A Christmas salad of winter greens & seasonal fruit

It’s funny how this salad came to be: a rough chop of leftover greens from the crisper drawer and a few odd bits of scrounged fruit. It wasn’t until I had everything assembled on my cutting board that I noticed the unmistakably festive red, white and green colors.

From there it was merely a matter of balancing the flavors – bitter versus sweet – and textures (the kale benefits from a five-minute marinade in the vinaigrette before the salad is tossed) before mounding it next to another holiday staple – tourtière.

One forkful into this plate and I realized it was the perfect match: rich, spiced pork pie with buttery pastry complemented by a slightly bitter, crunchy salad of winter greens.

Not only does this salad boast the colors of Christmas, but it offers a welcome burst of acidity at a time when foods tend to be so rich. I think you’re going to want to stock some kale and pomegranate in the refrigerator this week.

A quick salad fix

All of the ingredients in my Christmas salad can be purchased well ahead of time and forgotten about until the big day, or any night you are craving a big bowl of something fresh and not coated in sprinkles. As long as they are well-wrapped and refrigerated, both winter greens and fruit will stay crisp and fresh for at least a week.

Make a double batch of clementine vinaigrette and you’ll be all set for a quick salad fix over the holidays. For me that is just as essential as a pot of comforting post-Christmas dinner turkey soup on Boxing Day.

 Salad variations

If you’re certain that the combination above won’t go over well with your in-laws or guests, these salad ingredients can be easily mixed up to suit your tastes. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Dried cranberries ~ for a sweet touch, and a nice balance against the bitter greens.
  • Diced apple ~ add it right before serving.
  • Toasted nuts ~ pine, pecan, or walnuts would be great.
  • Clementine segments ~ can be prepared in advance.
  • Endive ~ if radiccio is too bitter.
  • Iceberg ~ in place of the Napa cabbage.
  • Bacon. Uh huh.

A Christmas salad of winter greens & fruit

Not only does this salad boast the colours of Christmas, but it offers a welcome crunch and burst of acidity at a time when foods tend to be so rich.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salads
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 113kcal
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Peel outer leaves off of cabbage and radicchio and shred them with a sharp Santoku or chef knife. Don't worry about making them too thin.
  • Wash and dry kale and remove greenery from the stalk. Chop to about the same thickness as the cabbage.
  • Wash and drain cranberries, then slice them into rounds with a small paring knife.
  • Segment the pomegranate and set aside.
  • In a large salad bowl, toss kale with a tablespoon of vinaigrette and allow to marinade for about five minutes.
  • Add cabbage and radicchio and toss with a few more tablespoons vinaigrette. Sprinkle sliced cranberries and pomegranates and present at the table. Toss salad one more time before mounding it onto plates.

Nutrition

Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 347mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 305IU | Vitamin C: 37.9mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 0.5mg

 

Do you crave salads in winter?

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




13 Comments

  1. What a beautiful salad for the holidays! I have this on my list to try now, and it is packed full of healthy stuff which is great.

  2. 5 stars
    Just made this for our Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone wanted prime rib instead of turkey so I wanted something light and refreshing to complement the rich dinner. Wow! So good. Followed the recipe as written with the double batch of clementine vinaigrette. It was a hit with everyone. I will definitely be making this again. Thanks!

  3. Amy, do you think that thinly sliced red cabbage could be substituted for the raddichio? I’ve never used this, so I”m not sure if the cabbage would be similar enough…thanks!

  4. 5 stars
    Hello Aimee!

    I just wanted to share that this salad was a big hit at the brunch and supper I hosted this past weekend for over 20 different folks. I let them dress their own salad, from the 3 basic recipes you shared from another blog, in addition to self serve options of fresh dill, parsley and bacon. So pleased I will be bringing it my sister in laws for Christmas to go with the grilled salmon. Happy holiday cooking with your family….