Holiday-Inspired Salad Preparation Directions

Holiday-Inspired Salad Preparation Directions

Holiday Time Salad Transformation: It's More Than Just a Salad!

With the festive season around the corner, a simple salad turns into a holiday spectacle with a touch of creativity and extra ingredients. This Christmas salad is all about the zest and tang from the toppings: sharp cheese, sweet and savory pecans, and juicy fruits, all tossed in a slightly sweet and spicy vinaigrette. While the toppings can be adjusted to your preference, the dressing is a must-have for adding a festive twist to your salad.

Learn to prepare this delectable Christmas salad, and it will become a beloved family tradition, whether you serve it during the holiday festivities or as a regular side dish.

Christmas Salad Recipe

Active Time:15 mins Total Time:15 mins Servings:8

This festive salad layers fresh spinach with fruits, nuts, and cheese. Here's what you'll need:

• Oranges: Winter's orange harvest is at its finest, and their sweet flavor adds a perfect touch to this salad. Choose your preferred variety, or opt for the seasonal blood oranges for an exceptional flavor boost.
• Rice vinegar: This mild acidic vinegar brings just the right balance to the salad dressing without overpowering the other flavors.
• Pure maple syrup: Adds a warm and complex sweetness to the dressing, accentuating the other flavors.
• Dijon mustard: Assists in emulsifying the dressing and lends a hint of tang.
• Cayenne pepper: A small amount is all that's needed to add a subtle heat that rounds out the flavors in the dressing.
• Kosher salt: Balances the sweet and spicy flavors in the dressing.
• Olive oil: Choose a high-quality olive oil since its robust flavor will complement the other ingredients.
• Baby spinach: Its delicate leaves make it an ideal choice for this salad.
• Apple: The crisp and juicy apple adds a delightful crunch and sweetness to the salad.
• Blue cheese: A well-balanced blue cheese adds the perfect amount of tang and funk to this salad. Look for a sweeter variety if your cheesemonger has suggestions.
• Dried cranberries: The tangy and tart cranberries deliver a pleasant surprise with each bite.
• Candied pecans: The sweet and crunchy pecans add a delightful finishing touch to this already splendid salad.

Preparing the Christmas Salad

In just 15 minutes, you can whip up this captivating salad. Follow these simple steps for the Christmas salad recipe:

1. Create the salad dressing by mixing the ingredients until smooth and well-combined.
2. Toss the spinach leaves in the dressing.
3. Arrange the salad on a platter and top with the remaining ingredients just before serving.

Christmas Salad Hints and Tips

This salad will rarely go wrong, but these suggestions from the Southern Living Test Kitchen can help ensure a perfect result:

• Use baby spinach; it has a tender texture and is easier to eat than mature spinach.
• Dress the salad at the last minute and top it with the remaining ingredients to keep them from settling to the bottom.
• Before using cut citrus, blot it on a paper towel to absorb excess juice which can make the salad overly dressed.
• Buy the cheese uncrumbled and crumble it yourself to get the best texture. Pre-crumbled cheese often contains an anti-caking agent that can alter the texture.

Make-Ahead Instructions

To save time, you can prep the oranges and make the dressing ahead of time. Slice the oranges up to a day before and store them in the refrigerator. The dressing can be made up to three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Assemble the salad just before serving for the best results.

Christmas Salad Variations

Feel free to experiment with the ingredients for this festive salad. Here are some ideas for personalized variations:

• Cheese swap: Use crumbled goat cheese or feta instead of blue cheese.
• Leaf swap: Substitute baby spinach with a spring mix.
• Nut swap: If fresh candied pecans are not available, use plain toasted pecans.

Additional Holiday Salad Recipes

These salads are ideal for pairing with your holiday meal's centerpiece:

• Carrot Raisin Salad
• Beet Salad
• Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
• Farro Salad
• 7-Layer Salad

Peel and squeeze oranges:

Extract 1 orange's juice to equal 2 tablespoons.

Remove the orange's skin and white layer, then slice the flesh into 0.25-inch thick discs, then cut them in half.2. ### Prepare salad dressing:

Mix together orange juice, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, cayenne pepper, and half a teaspoon of the salt in a big container, until it's well blended. Gradually add oil, while constantly stirring, until it's all combined.3. ### Mix salad with dressing:

Add spinach and the remaining 0.25 teaspoon salt, then mix well.4. ### Set up the salad:

Place the mixed spinach on a large serving dish and decorate with apple slices, blue cheese, cranberries, and pecans.

This Christmas salad recipe features fresh spinach layered with juicy fruits, crunchy nuts, and tangy cheese, making it a festive holiday dish. During winter, oranges are at their sweetest, adding a delightful touch to this salad. The dressing, made with rice vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, and olive oil, brings a harmonious balance of flavors. To achieve the best texture, it's recommended to buy uncrumbled cheese and use baby spinach. This salad can be paired with other holiday side dishes such as carrot raisin salad, beet salad, and spinach salad with warm bacon dressing.

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