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 mins
Cook Time5 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Course: salad + dressing
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 side salads
Calories: 163kcal
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
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!
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.
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