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Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing (Half Baked Harvest Inspired)

Christmas dinners are often full of rich, warm, and hearty dishes — but every festive table needs one bright, fresh, colorful element to balance the flavors. This Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing, inspired by Half Baked Harvest, is the perfect refreshing touch. It’s vibrant, crisp, fruity, crunchy, and layered with holiday ingredients like pomegranate arils, apples or pears, avocados, nuts, and fresh greens. The homemade honey mustard dressing ties everything together beautifully. With Dijon mustard, honey, fig preserves, citrus, and balsamic or apple cider vinegar, it’s sweet, tangy, creamy, and absolutely irresistible. Drizzled over a bed of fresh greens with apple slices, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, blue cheese crumbles, and pomegranate jewels, this salad becomes a show-stopping Christmas side dish. It’s festive, healthy, colorful, and the perfect pairing for turkey, chicken, salmon, lasagna, or any holiday main dish. Let’s create the most beautiful Christmas salad ever!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Greens & Fruits
  • 6 cups mixed greens
  • 2 cups frisée
  • 1 apple or pear thinly sliced
  • 2 avocados sliced
  • 2 cups pomegranate arils
Crunchy Elements
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1½ cups raw walnuts
Seasoning
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 chili flakes to taste
  • ¼ tsp chipotle chili powder
Dressing (Honey Mustard Holiday Dressing)
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp fig preserves
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 8 tsp orange juice
  • ¼ cup balsamic or apple cider vinegar
  • ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ⅓ cup honey or maple for optional extra sweetness
Cheese
  • 1 cup blue cheese can replace with feta if preferred
  • All ingredients are fully halal and perfect for Christmas cooking.

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small bowl or jar
  • Whisk
  • Knife & cutting board
  • Measuring spoons
  • Serving platter
  • Salad tongs

Method
 

Step 1: Add mixed greens, frisée, apple or pear slices, pomegranate arils, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts into a large serving bowl.
    Step 2: Slice the avocados and layer them gently on top of the greens so they don’t mash.
      Step 3: Whisk together Dijon mustard, fig preserves, honey, orange juice, vinegar, and olive oil until creamy, then season with chili flakes, chipotle powder, salt, and black pepper.
        Step 4: Crumble the blue cheese over the salad, distributing it evenly for rich flavor in every bite.
          Step 5: Drizzle the honey mustard dressing over the salad right before serving to keep the greens crisp.
            Step 6: Toss lightly, garnish with extra pomegranate arils and nuts, and serve immediately for a fresh and festive holiday dish.

              Notes

              🧊 Storage & Reheating
              Refrigerator
              Store salad without dressing for up to 24 hours.
              Store dressing separately for up to 5 days.
              Freezing
              Not recommended — fresh greens don’t freeze well.
              Make-Ahead Tip
              Prep ingredients separately, combine right before serving.
              🥄 Variations
              ⭐ 1. Christmas Pecan Salad
              Replace walnuts with pecans for extra sweetness.
              ⭐ 2. Feta Holiday Salad
              Use feta instead of blue cheese for a milder flavor.
              ⭐ 3. Maple Mustard Dressing
              Swap honey with maple syrup.
              ⭐ 4. Citrus Christmas Salad
              Add oranges, mandarins, or grapefruit slices.
              ⭐ 5. Creamy Dressing Version
              Blend in 1 tbsp Greek yogurt.
              ⭐ 6. Cranberry Crunch Salad
              Add dried cranberries for sweetness.
              ⭐ 7. Nut-Free Version
              Use sunflower seeds instead.
              ❓ 10 FAQs
              1. Can I use spinach instead of mixed greens?
              Yes — it works beautifully.
              2. Can I replace blue cheese?
              Feta, goat cheese, or mozzarella all work.
              3. Can I make the dressing ahead?
              Yes — lasts 5 days in the fridge.
              4. Do avocados turn brown?
              Sprinkle lemon juice to prevent browning.
              5. Do I have to use figs?
              You can skip the fig preserves or use apricot jam.
              6. Can I make this salad vegan?
              Replace honey with maple and skip cheese.
              7. Is this salad good for Thanksgiving too?
              Absolutely — it adds freshness to heavy meals.
              8. What protein goes well with it?
              Turkey, salmon, chicken, or beef roast.
              9. Can I add croutons?
              Yes — herb croutons add great crunch.
              10. Should the dressing be warm or cold?
              Cold is best for crisp texture.
              🏁 Conclusion
              This Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing is fresh, colorful, crunchy, and bursting with holiday flavor. With sweet pomegranate arils, crisp apples, creamy avocado, crunchy nuts, rich blue cheese, and a bright citrus honey mustard dressing — every ingredient brings the perfect balance.
              It looks stunning on any Christmas table and pairs well with turkey, chicken, beef, salmon, mashed potatoes, and every classic holiday dish. It’s quick to prepare, incredibly delicious, and guaranteed to impress guests with its festive presentation and bold flavors.
              This salad will quickly become a Christmas dinner tradition in your home.