This Pomegranate Christmas Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing has been a holiday staple in my kitchen for years. I first assembled this combination on a blustery December afternoon when I wanted something bright and celebratory to balance heavy winter mains. The contrast between the crunchy, warm candied nuts and the cold, crisp greens made the first bite unforgettable; the pomegranate seeds pop like tiny ornaments, the avocado adds a silky foil, and the bold blue cheese gives savory depth. Friends always ask for the dressing recipe, and the salad has become my go-to for potlucks and family dinners because it manages to feel both luxurious and effortless.

I discovered a few key tricks while perfecting this dish: toast the nuts just enough to deepen their flavor but not burn the honey glaze, slice apples right before serving to avoid browning, and always add avocado at the last moment so it stays pristine. The dressing is a small chemistry lesson in emulsion — whisking the oil with Dijon and a touch of fig preserves creates a glossy, clingy coating that carries orange brightness and honeyed sweetness across every leaf. This combination of texture and flavor feels festive without being fussy, and it’s one of those dishes that reliably gets compliments and repeat requests.

Ingredients

• Candied nuts and seeds: 1/2 cup raw honey and 1 1/2 cups walnut halves provide the sweet, toasty base; choose fresh walnuts with no off-odors and raw pumpkin seeds for a clean, nutty crunch. The honey caramelizes in the oven creating glossy clusters that stay crisp after cooling.
• Spices for the glaze: 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder plus a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few red pepper flakes give a subtle smoky heat that cuts through the sweetness — adjust the chili to your tolerance.
• Greens and produce: 6 cups spring mix or baby lettuce, 2 cups endive, 2 apples (Honeycrisp or Granny Smith) and 2 firm-ripe avocados. Choose crisp apples and avocados that yield slightly when squeezed but aren’t mushy; slice avocados at the last moment to preserve color.
• Bright pop: 2 cups pomegranate seeds—look for firm, glossy arils rather than cloudy or soft ones for the best texture and color impact.
• Creamy bite: 1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese (about 6 ounces). I prefer a milder blue for balance, but a bolder Stilton or Roquefort works if you enjoy more tang.
• Dressing: 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon fig preserves, 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice and 2 tablespoons honey. The fig adds depth while orange brightens and ties everything together.

Instructions

Prepare the candied nuts and seeds: Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl combine 1 1/2 cups walnut halves, 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder and a generous pinch of kosher salt. Toss until evenly coated, then spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake 15 minutes, stirring once at the 8-minute mark to ensure even caramelization. Remove and cool on the sheet for at least 10 minutes — cooling lets the honey harden into a crisp glaze. Make the dressing: While the nuts toast, combine 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon fig preserves, 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest, 2 tablespoons honey and a pinch of kosher salt in a jar. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified and smooth; the preserves will help the oil and vinegar bind for a glossy, clingy dressing. Prep the greens and fruit: Wash and dry 6 cups spring mix and 2 cups endive thoroughly; excess water dilutes the dressing. Slice the endive into 1-inch pieces and add to a large mixing bowl. Thinly slice 2 apples and add just before assembly to minimize browning — alternatively toss apple slices in a tablespoon of lemon juice if preparing early. Assemble the salad: Once the candied nuts and seeds are fully cooled, add them to the bowl with the greens, along with 2 cups pomegranate seeds and most of the 1 1/2 cups crumbled blue cheese, reserving some for garnish. Slice 2 avocados just before finishing and nestle the slices on top so they remain intact. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss until everything is evenly coated without crushing the avocados or bruising the leaves. Finish and serve: Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates, scatter the remaining blue cheese crumbles on top and finish with a light sprinkle of red pepper flakes for color and just a hint of heat. Serve immediately so the candied nuts stay crisp and the greens remain chilled.

Storage Tips

To preserve texture and flavor, store the candied nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; refrigeration can introduce humidity that softens the glaze. Keep the dressing in the fridge for up to 7 days in a sealed jar and bring it to room temperature before serving so the oil loosens. If you have leftover assembled salad (without avocado), place it in a shallow airtight container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours — add freshly sliced avocado before serving. When reheating nuts you can refresh them for a few minutes at 300°F to restore crispness.

Ingredient Substitutions

Swap walnuts for pecans or almonds if preferred; pecans will give a softer, buttery crunch while almonds add a firm bite. Replace blue cheese with goat cheese or feta for a milder tang; both crumble similarly but change the savory profile. For a vegan version, omit the cheese and use a maple or agave-sweetened dressing with a neutral oil and replace honey with 1/3 cup maple syrup. To remove seeds and nuts for allergies, increase pumpkin seeds-toasted sunflower seeds or roasted chickpeas for crunch.

Serving Suggestions

This salad pairs beautifully with roasted turkey or glazed ham at holiday meals, and it’s light enough to serve alongside a rich main like a béchamel-based casserole. Garnish with extra pomegranate arils and a few delicate herbs like chopped parsley or mint for brightness. For a dinner party, serve on chilled platters to keep greens crisp and offer the dressing on the side so guests can control coating. Add crusty bread on the side to round out the plate if serving as a main course.

Cultural Background

Pomegranate has long been associated with winter holidays in many cultures, symbolizing abundance and good fortune. Combining pomegranate with rich cheeses and nuts is a contemporary adaptation of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern flavor pairings, reimagined here in a seasonal American context. The use of fig preserves and balsamic vinegar nods to rustic Italian pantry traditions, while the honey-chipotle glaze gives a subtle Southwest warmth. This salad is a fusion of traditions, designed to showcase bright, seasonal produce alongside pantry staples.

Seasonal Adaptations

In spring or summer, replace pomegranate seeds with sliced strawberries or fresh blueberries and swap orange zest for lemon zest for a brighter note. For fall, stir thin slices of roasted pear into the salad and use toasted pecans instead of walnuts. During the holidays, add a scattering of dried cranberries for extra color and swap fig preserves for quince paste for a deeper flavor. Small technique changes like using toasted seeds instead of nuts will also tailor this dish to seasonal ingredient availability.

Meal Prep Tips

Make the dressing and candied nuts up to 48 hours ahead; store the dressing in a sealed jar in the fridge and the nuts in a cool, dry container. Wash and dry the greens and store them in a paper towel-lined container to stay crisp. Slice apples and toss briefly in lemon juice if you need to prepare them a few hours ahead; hold avocado for last-minute slicing. When assembling multiple portions for the week, leave avocados out and add just before eating to keep the salad fresh.

This salad is one of those recipes that reads like a celebration: accessible ingredients, simple techniques, and a big payoff in texture and color. Make it your own by balancing the sweetness and acidity to your taste and enjoy the festive spark it brings to the table.