This citrus pomegranate winter salad with orange dressing is the perfect addition to your meal during the Holiday season. This salad is simple and focuses on seasonal ingredients like oranges, grapefruits, pomegranates, and pecans.
Why You’ll Love This Winter Pomegranate Salad
- It's the perfect winter salad thanks to the seasonal produce
- It's a festive looking salad on the Holiday table and for the winter months
- The salad dressing is simple and fresh
- You can easily adapt the salad to your liking and whatever ingredients you have on hand
- The salad is fresh and has a pop of vitamin C thanks to the citrus fruit
- The seasonal salad uses basic ingredients you can find at any local grocery store
Ingredient Notes
Ingredients for the salad:
- Spring mix
- Orange
- Grapefruit
- Pomegranate arils - buy a whole pomegranate or purchase the pre-peeled arils.
- Optional ingredients: feta or goat cheese, bacon crumbles
For the candied pecans:
- Raw pecans - feel free to swap with another nut like almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts. For a nut-allergy friendly version, try sunflower seeds.
- Pure maple syrup
- Cinnamon - add more or less depending on your preference.
- Salt
For the dressing:
- Fresh orange juice - you'll need the fresh juice from one orange.
- Apple cider vinegar - feel free to use white vinegar or white wine vinegar here.
- Olive oil
- Pure maple syrup
- Dijon mustard
- Salt
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Knife & cutting board
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Mason jar* or bowl for mixing the dressing
- Salad bowl
- Salad tongs
- Medium saucepan
- Wooden spoon
Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Begin by making the sugared pecans. Add the pecans, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the pecans continuously as the maple syrup reduces. The pecans are done when the maple syrup is mostly dried up and no longer sticky. Remove the pecans from the pan and set aside in a bowl to cool.
Next, make the dressing. Add the fresh orange juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, pure maple syrup, dijon mustard, and salt to a small bowl. Whisk well to blend the dressing. Note that you will need to whisk the dressing again before serving as the oil will naturally separate.
Assemble the salad. Add the spring mix to a large bowl. Top with the orange and grapefruit slices, pomegranate arils, and pecans. Add any other desired toppings like goat or feta cheese and bacon crumbles. Add the dressing. If you plan to have leftovers, dress each serving individually to prevent the salad from getting soggy.
Tips & Variations
- Feel free to swap the citrus fruit for other produce you have on hand like raspberries, fresh pear, blueberries, and strawberries.
- Goat cheese, parmesan cheese, or feta cheese are all great additions.
- Add grilled chicken or steak to make it a main course.
- Baby arugula, curly kale, baby spinach, romaine lettuce, or other baby greens can all be swapped for the spring mix.
- This delicious salad is a great addition to Christmas dinner. The beauty of this salad stands out on the table!
FAQ
We recommend dressing the portions individually if you plan to have leftovers. That way the dressing won't get soggy. Store the dressing and salad separately in an airtight container.
Yes, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.
If you like this simple winter salad, check out a few of our other Holiday recipes:
If you make this winter salad recipe, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
Citrus Pomegranate Winter Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 cups spring mix
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 grapefruit, sliced
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
- Optional: feta or goat cheese, bacon crumbles
For the candied pecans:
- 3/4 cup chopped raw pecans
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (juice from 1 orange)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Begin by making the sugared pecans. Add the pecans, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir the pecans continuously as the maple syrup reduces. The pecans are done when the maple syrup is mostly dried up and no longer sticky. Remove the pecans from the pan and set aside in a bowl to cool.
- Next, make the dressing. Add the fresh orange juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, pure maple syrup, dijon mustard, and salt to a small bowl. Whisk well to blend the dressing. Note that you will need to whisk the dressing again before serving as the oil will naturally separate. This recipe will make more dressing than you need for this salad, so you will have some leftover.
- Assemble the salad. Add the spring mix to a large bowl. Top with the orange and grapefruit slices, pomegranate arils, and pecans. Add any other desired toppings like goat or feta cheese and bacon crumbles. Add your preferred amount of dressing. If you plan to have leftovers, dress each serving individually to prevent the salad from getting soggy.
Notes
- We recommend dressing the portions individually if you plan to have leftovers. That way the dressing won't get soggy. Store the dressing and salad separately in an airtight container.
The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Winter Salad" and "BWB Orange Dressing."
The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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