28 Festive Christmas Salad Recipes

Christmastime is almost upon us, and I’m sure you’ve already started thinking about what kind of food you’ll serve at your holiday party or family gathering.

If you haven’t decided on a menu yet, then now might be the perfect time to start brainstorming ideas.

There are plenty of delicious salads out there, but they don’t always fit into our busy schedules. That’s why we put together this list of 28 festive salads that are both nutritious and delicious.

We hope these tasty treats inspire you to create some new holiday favorites. These recipes are simple enough to prepare ahead of time, so you won’t have to worry about last-minute stress.

They also include ingredients that are good for you, such as kale, spinach, avocado, and walnuts.

1. Holiday Honeycrisp Salad

The holidays aren’t exactly about being healthy. But you don’t want to eat awful, either. Here’s how to make the perfect holiday salad without losing sight of health goals.

This holiday season, you’ll want to try something different. Instead of making the traditional turkey dinner with mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, green beans, pumpkin pie, and all the trimmings, why not go for something a little less familiar (see also ‘23 Easy And Super Healthy Frozen Green Bean Recipes‘)?

The Honeycrisp apple is one of our favorite fruits. We love how it tastes like sweet apples and crunchy pears combined into one delicious fruit.

If you haven’t tried this variety yet, now is definitely the time. You can find it at most grocery stores and farmers’ markets during the fall and winter months.

One of the best things about this salad is that it doesn’t require much prep work. All the ingredients are ready to go, just add some dressing and toss them together.

You don’t even need to cook anything else because the salad itself is hearty enough to hold up to whatever you decide to serve alongside it.

2. Roasted Apple Spicy Salad With Maple-Cider Infused Vinaigrette

This recipe takes advantage of fall produce — apples, pears, kale, and radishes — and adds a touch of heat with cayenne pepper. This salad pairs well with grilled meats, chicken, fish, or even pork chops.

3. Merry Berry Salad

This holiday salad has long been associated with Christmas because of the dressing. In the ’60s, you’d see recipes that called for a creamy dressing of sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise, and ketchup.

Today, there are a few variations on the theme, including one recipe that calls for green goddess dressing.

But the name “Christmas salad” actually dates back to the early 1900s, according to the Oxford English Dictionary.

And it didn’t become popular until the late 1950s when the food writer Ruth Graves Wakefield included it in her book A New Way With Foods. 

She described it as having a combination of ingredients like cranberries, oranges, pineapple chunks, and pecans.

4. Creamy Cranberry Salad

This recipe uses some ingredients you probably already have around the house. Combine the cranberries, apples, and sugar in a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

5. Fennel Wild Rice Salad

This salad combines wild rice with fennel and apple. Fennel adds a sweet flavor while apples add a tart taste. This salad is perfect for fall and winter meals.

6. Molded Cranberry-Orange Salad

A cranberry orange salad recipe inspired by the flavors of Thanksgiving dinner (see also ‘21 Meal Ideas For Friendsgiving‘). This salad features a sweet cranberry vinaigrette dressing and an assortment of crunchy vegetables.

7. Gorgonzola-Pear Mesclun Salad

The classic combination of cheese and fruit makes for a delicious salad. If you’re looking for something a little different, try adding some Gorgonzola Dolce, a sweet version of blue cheese.

Rinse and dry the mesclun greens. Cut off the core of the pear and slice it into thin wedges. Toss the greens together with the pear and crumble the Gorgonzola overtop.

Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the salad and toss gently. Serve immediately.

8. Orange Pomegranate Salad With Honey

This recipe calls for pomegranate molasses, a tangy syrup made from concentrated juice from the fruit of the pomegranate tree.

Molasses is often used in Middle Eastern dishes and is similar to maple syrup. You might find it at specialty food stores like Whole Foods Market or online.

9. Apple Walnut Slaw

This recipe calls for apple cider vinegar, honey, walnuts, celery seed, mustard seeds, salt, pepper, and oil. This makes it perfect for fall and winter meals.

