If you’re in charge of bringing a salad to a holiday meal, this is the recipe to use. All you have to do is stir together a fast homemade dressing (which tastes 100% better than store-bought) and then minimal chopping is required just before serving.
Topped with crunchy pecans and chewy dried cranberries, this salad looks as festive as it tastes, with pops of red and green throughout. Crunchy red apple is added shortly before serving, for extra texture and sweetness.
Relying on boxed mixed greens as the base will make the process as easy as possible, and if you have dairy-free guests to serve, keep the cheese on the side as an optional topping.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Reviews
“This is my go to salad dressing recipe all times of the year, not just around the holidays. It is the perfect balance of sweet & savory.” -Lisa
“Big hit with my family — will be making this again!” – Jane
Holiday Salad Ingredients
- Mixed Greens. I used to make this salad with chopped romaine hearts, but over the years I’ve found it’s even faster to use pre-washed spring mix from the store. Any tender leafy greens you love will work for this recipe.
- Apple. Finely chop an apple shortly before serving for an extra pop of flavor, sweetness, and color. I like to use red apples for a red and green look, but any variety will work. (Pear would be good here, too.)
- Red Onion. Not only does this add another color to your salad, but a welcome change of flavor. Each bite will taste slightly different, making everyone crave more salad!
- Pecans. These nuts seem appropriate during the holiday season, but walnuts will work, too.
- Dried Cranberries. This chewy dried fruit adds a pop of red color, along with a tangy sweet flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette. You can stir this together with simple pantry ingredients like olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Store-bought dressing can’t compare!
- Gorgonzola. Crumbled Gorgonzola adds another layer of flavor that makes this salad hard to resist. Since not everyone is a blue cheese fan, feel free to serve this on the side and let guests add their own.
How to Make The Best Christmas Salad
Step 1:
In a 12-ounce mason jar with a lid, combine the apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, spicy brown mustard, garlic, honey, salt, and black pepper. Use a small whisk or spoon to stir well, until the dressing looks smooth.
Taste the salad dressing and make any adjustments, as needed. If the dressing is too sweet for you, try adding a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and stir again. Or you can add more sweetener if the dressing tastes too tart.
Once the dressing tastes good to you, set it aside while you assemble the salad. You can prepare this dressing up to 3 days in advance, if you want to make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
Step 2:
To assemble the salad, you only need to slice two things for this recipe: apples and red onion. I like to keep the pieces small, so they are easy to pick up on a fork.
You can cut the apples into matchsticks (as pictured here), dice them into small chunks, or thinly slice them and fan them out over the salad.
(You can see an example of fanned apples in my Apple Walnut Salad recipe.)
Step 3:
When you are ready to serve the salad, arrange the pre-washed greens on a large platter, or in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle the apple and onion over the top, then add in the dried cranberries and pecans.
Add the crumbled cheese, if using, then generously drizzle on the dressing. (It’s okay if you don’t use all of the dressing at once; it will keep well in the fridge for several more days.)
Toss well, and then the salad is ready to serve right away.
Apple Cider Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon spicy brown (or Dijon) mustard
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons honey
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Salad Assembly:
- 1 pound mixed greens*
- 1 large apple , thinly sliced
- ¼ large red onion , thinly sliced
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecans
- ½ cup crumbled gorgonzola
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To prepare the dressing, combine the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper in a 12-ounce glass jar with a lid. Start with just 2 tablespoons of honey, and add the other tablespoon if you’d like the dressing to be sweeter. (My family prefers using all 3 tablespoons.) Stir well, until the dressing looks well mixed, and set it aside. If you find you need to brighten the flavor, stir in 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
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To assemble the salad, add the leafy greens to a large salad bowl, and top them with the sliced apples, onions, dried cranberries, and pecans. You can add the blue cheese on top, too, or serve it on the side with a spoon, for guests who might not enjoy cheese.
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Pour the dressing generously over the salad, just before serving, and toss well to make sure everything is well coated. You might not need to use all of the dressing, but any leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
*I buy a big box of mixed greens from the store since they already come triple-washed and save time for the holidays. You can also use a large head (or two) of romaine lettuce, and finely chop it so it’s easy to serve for your guests.
Make-Ahead Tip: This dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance, for an easier holiday meal. When it’s time to serve, chop the apple and onion, then assemble the salad shortly before serving, so the apple won’t brown.
Update Note: This recipe was updated in November 2022 with minor changes. If you prefer the original version, simply use 2 tablespoons of honey (instead of 3) and reduce the mustard by 1 teaspoon. I also added salt & pepper to this new version, and stir it together in a jar instead of blending it in a blender. For the salad, you can use 3 chopped romaine hearts as the base, and use 4 cups of shredded purple cabbage instead of the apple. (Print the old recipe here.)
Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 170mg | Potassium: 189mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 717IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 1mg
More Recipes to Try
If you try this holiday salad recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
