Holiday Crunch Salad.
My holiday crunch salad is so refreshing, crisp and delicious! A base of kale and radicchio is topped with oranges, apples, red onion, pomegranate, goat cheese and pecans. Topped with a tangy citrus dressing, it’s perfect for the holiday season!
You’re about to have the prettiest salad on your Thanksgiving table.
My holiday crunch salad is perfect for any fall or winter season gathering. It’s packed with crunchy, crisp refreshing flavor, juicy citrus, creamy goat cheese and toasted pecans. It’s beautiful too!
Every year, I ramble on and on about a greens salad on Thanksgiving. My family could do without one, because they don’t care about the greens on the holiday. Everyone wants the traditional, classic comfort foods that are warm and cozy.
I’ve felt that way in the past too, but in recent years, I’ve craved a salad on my plate as well. While this obviously means I am getting old, it’s more so my desire for something crisp and refreshing on a plate full of beige.
Especially when said beige is all soft: potatoes, rolls, gravy, etc.
The crunch and crisp of some lettuce, veggies and fruit is so nice! I will never turn it down.
I just won’t add it to my big Thanksgiving plate because I secretly want to drench everything in gravy.
Pro tip: have your little salad or dessert plates out separately for your guests who feel the same. Salad on the side, gravy on everything else.
It’s worth it!
This is what goes into our crunch salad!
I start with a base of kale. I like to use kale because there’s quite a bit of fruit in this salad so it balances the sweetness. It’s also heartier and will hold up longer. Along with the kale, I throw in some chopped radicchio too. The color is stunning! Perhaps my favorite color of all the veggies.
For fruits, I add in some segment oranges (cara cara are my fave!), chopped apples and then, of course, pomegranate arils on top. The apples are so crunchy and the pomegranate jewels have the best pop.
Diced red onion is important here, because we need that punchy bite. I like to keep it diced though, so it’s never overpowering. You could use thin slices as well.
I crumble in goat cheese, because you’re right – I can’t do anything without cheese. It’s true. But I also love some creamy tanginess here in the bowl. And once it’s combined with the dressing, it almost melts into parts of the salad. If you love goat cheese in your salad, then you get it!
For extra crunch, I like to top things off with some toasted pecans. You can’t go wrong here! Walnuts, pepitas or even sliced almonds would also be delicious. Whatever nut or seed you love is an excellent addition to the bowl.
Salad dressing in the cooler months is my favorite! The flavors are so rich and wonderful or extra citrusy. Again, there are so many versions of a great dressing that you can drizzle on this salad. In my case, I chose a citrus vinaigrette to bring everything together. It’s bright, gives enough acid to the dish and is really easy to throw together.
The biggest issue surrounding salad on Thanksgiving is the space. And the time! This is one dish where you can prep all the ingredients ahead of time. Even the kale can be washed, dried and chopped a few days ahead and stored in the fridge. The dressing can be whisked together and stored in a sealed container. Everything can be chopped aside from the apples, which I reserve until right before serving.
When it comes time to eat, literally dump everything into a bowl together, dress and toss! It’s pretty and festive, delicious and refreshing and adds such a nice pop of color to your traditional table.
Yay salad!
Holiday Crunch Salad
Holiday Crunch Salad
Ingredients
- 6 to 8 cups curly green kale, chopped
- ½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small head radicchio, chopped or sliced
- 2 oranges, segmented
- 2 apples, chopped
- 1 red onion, diced
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ⅓ cup toasted pecans
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
cranberry citrus vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons cranberry juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- kosher salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Place the kale in a bowl and add the olive oil. Massage thoroughly for 1 to 2 minutes until all of the kale is coated. This helps to remove the bitterness and some of the chew. Season with salt and pepper and toss.
- Add in the radicchio, oranges, apples, red onion, goat cheese, pecans and pomegranate. Drizzle with some of the dressing and toss well.
- Serve with additional dressing on the side. Enjoy!
cranberry citrus vinaigrette
- Whisk together the juice, vinegar, garlic, honey, dijon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stream in the olive oil while whisking until the dressing is emulsified. This can be made a few days ahead of time and stored in the fridge!
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I appreciate you so much!
Looks good enough to eat!
