Description
A festive and refreshing Christmas Side Dish Salad featuring crisp romaine lettuce, peppery baby rocket, sweet dried cranberries, crunchy candied almonds, tangy blue cheese, and juicy apple cubes, all brought together with a honey mustard vinaigrette.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad
- 8 large lettuce leaves (romaine)
- 30 g baby rocket
- 60 g dried cranberries
- 60 g candied almonds
- 30 g blue cheese
- 1 apple, cut into cubes
For the Dressing
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 50 ml olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, honey, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until combined. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while continuing to whisk vigorously to emulsify the dressing.
- Reserve salad ingredients: Set aside a small portion of the salad ingredients that are not leafy greens for garnish and finishing.
- Mix the salad: In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce leaves and baby rocket with the remaining cranberries, candied almonds, blue cheese, and apple cubes. Add half of the dressing and toss gently to coat.
- Assemble the salad: Transfer the salad to a serving dish, then top with the reserved ingredients for added texture and visual appeal. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top to finish.
Notes
- Use Romaine lettuce for a crisp base; substitute with other sturdy greens if desired.
- If you prefer a nut-free version, replace candied almonds with pumpkin seeds or omit entirely.
- For added color and crunch, consider adding chopped red bell peppers or pomegranate seeds.
- The dressing can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 days; whisk before serving.
- Adjust salt and pepper in the dressing to your taste preference.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