10. Sweet Potato Roasted Salad With Sweet Honey-Maple Infused Vinaigrette

This sweet potato salad recipe uses roasted sweet potatoes and maple syrup to make it extra special (for the best delicious sides for potato salad, read here). Roasting the sweet potatoes gives them a slightly caramelized flavor, while honey adds sweetness.

They are tossed with a tangy vinaigrette and served over greens for a healthy side dish.

11. Red & Green Salad With Toasted Almonds

The Red & Green salad is one of our favorite salads because it is easy to make and delicious.

We use a combination of red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, cherry tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, bacon bits, crumbled blue cheese, almonds, and sunflower seeds. 

This recipe makes enough dressing for 4 people, so you can easily double the ingredients if needed.

12. Northwoods Wild Rice Salad

This recipe for Northwoods Wild Rice Salad is our go-to salad for summer meals. We love how it combines the flavors of wild rice, cranberries, and blue cheese.

If you don’t like blue cheese, feel free to use another favorite flavor of yours. This salad pairs well with grilled chicken, fish, pork chops, roasted vegetables, and anything else you want to add.

13. Caesar Salad In Peppered Parmesan Bowls

The Caesar salad is one of those dishes you just know how to make. You know what goes into it, you know how much dressing to use, and you know exactly where to put everything.

But sometimes, you want something different. Maybe you’re looking for something savory, maybe you’re looking for something rich, maybe you’re looking to add some spice. Whatever the case, we’ve got you covered. 

14. Orange Poppy Seed Salad

This recipe makes enough salad for 4 people, but you can easily double it up. If you want to make extra, just add another cup of greens.

You can use whatever type of lettuce you like. We used romaine because it’s what we had in our fridge, but the iceberg works great too.

15. Hot Spinach Apple Salad

In the early 1900s, spinach salad became popular among American diners because it could be prepared quickly and easily. This recipe uses apples and walnuts for added flavor.

Place spinach into a large bowl; add celery, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well; let stand 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and toss gently. 

16. Rainbow Veggie Salad

The Rainbow Vegetable Salad is a vegan salad with rainbow carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, green onion, cucumber, tomato, black beans, corn, and cilantro.

17. Italian Green Bean Salad

This recipe is simple to make, and it tastes great too. You can serve this salad as a starter or main course. This dish goes well with chicken, fish, or meat.

1. Wash the green beans thoroughly. Remove the ends and cut them into small pieces.
2. Cut the tomatoes into wedges.
3. Heat up the olive oil in a pan. Add garlic and cook for about 20 seconds.
4. Put the beans and tomato wedges in the pan. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Garnish with basil leaves. 

18. Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa Salad

This recipe is inspired by our love for Brussels sprouts and quinoa. We’ve been making it for years now, and it never fails to impress guests.

You’ll find yourself eating a lot of Brussels sprouts during the holidays because they’re just so delicious!

19. Spinach Salad With Raspberries & Candied Walnuts

The salad is loaded with spinach, cranberries, candied walnuts, and raspberries. In a large bowl, combine spinach, cranberries, almonds, and onions.

Add dressing and toss well. Top with cheese. Serve immediately, or chill for up to 4 hours. 

20. Cinnamon Apple-Nut Salad

This recipe is easy to make and tastes amazing. We like it because you can add whatever fruit you want. This salad is great served alongside grilled chicken or fish.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the nuts, butter, and brown sugar; mix well. Spread out onto the prepared pan.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the apples and toss gently to coat evenly. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve immediately. 

21. Perfect Winter Salad

This salad is perfect for winter because it uses ingredients like apples, kale, walnuts, and cranberries — all of which are great sources of vitamin A.

Tear the kale leaves into bite-size pieces and place them in a large bowl. Add the apple slices and toss. In a separate small bowl, combine the cranberries, walnuts, olive oil, and vinegar.

Toss well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the kale mixture and gently toss to coat evenly. 

22. Cranberry-Eggnog Gelatin Salad

This recipe calls for homemade eggnog that’s flavored with vanilla extract, rum, and bourbon.  You can use store-bought eggnog, too, but try to buy brands that are free of artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, and thickeners.

