This Festive Salad uses a range of seasonal vegetables, fruits and nuts for a delicious dish that can be enjoyed on its own or as a side. Get the recipe below.
My Festive Salad is the perfect dish for serving up over the holiday season. It's made with Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, red onion, winter leaves, pecans, pomegranate and an orange and mustard dressing. I also add shavings of vegan Parmesan for extra indulgence.
This salad is everything a winter salad should be: it's colourful, hearty, fresh, and just a little bit indulgent. Roasted vegetables bring warmth and depth, while crisp salad leaves, juicy pomegranate seeds, and crunchy pecans keep things bright and lively. It’s the kind of dish that looks beautiful on a holiday table but is simple enough to enjoy any night of the week.
The star of the show is the orange and mustard dressing. Sweet, tangy, and lightly sharp, it ties all the ingredients together and adds a seasonal citrus note that feels perfect for autumn and winter. Whether you’re serving this as a festive side dish, a light main, or part of a buffet spread, it’s guaranteed to impress without any stress.
Jump to:
Ingredients
Get your shopping list at the ready. You'll need the following for this Festive Salad:
- Brussels sprouts
- Butternut squash
- Red onion
- Pecans
- Pomegranate arils
- Winter salad leaves (e.g. spinach, rocket, beetroot leaves etc.)
- Orange
- Mustard
- Red wine vinegar
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: roast the vegetables until tender and caramelised, turning halfway through.
- Step 2: toast the pecans in a dry pan until fragrant.
- Step 3: whisk together the salad dressing ingredients until smooth and glossy.
- Step 4: assemble the salad and serve.
Hint: want to save on washing up? Rather than toasting the pecans in a dry pan, add them to the roasting tin with the vegetables for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Substitutions
You can make some of the following substitutions in this recipe without losing what makes this dish special:
- Nuts: swap pecans for walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds
- Squash: swap butternut squash for another squash variety or even use sweet potato
- Pomegranate: replace pomegranate seeds with dried cranberries or cherries
- Citrus: use lemon juice if you can't get hold of oranges
Variations
Put a spin on this Festive Salad recipe by using one of these variations:
- Add crumbled vegan feta or vegan goats cheese for extra richness
- Include grains like quinoa or farro to make it even more filling
- Add thin slices or apple or pear for extra sweetness and crunch
- Make it spicy with a pinch of chilli flakes in the dressing
Equipment
You'll need the following kitchen equipment to make this recipe:
- Roasting tin
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Jar
- Frying pan
- Whisk or fork
Storage
If you want to make this recipe ahead of time then you can roast the vegetables and keep them in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The dressing can keep for up to 5 days. Assemble the salad just before serving for the best texture.
Top tip
Let the roasted vegetables cool slightly before adding them to the salad leaves. This prevents the leaves from wilting and ensures the salad stays fresh and vibrant.
Frequently Asked Questions
This salad is best served when the vegetables are still warm.
This salad goes really well with grilled tofu or roasted mock-chicken or mock-turkey. It's also great as part of a buffet.
The recipe
Festive Salad
Equipment
- 1 roasting tin
- 1 knife
- 1 chopping board
- 1 Jar for salad dressing
- 1 Whisk or fork
Ingredients
- 300 g Brussels sprouts cut in half
- 400 g butternut squash peeled and cubed
- 1 red onion sliced
- 50 g pecans
- 150 g winter salad leaves
- 100 g pomegranate arils
- 50 g vegan parmesan
For the salad dressing
- 1 orange juice only
- 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F / gas mark 4.
- Toss the Brussels sprouts, squash, and red onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Roast for 30 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and tender.
- In the last 5 minutes of cooking, heat the pecans in a dry frying pan until fragrant.
- Whisk all dressing ingredients together until smooth and glossy.
- Arrange salad leaves on to a platter, top with roasted vegetables, pecans, pomegranate and vegan Parmesan shavings.
- Drizzle with dressing and serve.
Leave a Reply