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holiday salad in white bowl
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3.98 from 35 votes

Holiday Salad with Apple Cider Dressing

This beautiful, festive salad is my go-to recipe for the holidays (and all winter long). It comes together quickly and makes a lovely side salad. Sometimes we enjoy this as our main meal and top it with shredded rotisserie chicken for an easy fall or winter meal.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: salad + dressing
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 side salads
Calories: 163kcal
Author: Dani Spies

Ingredients

Salad

  • 5 ounces mixed baby greens
  • 1 large pear, chopped
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup pepitas (raw green pumpkin seeds)
  • 2 ounces chilled goat cheese (about 1/3 cup)

Apple Cider Dressing

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons raw honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Apple Cider Dressing

  • In a spouted cup or mason jar, combine crushed garlic, olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk or shake well.

Salad

  • In a medium-sized skillet, toast the pepitas over medium heat, stirring often. You will know they are done when they begin to make popping noises and turn golden brown around the edges. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.
  • Place your greens in a large serving bowl. Top with chopped pears, dried cranberries and toasted pepitas. Use your fingers to crumble the goat cheese over the top of the salad.
  • Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss it all together. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

This is a very flexible salad.  Feel free to explore some of the following swaps:
  • Trade out the dried cranberries from pomegranate seeds.
  • Don't have pepitas?  Swap in toasted walnuts or pecans.
  • Want a heartier option?  Swap in kale for the mixed greens.
  • Out of pears?  No problem! Apples or persimmons would be delightful.
  • Vegan?  Trade the honey for maple syrup and skip the cheese.
Remember! Healthy eating should be fun and enjoyable.  Always make each recipe work for you and your personal preferences. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1side salad | Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 114mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 376IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg