Christmas Spoon Salad (A Festive Chopped Salad That’s Perfect for the Holidays)
If you’re looking for the perfect holiday salad that’s as beautiful as it is delicious, this Christmas Spoon Salad will steal the show at your next dinner party. It’s bursting with festive colors — green, red, and white — and every bite is loaded with flavor and texture.
This finely chopped salad gets its name because you can literally eat it with a spoon! It’s a mix of crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce, purple cabbage, pickled red onions, candied pecans, dried cranberries, and crumbled feta cheese, all tossed together in a simple homemade vinaigrette.
The result is a fresh, crunchy, tangy, and sweet salad that looks like Christmas in a bowl — and tastes even better.
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Spoon Salad
- Festive & beautiful – The green lettuce, red cranberries, and white feta make it picture-perfect for the holidays.
- Crowd-pleasing flavor – Every bite hits the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tangy.
- Make-ahead friendly – The candied pecans and pickled onions can be prepped the day before, making party day so much easier.
- Easy to serve – Since it’s chopped finely, guests can scoop it right up with a spoon — no mess, no struggle.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Romaine lettuce – for crunch and freshness
- Iceberg lettuce – adds lightness and crisp texture
- Purple cabbage – for color and bite
- Pickled red onions – adds tang and brightness
- Candied pecans – a sweet, crunchy contrast
- Dried cranberries – a festive pop of red and chewiness
- Feta cheese – salty and creamy
- Homemade vinaigrette – your favorite recipe or a simple blend of olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper
Make-Ahead Tips
This salad does take a little planning, but the payoff is so worth it!
- Pickled onions: Make them at least 3-4 hours ahead — ideally the day before — to let the flavor develop and the raw onion flavor mellow out.
- Candied pecans: These can be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container. (Bonus: they make the kitchen smell amazing!)
When you’re ready to serve, just chop everything finely, toss it all in a big bowl, drizzle with vinaigrette, and serve immediately.
Perfect for the Holidays
This Christmas Spoon Salad is ideal for:
- Christmas dinner or brunch
- Thanksgiving dinner
- Holiday potlucks and parties
- New Year’s gatherings
- Any winter meal that needs a fresh, colorful side
It’s guaranteed to impress guests — and even salad skeptics will be going back for seconds.
Pro Tip:
For an extra festive touch, serve it in a clear glass bowl so all the beautiful colors shine through.
This Christmas Spoon Salad isn’t just a side dish — it’s a showstopper that brings cheer and crunch to your holiday table. Once you try it, you’ll want to make it every December!
Christmas Spoon Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 4 c chopped romaine lettuce
- 4 c chopped iceberg lettuce
- 4 c chopped purple cabbage
- 1/2 c pickled onions measured first then chopped
- 1/2 c feta cheese + 1/2 c for topping
- 1 c candied pecans roughly chopped + 1 c for topping
- 1/2 c dried cranberries
Pickled Onions
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 c distilled white vinegar
- 1 c water
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
Candied Pecans
- 2 c pecan halves
- 1/2 c maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp flaky salt (or kosher)
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp dijon mustard heaping
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 c olive oil
Instructions
- Make the pickled onions a day in advance. Add vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a medium pot. Place over medium heat and whisk until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool.
- Thinly slice half a red onion and place in a ball jar.
- Cover the onions with all the liquid from the pot and allow to come to room temperature before covering and storing in the refrigerator overnight.
- Make the candied pecans a day in advance. Place the pecans, maple syrup, salt and cayenne in a saute pan set over medium heat. Constantly stir for 8-12 minutes (turn the heat down if it's cooking too fast) until the syrup crystalizes and there are little to no wet spots. Remove from the pan and lay the pecans on a parchment lined sheet pan to harden overnight.
- Add all the vinaigrette ingredients to a jar, close tightly with a lid and shake until everything emulsifies. Store on the counter.
- Finely chop up the romaine, iceberg, purple cabbage and pickled onions. Add to a large bowl. Roughly chop 1 cup of the candied pecans and add to the bowl along with 1/2 cup of feta cheese. Toss.
- Add the dressing just before serving. Toss. Top with dried cranberries, more feta and more candied pecans.