Description

This Christmas Salad combines roasted butternut squash, crisp Honeycrisp apples, pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, and crumbled feta cheese tossed in a sweet and tangy vanilla-honey Dijon dressing. The salad layers vibrant festive colors and textures, making it a perfect holiday side dish or light meal that balances savory, sweet, and tart flavors beautifully.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Candied Pecans

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 cups Pecan Halves
1 Egg White
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Cane Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

For the Roasted Butternut Squash

3 cups Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed
Olive Oil, to taste
Sea Salt, to taste
Ground Black Pepper, to taste

For the Dressing

1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon Honey
1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

For the Salad

16 ounces Salad Greens
2 Honeycrisp Apples, cored and sliced
3/4 cup Pomegranate Seeds
1 cup Crumbled Feta Cheese
1 cup Candied Pecans (from above)

Instructions

Preheat and prepare pecans: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy. Add the pecan halves and toss well to coat.
Coat pecans with sugar mixture: Sprinkle brown sugar, cane sugar, ground cinnamon, pink Himalayan sea salt, and vanilla extract over the pecans. Toss thoroughly until nuts are evenly coated with the mixture.
Bake candied pecans: Spread the coated pecans in an even layer on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stir to redistribute, then bake an additional 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before breaking into pieces. Reserve about 1 cup for the salad; the rest can be saved for snacking.
Roast butternut squash: Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (200°C). Toss the cubed butternut squash with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a sheet pan and roast for 25 to 35 minutes, turning once, until the squash is fork tender and lightly browned. Allow to cool.
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, vanilla extract, honey, garlic powder, black pepper, and sea salt until well combined.
Assemble the salad: In a large bowl or serving platter, place the salad greens as the base. Top with roasted butternut squash, sliced Honeycrisp apples, pomegranate seeds, crumbled feta cheese, and the candied pecans.
Toss and serve: Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine all ingredients. Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.

Notes

Use parchment paper for easier clean-up and to prevent sticking when baking the pecans.
For a nut-free version, omit pecans and substitute with roasted pumpkin seeds.
The salad can be prepared ahead by roasting the squash and making the candied pecans a day in advance, but toss with dressing just before serving to keep greens crisp.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste depending on the saltiness of your feta cheese.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Christmas salad, roasted butternut squash salad, candied pecans, festive salad recipe, holiday salad, Honeycrisp apple salad