or fresh raspberries.
- Pear: Adds juicy sweetness and a soft texture. Use apples or oranges if pears aren’t available.
- Pecans: Offer buttery crunch. Walnuts, almonds, or sunflower seeds work just as well.
- Orange Juice: The zesty base for the dressing. Lemon juice or grapefruit juice can be used for a twist.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds richness to the dressing. Swap with avocado oil if preferred.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Provides tangy acidity. White wine vinegar is a great alternative.
- Honey: Sweetens the dressing naturally. Use maple syrup or agave for a vegan option.
How to Make a Beautiful Christmas Salad
Find the complete recipe card below with measurements and full instructions.
- For the salad, add the spinach to a large bowl and layer the remaining ingredients on top.
I have found this tutorial on How To Cut and De-Seed a Pomegranate by Simply Recipes to be quite helpful if needed!
Storage Information
- Undressed Salad: If you’re prepping ahead, store the salad components separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Keep the spinach, pears, pomegranate seeds, and pecans separate to maintain their textures. Assemble and dress the salad just before serving.
- Dressed Salad: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. However, the spinach may wilt slightly once dressed, so it’s best enjoyed fresh.
- Dressing: The orange poppyseed dressing can be made ahead and stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Shake well before using to recombine the ingredients.
Recipe Tips
- The easiest way to make the dressing is with a small jar—just pop on the lid, give it a good shake, and it’s perfectly mixed!
- For best results, dress the salad right before serving to keep the spinach crisp and fresh.
- To turn this into a main dish, top it with a sliced chicken breast for a simple yet satisfying dinner.
More Christmas Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
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Christmas Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups baby spinach packed
- 1 pear sliced or chopped
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils
- ¼ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup pecans halved
Orange Poppyseed Vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup orange juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp poppyseed
- 1 tbsp honey
Instructions
- For the salad, add the spinach to a large bowl and layer the remaining ingredients on top.
Orange Poppyseed Vinaigrette
- Add all ingredients to a medium size jar. Tighten the lid and shake until thoroughly mixed.
- Drizzle over salad. Toss to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Undressed Salad: If you’re prepping ahead, store the salad components separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Keep the spinach, pears, pomegranate seeds, and pecans separate to maintain their textures. Assemble and dress the salad just before serving.
- Dressed Salad: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. However, the spinach may wilt slightly once dressed, so it’s best enjoyed fresh.
- Dressing: The orange poppyseed dressing can be made ahead and stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 1 week. Shake well before using to recombine the ingredients.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Salad Recipes
Recipe first published November 2, 2016. Updated December 24, 2024.
Photography by KJandCompany.co
The salad ingredients were a nice mix but the dressing is too thin, for my taste and has too much of an orange juice taste. Didn’t get raves from my guests. I preferred the AUTUMN APPLE SALAD (WITH A MAPLE VINAIGRETTE) from this site and will stick with that one.
Thank you for such a great review of the recipe! I’m glad you found one that you enjoy 🙂 The maple dijon vinaigrette is one of my all time favorites also.
Hi Serene: Can you add apples to this recipe? What type would you recommend? Also what type of pear works here?
Thanks!
Do you think the vinegarette could be made ahead of time? If so, hours? Days? Thanks in advance!
Yes! It can be made ahead of time. I always make mine in a jar and store it in the fridge. Just give it a shake before you use it. You can make it a day ahead and the vinaigrette will be just fine the next day.
This was delightful! I didn’t have orange juice so I added 1/2 tsp orange extract. Also went with the goat cheese idea! A keeper!
What is 1 poppyseed vinaigrette, orange? I want to make this for Thanksgiving, I’ll have 12 guests. Putting together my shopping list now.
Hi Gina! I think you’re just seeing that listed as an ingredient on Pinterest maybe? Sometimes things get distorted. It’s just referring to the actual dressing which is included in the recipe on the site 🙂
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Tried this last night and the vinaigrette was delicious! Great recipe, also tried the refried beans – love that it’s your grandma’s recipe!
Thanks so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed both the recipes 🙂 and grandma’s always have the BEST recipes!
Can you confirm how many servings the recipe is for? I’m looking to make this for Thanksgiving and debating if I should double or triple for 12 people. Thank you!
Hi Erica! This recipe will make enough for 2 servings. I feel that two people would be able to share this as a light meal or lunch. So if you’re making it as a side dish for 12 people, I would probably at least triple it. It’s always better to have a little left over than to not have enough! Let me know how it turns out!
Serene, I am going to make this for our church ladies’ dinner this week! (I just sounded so old saying “church ladies.” I feel like I should put on a gauzy dress and wear a hat!) Anyhow, I know this is going to be amazing! Your pictures are absolutely gorgeous, too!
You’re so funny Melissa! I have church ladies too 🙂 Hope y’all enjoyed the salad! xox