This is the ultimate Winter Green Salad with lots of seasonal favorites like pomegranate seeds, pears, and apples. Just one bite of this salad and you won’t be able to get enough!
I love a good green salad, but they’re not quite as common in the winter since most produce isn’t in season.
This winter green salad brings together all of the fruits and vegetables you can find this time of year in a delicious and nutritious dish.
This recipe for green salad works because it’s:
- Completely homemade. The dressing and candied nuts are made from scratch, and it’s easier than you think!
- Full of different textures. The crunch from the lettuce and apples is complemented by the soft pears and cheese.
- Scrumptious! The sweet and tangy dressing is the cherry on top of this flavorful salad.
- Perfect for a crowd. This time of year is party season, so stand out from the crowd and bring this salad to go along with the traditional, rich holiday dishes. The guests will thank you!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Whisk together 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons poppy seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard. Set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to a small frying pan. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until it starts to bubble stirring constantly (about 1 minute).
Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans to the pan and stir well so the sugar mixture coats the nuts. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the nuts are candied. Be sure to watch the nuts closely and stir constantly so they don’t burn. Remove the nuts from the heat and pour them on a pan lined with parchment paper to cool.
In a separate frying pan, cook 5 strips of bacon until crispy. Place the bacon on a paper towel to cool. Set aside.
While the bacon is cooking, wash and chop 1 head of romaine lettuce into thin strips. Place in a large salad bowl. Pour the poppy seed dressing on the lettuce a little at a time and toss to coat. Add more dressing as desired.
Wash and chop 1 apple into cubes and 1 pear into thin slices. Cut 1 pomegranate in half and remove the seeds from one half.
Top the salad with the fruit, crumbled bacon, candied pecans, and 4 ounces of feta cheese. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
This recipe is 100% homemade, but if you don’t have time to make the dressing or nuts, you can definitely do store-bought. However, they’re easier to make than you think!
To avoid making the lettuce soggy, just add a little dressing at a time until the lettuce is just barely saturated. Or you can serve it on the side in a bottle and allow your guests to add how much dressing they want.
If you’re making this salad ahead, you won’t want to add the dressing until right before serving.
Alternatively, you can serve the dressing on the side and let guests add the amount they want.
If you’re making the salad ahead, you can slice the apples and pears and soak them in a bowl of cold water with a little lemon juice to keep them from browning.
The easiest way to get the seeds out of a pomegranate is to fill a small bowl with water and break apart the pomegranate half in the water. Carefully pull the seeds away from the white, pithy insides and let them fall in the bowl. The large pieces of pith will float to the top and you can pull those out. Pour the seeds into a fine-mesh sieve and rinse them clean. You can then remove any remaining white pith from the seeds.
I completely intended on adding dried cranberries to this salad, but totally forgot them. They would make a great addition, as well as orange segments.
If you’re out of these ingredients or just don’t like them, try these substitutes:
RELATED: How long does feta cheese last?
More Like This
Looking for more delicious salads? You’ll love these!
- Persimmon Salad with Goat Cheese
- Spinach Strawberry Salad
- Cilantro Chickpea Salad
- Chicken Caesar Salad with Pasta
- BLT Salad with Avocado
- Sweet Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
FAQs
This salad would make an excellent side for:
– Traditional turkey or ham dinners
– Pot roast
– Soups like cheesy vegetable chowder or creamy chicken noodle soup
– Sandwiches (hot or cold)
– Lasagna
I hope your family loves this winter green salad! If you make it, be sure to take a picture and tag me on Instagram with @ashcroftfamilytable and use the hashtag #ashcroftfamilytable!
And if you’d like to get a 4-week meal plan featuring my recipes, just enter your email in the form above and you’ll get it straight to your inbox!
Ultimate Winter Green Salad with Pomegranate, Pears, and Pecans
Ingredients
Poppy Seed Dressing
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup vinegar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard, the spice NOT the condiment
Candied Pecans
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Salad
- 5 strips bacon, crumbled
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 1 medium apple, chopped
- 1 medium pear, thinly sliced
- ½ pomegranate
- 4 ounces feta cheese
Instructions
- Whisk together sugar, vinegar, vegetable oil, salt, poppy seeds, and dry mustard in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Add brown sugar, water, and cinnamon to a small frying pan. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until it starts to bubble stirring constantly (about 1 minute).
- Add chopped pecans to the pan and stir well so the sugar mixture coats the nuts. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the nuts are candied. Be sure to watch the nuts closely and stir constantly so they don't burn. Remove the nuts from the heat and pour them on a pan lined with parchment paper to cool.
- In a separate frying pan, cook bacon until crispy. Place the bacon on a paper towel to cool. Set aside.
- While the bacon is cooking, wash and chop romaine lettuce into thin strips. Place in a large salad bowl. Pour the poppy seed dressing on the lettuce a little at a time and toss to coat. Add more dressing as desired.
- Wash and chop the apple into cubes and the pear into thin slices. Remove the seeds from the pomegranate half.
- Top the salad with the fruit, crumbled bacon, candied pecans, and feta cheese. Serve immediately.