Description

A vibrant and festive Christmas Salad featuring fresh baby spinach, sweet mandarin oranges, tart dried cranberries, crunchy toasted pecans, creamy goat cheese, and juicy pomegranate arils, all tossed in a tangy Dijon mustard and honey lime dressing. This salad balances fresh, sweet, and savory flavors perfect for holiday gatherings or any time you crave a refreshing, colorful salad.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad Dressing

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons honey
Juice of 1 large lime (freshly squeezed)

Salad

6 oz baby spinach
1 cup pecan halves (toasted, some finely chopped)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 mandarin oranges (peeled and segmented)
1/3 cup goat cheese (crumbled)
1/3 cup pomegranate arils (or more to taste)

Instructions

Make Salad Dressing: In a mason jar, combine the extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and freshly squeezed lime juice. Whisk well with a fork until the mixture is emulsified and smooth. Adjust the lime juice to taste if a tangier dressing is desired.
Prepare the Salad Bowls: For a decorative presentation, arrange the salad in individual bowls. Begin by adding a generous layer of baby spinach to each bowl.
Add Salad Ingredients: On top of the spinach, evenly distribute the dried cranberries, peeled mandarin orange segments, and crumbled goat cheese.
Dress the Salad: Drizzle the prepared dressing over each individual salad bowl to taste, ensuring all ingredients are lightly coated.
Alternative Assembly Method: Alternatively, you can assemble the salad in one large serving bowl: combine the baby spinach, dried cranberries, mandarin orange segments, and goat cheese. Pour in the dressing and toss gently to mix.
Finish with Nuts and Pomegranate: Top the tossed salad with the toasted pecan halves (reserving some finely chopped pecans) and sprinkle with pomegranate arils for an extra burst of flavor and color.

Notes

To toast pecans, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant and lightly browned.
Use freshly squeezed lime juice for best flavor in the dressing.
This salad is best served immediately to retain freshness and crunchiness.
For a nut-free version, omit pecans and add toasted pumpkin seeds instead.
Goat cheese can be substituted with feta cheese if preferred.
Pomegranate arils add both flavor and festive color, but they can be omitted if unavailable.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas salad, holiday salad, spinach salad, pecan salad, goat cheese salad, pomegranate salad, festive salad