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A large white bowl of Christmas salad with leafy greens, ruby pomegranate seeds, sliced red pears, candied pecans and crumbled feta, with a small jar of honey mustard dressing beside it

Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

A festive salad of mixed greens, pomegranate, pears, feta, dried cranberries and candied pecans tossed in a homemade honey mustard dressing.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
cooling pecans 10 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Honey mustard dressing
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (80 ml)
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
  • 1 small garlic clove finely grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Candied pecans
  • 1 cup pecan halves (100 g)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
  • 1 pinch salt and ground cinnamon
Salad
  • 10 ounces mixed greens spring mix with baby spinach or kale (280 g)
  • 1 cup pomegranate arils (175 g)
  • 2 firm red pears cored and thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces feta cheese crumbled (115 g)
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 small red onion thinly sliced and soaked in cold water

Method
 

Dressing
  1. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a jar, close the lid and shake until creamy. Taste and adjust.
Pecans
  1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon and stir for 4 to 5 minutes until coated and toasty.
  2. Spread the pecans on parchment in a single layer and cool for 10 minutes until crisp.
Salad
  1. Slice the pears and toss them with a teaspoon of the dressing.
  2. Toss the greens and drained red onion with about two thirds of the dressing in a large bowl.
  3. Top with the pears, pomegranate, cranberries, feta and pecans, drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve immediately.

Notes

Make ahead: Make the pecans and dressing up to 5 days ahead and prep the greens and pomegranate a day ahead. Toss just before serving.
Swaps: Use apples for pears, goat cheese for feta or pumpkin seeds for pecans.
Nutrition is an estimate per serving with all of the dressing.