Festive Holiday Salad

This Festive Holiday Salad is the perfect vegan centerpiece at any festivity. The colors and flavors are vibrant and festive. The ingredients are seasonal and humble. And although it is breathtaking, it is relatively simple to make. You will wow your guests with this presentation which will make them wonder why people think salad is boring.

What makes this the best holiday salad?

This festive holiday pomegranate salad is full of beautiful seasonal veggies and flavor. This one is sure to be a showstopper at any Fall or Winter holiday gathering. Holiday salads are often eclipsed by all the meaty and mashed dishes. But your guests or hosts will be talking about this one for months to come. The flavors are on point with sweet roasted delicata squash, sweet potatoes, tangy pink lady apples and sweet pomegranate arils. Hearty kale and cabbage taste amazing in this punchy pomegranate laced vinaigrette. We also added chickpeas to for some protein. After all, this may well be the main course for the plant-based guests.

Should salad be on a Holiday menu?

Many families' Holiday menus rely heavily on roasted meats and mashed veggies that are laden with butter, cream and other non-vegan-friendly ingredients. This can be really difficult for people whose dietary preferences, needs or health problems prevent them from eating those items. Holiday time can be so tough for vegans and people's whose Doctor has ordered them to eat a diet lower in cholesterol or saturated fat as the typical fare leaves them few options. It is a really kind thing for both your guests and the planet to include plant-based options on your menu. A loaded salad like this Festive Pomegranate Holiday Salad, which includes protein and carbs can be the make or break meal item for your guests. Plus it looks gorgeous on the table and may convince people to try something new!

What you will need to make this Holiday Salad

This is a delicious and healthy salad recipe that is perfect for a fall or winter meal. It is packed with seasonal vegetables and fruits, and the dressing is light and refreshing.

Here is a breakdown of the ingredients:

• Kale: A hardy and leafy green vegetable that is packed with nutrients.
• Romaine: Crisp and refreshing lettuce.
• Red cabbage: A cruciferous vegetable that is high in antioxidants.
• Pomegranate: A seasonal Fall fruit that is high in antioxidants and vitamin C.
• Delicata squash: A winter squash that is sweet and nutty in flavor.
• Apples: Apples are tart, sweet and crunchy.
• Lemon: Lemon makes the flavors pop.
• Sweet potatoes: A root vegetable that is high in fiber and vitamin A.
• Chickpeas: A legume that is high in protein and fiber and has a crunchy texture when baked.

How to make this festive holiday salad

Roast the vegetables and chickpeas. The first step is roasting the sweet potatoes, delicata squash and the crispy chickpeas. I love adding sheet pan roasted vegetables to salads because it bumps up the flavor profile and makes salad more filling. The oven crisped chickpeas give this Festive Holiday Salad plant protein which makes this salad is filling enough to be the main attraction. That is why I love making it for the Holidays.

Make the salad. While the vegetables and chickpeas are cooking, it's time to make this Festive Holiday Salad green base. I chose hearty kale, crunchy romaine and purple cabbage. All three of these salad greens are hardy enough to withstand the weight of the toppings. The romaine is a bit more delicate than the kale and cabbage. If your audience will be put off by kale, then use another head of romaine instead.

Squeeze lemon to preserve the colors. Pomegranate arils and apple slices really amp up the festive sprit of this Winter salad. When using apples in a salad it is important to squeeze some lemon juice over the cut apples to prevent browning. To assure the entire surface gets coated. Although pomegranates are tasty, it's the color that does it for me. The gorgeous red pearls make any dish look fancy.

Make the dressing. The dressing is a very simple pomegranate and pear balsamic vinaigrette. In this recipe I use a pear infused white balsamic vinegar from Wild Groves. Or use your favorite white balsamic or apple cider vinegar.

Other Fall and Winter salad recipes

• Winter Kale and Farro Salad
• Escarole Salad.
• Autumn Butternut, Bean and Bulgur Salad
• Harvest Wild Rice Salad

Festive Holiday Salad

Holiday Salad with roasted chickpeas, roasted delicata, hearty kale and cabbage, apples and pomegranate vinaigrette

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, holiday, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, california, Mediterranean, vegan

Servings 7

Calories 446 kcal

Equipment

• 2 sheet pans, 1 salad bowl or platter

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Salad Ingredients

• 1 bunch Kale stemmed and chopped
• 1 romaine heart chopped
• 2 cups red cabbage shredded
• ½ pomegranate arils removed
• 3 delicata squash split seeds removed and cut into ½ inch thick half moons
• 2 apples sliced thin
• ½ lemon squeezed
• 2 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1 15 oz can chickpeas drained
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
• ½ tsp garlic powder

Dressing Ingredients

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup white balsamic vinegar pear infused
• ½ pomegranate arils removed
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper

Instructions

 

Salad Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Spread delicata squash and sweet potatoes on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of olive oil, and ½ tsp salt, mix well and bake for 20 minutes until fork tender. Set aside to cool while preparing the rest.
• On another sheet pan spread drained chickpeas in one layer and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, remaining ½ tsp salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder and balsamic and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway. Set aside to cool.
• In a large salad platter layer Kale, romaine, red cabbage as the salad base.
• When delicata, sweet potato and chickpeas are cool layer on top of the base.
• Coat the apple slices with lemon juice to prevent browning and layer into the salad. Finish with the pomegranate arils and drizzle with dressing when serving.

Dressing Instructions

• Place oil, vinegar, pomegranate arils, salt and pepper in a jar and shake well until combined.

Nutrition

Calories: 446kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 8gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gSodium: 740mgPotassium: 1325mgFiber: 12gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 14499IUVitamin C: 61mgCalcium: 141mgIron: 3mg

Keyword chick peas, delicata, dressing, healthy, salads, winter

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