Festive Pomegranate Salad

Salad with greens, pomegranate seeds, mandarin orange segments, pecans, and blue cheese in a ridged ceramic bowl.

Festive Pomegranate Salad

My pomegranate salad features mixed greens, mandarin oranges, dried cranberries, and blue cheese with crunchy cinnamon-maple candied pecans and pepitas. Dressed with a homemade sweet and tangy orange marmalade dressing. It makes a stunning side for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword christmas salad, holiday salad, pomegranate salad, thanksgiving salad, winter salad

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 10

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 375kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

For the Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Candied Pepitas & Pecans

½ cup pepitas raw
½ cup pecan halves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch fine sea salt

For the Salad

6 cups mixed greens spring mix, baby spinach, or similar
½ small red onion very finely sliced
1 cup mandarin orange segments fresh or drained canned
⅓ cup dried cranberries
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese (or feta or goat cheese)
1 cup pomegranate arils from 1 large pomegranate

For the Orange-Marmalade Dressing

2 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ cup olive oil extra-virgin

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Candied Pepitas & Pecans: Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside. In a medium pan or skillet over medium heat, add the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt.
When the butter has melted, add the pepitas and pecans and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the nuts become glossy and lightly toasted.
Spread immediately onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and separate with a fork. Let cool completely. They will crisp as they cool.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the orange marmalade, lemon juice, Dijon, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly stream in the olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity as needed.
Assemble the salad: Add the mixed greens to a large serving bowl. Layer on the sliced red onion, mandarin segments, and dried cranberries, then toss to combine. (Tossing now keeps the main stars of the salad on top and visible!)
Add the cheese, cooled nuts, and lastly the pomegranate arils.
Drizzle with the orange marmalade dressing just before serving.

Notes

Watch the nuts closely: Sugar can go from toasted to burnt fast. Keep stirring and pull the pan off the heat as soon as the nuts look glossy and smell toasty.
Let the nuts cool completely: They stay sticky while warm. Once cool, break up any clusters with your fingers.
How to seed a pomegranate: Cut it in half, hold one half cut-side down over a bowl, and tap the back firmly with a wooden spoon. The arils fall right out.
Dry the mandarins: If using canned mandarins, drain and pat them dry so they don't water down the dressing.
Marmalade too thick? Warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds before whisking so it blends smoothly.
Dress at the last minute: Add the dressing right before serving so the greens stay crisp and the nuts stay crunchy.
Make it a meal: Add sliced grilled chicken or turkey to turn it into a main dish salad.
Special Tools: Large Skillet | Baking Sheet | Parchment Paper | Whisk | Large Serving Bowl

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

Refrigerator: Store undressed salad covered for up to 1 day. Keep the dressing in a jar for up to 5 days and shake before using. Dressed salad is best eaten the same day.
Candied nuts: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Keep them separate from the salad so they stay crunchy.
Freezer: The candied nuts freeze well for up to 2 months. The salad itself doesn't freeze.
Reheating: No reheating needed. If the nuts soften, warm them in a dry skillet for 1 to 2 minutes and let them cool again.

Nutrition