To make the salad, combine half of the eggnog mixture and the juice of ½ lemon in a bowl large enough to hold 4 cups. Stir well. Add ¼ cup sugar and stir again. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, mix together the remaining eggnog mixture and ⅓ cup sugar in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. 

Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Pour into a shallow container and place in the refrigerator until chilled, about 45 minutes.

When ready to assemble, spoon some of the cooled eggnog mixtures onto individual plates. Top each serving with a thin slice of lime and a few drops of grenadine syrup.

Spoon the rest of the cooled eggnog mixture evenly among the plates. Place a scoop of raspberry sorbet on top of each plate. Garnish with a few mint leaves and serve immediately.

23. Winter Endive Salad

This salad recipe uses endives (see also ‘18 Unmissable Belgian Endive Recipes You’ve Got To Try!‘), celery root, oranges, radishes, olives, almonds, and goat cheese. It makes a great side dish, especially during the winter months.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry the endive leaves. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Peel the orange sections and cut them into wedges. Slice the radish into thin slices.

Combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Toss together until well combined. Arrange the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking.

24. Pomegranate Mandarin Salad With Avocado And Feta

This festive salad features a creamy avocado base topped with tangy pomegranate arils, salty feta cheese, and sweet mandarins.

A touch of cayenne pepper adds spice to the mix, making it perfect for serving alongside roasted turkey and ham during the holiday season.

25. Cranberry Jello Salad

This festive holiday treat is simple to make and perfect for entertaining. You can find all the ingredients at your local grocery store. Just mix everything together in a bowl and refrigerate it overnight.

When you’re ready to serve, just pour into individual bowls and garnish with some extra berries and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

26. Roasted Beet And Kale Salad With Maple Candied Walnuts

We love serving salads during the holidays because it makes us feel like we’re creating something special for the whole family. This recipe combines two ingredients that are perfect for the season: beets and kale.

These vegetables are often overlooked, but they’re actually great additions to holiday meals. They bring color and texture to the table. Plus, they’re both low in calories and high in nutrients.

As far as the dressing goes, we use a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Balsamic adds sweetness, while olive oil gives the dish a light tanginess.

Both complement the earthy flavor of the beets very well. For garnish, we added some candied walnuts, which give the salad a sweet crunch.

The best part about this recipe is that it requires no cooking. You just toss everything together in a bowl and let it sit for 10 minutes. After that, you’ll have a delicious, healthy salad ready to go.

27. Fig Salad With Pomegranates

This festive salad combines the sweetness of dried figs and tart pomegranate juice with creamy goat cheese and crunchy almonds. A sprinkling of fresh mint adds a bright note to the mix.

You might think that making a salad out of fruit would mean lots of washing, but this one gets away with just three ingredients because of the way the dressing works.

The tangy balsamic vinegar cuts the richness of the goat cheese and balances the sweetness of the figs.

28. Vegan Quinoa Salad With Pomegranate Seeds & Almonds

This festive salad features a hearty quinoa mixture topped with crunchy nuts and fresh herbs. The nutty flavor pairs well with the sweet fruit, making it a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving dinner.

If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply omit the flour and use gluten-free oats.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Make A Christmas Salad?

This holiday season, try making a festive salad featuring citrus fruit and creamy feta cheese. Start with small oranges like tangerines or clementines, which are peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces.

Add them to a large bowl of mixed greens alongside shaved Parmesan cheese, candied pecan halves, and dried cranberries.

Drizzle with a light vinaigrette made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, and salt. Toss gently to mix everything together. Top with crumbled feta cheese and serve immediately.

What Exactly Is A Christmas Salad?

Christmas Salad is a colorful and easy side dish recipe that you can easily prepare at home with ease and convenience. Most festive side dishes are full of health benefits, including high fiber, low calories, and no fat. 

Plus, they taste amazing and go well with many different kinds of food. You can even use it as a main course because it’s packed with protein and nutrients.

Final Thoughts

Christmas Salad is an excellent choice for your next holiday meal. It’s a simple recipe that will impress your guests and keep everyone happy. Try it today!