Best Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing – Fresh, Festive & Bursting With Holiday Flavor

Best Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing – Fresh, Festive & Bursting With Holiday Flavor

This Best Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing is the perfect balance of freshness, crunch, sweetness, and bright seasonal color — everything you could want from a festive holiday salad. It combines crisp mixed greens, ruby-red pomegranate jewels, sweet crunchy apples, creamy feta, toasted pecans, and a silky homemade honey mustard dressing that ties everything together with the perfect sweet–tangy balance. This salad isn’t just “healthy” — it’s GORGEOUS. It brings color to the table, cuts through rich holiday meals, and pairs beautifully with turkey, ham, beef roast, chicken, or any Christmas spread. With minimal prep and maximum flavor, it’s the kind of salad guests go back for seconds of — the one they request every year.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

For the Salad

6 cups mixed greens spring mix, arugula, or baby spinach
1 large Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apple thinly sliced
½ cup pomegranate seeds
½ cup crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese
½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts
¼ cup dried cranberries
Optional: thinly sliced red onion
Optional: sliced pears for extra sweetness

For the Honey Mustard Dressing

¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional: ½ teaspoon poppy seeds
Optional: ½ teaspoon minced garlic

Equipment

Cutting board & knife
Large salad bowl
Small bowl or jar for dressing
Whisk
Measuring spoons & cups
Optional: skillet for toasting nuts

Method

Step 1: Prepare the Nuts

Toast pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until fragrant.
Set aside to cool.

Step 2: Make the Honey Mustard Dressing

In a jar or small bowl, whisk together:
olive oil
Dijon mustard
honey
apple cider vinegar
salt
pepper
Taste and adjust:
more honey for sweetness
more mustard for tang
more vinegar for acidity
Set aside.

Step 3: Assemble the Salad

In a large serving bowl, add:
mixed greens
sliced apples
pomegranate seeds
dried cranberries
feta cheese
cooled toasted pecans
If using, add thin red onion slices for contrast.

Step 4: Dress & Serve

Drizzle with honey mustard dressing right before serving.
Toss gently to coat everything without crushing the greens.
For presentation: sprinkle extra pomegranate seeds + feta on top.

Notes

🧊 Storage & Make-Ahead Tips

Store Dressing: up to 5 days in the fridge
Store Salad (undressed): 1 day

Avoid sogginess:
Only add dressing right before serving.

To prevent apples from browning, toss slices in lemon water.

🥄 Variations

Christmas Pear Salad: Swap apples for pears.

Cranberry Walnut Salad: Add candied walnuts & dried cranberries.

Orange Poppyseed Version: Add mandarin segments + poppy seeds.

Goat Cheese Variation: Swap feta for creamy goat cheese.

Maple Twisted Dressing: Replace honey with maple syrup.

Protein Boost: Add grilled chicken or roasted turkey.

Savory Version: Add crispy bacon pieces.

Roasted Veg Upgrade: Add roasted sweet potatoes.

Nut-Free Option: Replace nuts with pumpkin seeds.

Holiday Deluxe: Add pistachios + shaved parmesan.

❓ 10 FAQs

Can I make this salad ahead?
Yes — assemble everything except the dressing and apples.

How do I keep apples fresh?
Toss slices in lemon water: 1 cup water + 1 tbsp lemon juice.

Can I use goat cheese instead of feta?
Absolutely — it’s delicious.

Can I replace pomegranate?
Cranberries, strawberries, or dried cherries work well.

Do I have to toast the nuts?
No, but it enhances flavor and crunch.

Can I use a store-bought dressing?
Yes, but homemade honey mustard tastes much better.

What greens work best?
Arugula, spring mix, baby spinach, or a combination.

How do I make the salad more filling?
Add chicken, turkey, quinoa, or roasted squash.

Can I make a bigger batch?
Easily — double all ingredients.

What proteins pair well?
Roasted turkey, glazed ham, beef tenderloin, salmon, or chicken.

🏁 Conclusion

This Best Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing is fresh, festive, colorful, and bursting with seasonal flavor. It’s the perfect holiday side dish — refreshing yet satisfying, beautifully balanced, and stunning on any Christmas dinner table.

With crisp apples, juicy pomegranate, creamy feta, crunchy toasted nuts, and a silky-sweet honey mustard dressing, every bite is vibrant, bright, and unforgettable.

A truly must-make holiday salad.