Description
Winter’s crisp “winter salad wreath” brings Nordic elegance to holiday tables with festive greens, tangy pomegranate seeds, and herbed goat cheese. Seasonal ingredients dance together, offering a refreshing celebration of cold-weather harvest that delights you at first bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 7 cups mixed spring greens
- 1 1/4 cups orange segments (mandarin, clementines, or tangerines)
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries)
Cheese and Nuts:
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup candied pecans, roughly chopped
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon shallot, minced
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Carefully layer mixed greens in a circular pattern on a round platter, creating a vibrant base that mimics a festive winter wreath with an open center.
- Distribute vivid orange segments across the green canvas, ensuring even coverage for visual appeal.
- Generously sprinkle pomegranate seeds throughout the salad, adding bursts of ruby-red color and juicy texture.
- Crumble feta cheese delicately over the greens, allowing white fragments to contrast with the bright ingredients.
- Scatter candied pecans across the wreath, providing crunchy elements and a subtle sweetness to the composition.
- Prepare the dressing by vigorously whisking olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, finely minced shallot, salt, and pepper until the mixture transforms into a smooth, integrated vinaigrette.
- Delicately drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad, ensuring a light and even distribution that enhances rather than overwhelms the ingredients.
- Accent the wreath with fresh rosemary sprigs and additional pomegranate seeds to elevate the holiday presentation and add a final layer of festive elegance.
- Serve immediately to maintain the crisp texture and vibrant appearance of the winter salad wreath.
Notes
- Customize the salad wreath by swapping out greens like arugula or spinach to add peppery or earthy notes to the dish.
- Make the recipe gluten-free by ensuring the candied pecans are prepared without wheat-based ingredients and checking vinegar labels.
- Prep ingredients ahead of time by chopping, segmenting, and storing separately to streamline assembly when entertaining guests.
- Enhance the dressing’s flavor by toasting pecans before candying and using high-quality extra virgin olive oil for a richer taste profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg