Festive Red and Green Holiday Salad
As a long-time vegan, I’ve eaten my fair share of salads. Some are out of the world, and others, well, let’s just say they missed the boat. When I am creating a holiday spread, I like to include a salad, and this Festive Red and Green Holiday Salad would be perfect on your Christmas Dinner Table!
Festive Red and Green Holiday Salad
I often feel like salad recipes are a bit silly; I mean, I have my favorite vegetables, you know, the ones that are always in my refrigerator and go in my daily salads. It’s hard to share that recipe more than once. But sometimes I just want a fancy salad or a festive salad or a salad that matches my mood or the season. Well, this one checks all the boxes. It is a creative, colorful, and flavorful dish that everyone will love!
The Green(s)
For this salad, I use a base of baby spinach (but hearty baby kale or chopped romaine would work well too)! I like lettuce which is going to hold up to my dressing.
The Red
Cooked and sliced beets are the star of this salad. They add a rich and luxurious red hue, and their hearty and earthy yet sweet flavor pair perfectly with the hearty green and creamy dressing.
The Add-ins
Broccoli florets, sliced onions, walnuts, and tomatoes round out this salad’s colors and textures. I’m partial to plating each salad with the dressing on the side so each guest can appreciate the beauty of their salad, but you can just as easily make this a large plated salad with the dressing on the side or a tossed salad. Either way, it tastes the same.
The Dressing
Let’s talk about the dressing; it is a creamy-rosemary vinaigrette dressing that provides a sweet tang to level up the salad. Using a blend of tahini, dijon, and balsamic vinegar makes the perfect creamy texture for our hearty vegetable; just wait until you get a bite of broccoli with this rich dressing coating your little florets – YUMMO!
I love to make this dressing to keep on hand for a quick weeknight salad too. It makes me feel so fancy, and I love that it is an oil-free salad dressing.
The Holiday Salad
Festive Red and Green Holiday Salad
Hearty green vegetables, cooked earthy beets, and a creamy rosemary vinaigrette are the star of this festive holiday salad.
Ingredients
- 8 cups greens, baby spinach
- 4 (3-inch-diameter) beets, cooked, peeled, and sliced
- 2 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sliced white or red onion
- 1 batch (about 1 cup) Rosemary Vinaigrette
- For the Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- On salad plates divide all ingredients layered: greens, broccoli, tomatoes, onions, sliced beets (fanned)
- Serve Rosemary Vinaigrette on the side.
Notes
This salad could also be plated on a large plate or all ingredients could be tossed in a large bowl.
