Healthy and festive Red and Green Christmas Salad is perfect for serving around the holidays, but it's also delicious to serve in the middle of summer for a backyard BBQ. No matter when you serve this fresh and vibrant salad, it will be a winner at the table!
I've always been a salad and vegetable girl, even when I was little. Hopefully you a salad and veggie lover to. If you are, I have several more salad recipes on my site for you to enjoy. Some of them are: Sunflower Crunch Kale and Cabbage Salad, Roasted Fruit and Vegetable Fall Chopped Salad, Chef's Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing, and Avocado Mango Salad with Lime Vinaigrette.
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Table of Contents Found Here
- The ingredients:
- Ingredient information:
- Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- Add-in and swap-out suggestions:
- Can this Christmas salad be made in advance?
- Is it mandatory to steam the broccoli for this salad?
- How to lightly steam broccoli:
- Can the bacon be omitted from this recipe?
- What can replace the bacon grease in the dressing?
- How do you store Christmas salad leftovers?
- Can the dressing be made in advance?
- How do you thin the dressing if needed?
- How many people will this red and green Christmas salad serve?
- Additional side dishes for festive occasions:
- Printable Recipe Card
- Please comment if you've made this recipe.
The ingredients:
*Please note that the exact measurements along with a "shop the recipe" feature from Instacart and Walmart is available inside the printable recipe card.
Ingredient information:
SPRING MIX SALAD GREENS - I like to mix fresh spring greens, but you can certainly use any lettuce you prefer.
RED BELL PEPPER - Red Bell peppers are a great way to add sweetness and vibrant color to any salad, especially a red and green Christmas salad.
GRAPE TOMATOES - I used grape tomatoes, but feel free to use cherry tomatoes if that's what is available to you. Or leave them out entirely if you're not a tomato fan.
BROCCOLI FLORETS - Steaming the broccoli florets in a microwave-safe bowl for 1-2 minutes (after washing and chopping) is a fantastic way to bump up broccoli's fresh green color, making one of mother nature's healthiest vegetables even more appealing.
SNOW PEAS - Snow peas are one of my favorites. Hopefully, yours, too. I like to remove the stings from the snow peas if needed, but since all the pods are chopped into pieces, that isn't something you need to do for this recipe. Sugar snap peas may also be used, or frozen (thawed peas) will work in a pinch.
SCALLIONS - With their mild onion flavor, Scallions are always a welcome component to any salad in my book. I use the white and green parts of the scallions and only discard the root tip.
BACON - I used a thick-cut hickory smoked bacon, but feel free to use any thickness or flavor of bacon you prefer. You may also use already-cooked bacon or bacon bits from the store, but then you won't have any yummy bacon greases to add to the dressing, which may or may not be your thing. The choice is yours.
PARMESAN CHEESE - Parmesan cheese is excellent sprinkled over any salad. It offers a slightly salty, nutty component to fresh vegetables and also adds texture and complexity.
PEPPER AND SALT - Freshly cracked black pepper will bring out the most flavor in all your dishes, along with its equally famous seasoning partner, kosher salt, which is my go-to for cooking and baking. If you use table salt in your kitchen, please pay special attention to the gray box below.
*Important Note—If using table salt instead of kosher salt, please cut back on the amount of salt called for in the recipe card by half because they measure differently due to grain size.
Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- large salad bowl
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- large skillet (for cooking bacon)
- salad dressing jar with lid (for making dressing)
- slotted spatula or spoon
- measuring cups and spoons
- salad spinner (optional)
Add-in and swap-out suggestions:
Feel free to omit the bacon if you prefer, or you can swap in some rotisserie chicken if you'd like this salad to do double-duty as a main course option.
I like to keep in the red and green theme for the holidays, so dried cherries or cranberries would make a lovely addition, and chopped pistachios would be delicious for a little bit of crunch.
Pomegranate seeds, red grapes, diced strawberries, or raspberries would be delicious red additions, and chopped green bell pepper, jalapenos, celery, or avocado would make some lovely green additions.
Can this Christmas salad be made in advance?
I would only go up to 6 hours in advance, but you can add all the components (except for the dressing) in a large salad bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve the dressing on the side, and people can easily serve themselves.
Is it mandatory to steam the broccoli for this salad?
No, not at all, but I like the bright green color that lightly steamed broccoli provides as opposed to raw broccoli, which is dull in color.
How to lightly steam broccoli:
Place the washed and trimmed florets in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave on medium power for 1-2 minutes. Cool completely before adding it to the salad.
Can the bacon be omitted from this recipe?
Yes.
If you're not a bacon fan, you can leave it out.
What can replace the bacon grease in the dressing?
If you don't use bacon in the salad, swapping extra virgin olive or avocado oil for the bacon grease in the salad dressing works great.
How do you store Christmas salad leftovers?
Store the salad in an airtight container (preferably without the dressing) for up to 3 days.
If the salad has been previously dressed, it can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Can the dressing be made in advance?
Yes.
Store it in a jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for up to seven days.
How do you thin the dressing if needed?
You can certainly use water, one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
However, in the video, you'll notice I used fresh squeezed orange juice instead of water.
Either will work, but the orange juice adds an additional touch of Christmassy flavor.
How many people will this red and green Christmas salad serve?
As written, this recipe serves four people. Please see below for instructions on adjusting the serving size if needed.
Additional side dishes for festive occasions:
Mashed Sweet Potato Croquettes are a unique and delicious side dish that is soft and creamy in the center, crispy and crunchy on the outside, and has a melty cheesy center.
Duchess Potato Roses are a treat for the eyes and taste buds. They can be made with leftover mashed potatoes, so they're also easy and economical but don't look it.
Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Prosciutto is an easy way to convert any Brussels sprout hater into a Brussels sprout lover.
Cheesy Farro and Onion Bake will be the star of any table. This nutty, chewy ancient grain is cooked to perfection with a splash of brandy, plenty of melty Gruyere cheese, and a topping of crispy French fried onions. Be still my heart!!
When you make today's recipe (and I hope that you will), I'd appreciate it if you'd take the time to come back and give it a star rating along with a comment on why you rated as you did.
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Printable Recipe Card
Red and Green Christmas Salad
Equipment
- cheese grater optional
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 4 cups mixed salad greens
- 1 medium/large chopped red pepper
- ½ cup halved grape tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped broccoli florets lightly steamed for 1-2 minutes in the microwave on medium power
- ½ cup chopped snow peas into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup sliced scallions white and green parts
- ½ pound cooked and crumbled bacon reserve 1½ tablespoons bacon fat
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
For the dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1½ tablespoons reserved bacon grease
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1-2 tablespoons orange juice (or water), optional to thin the dressing, if necessary
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
To make the salad:
- Fry the bacon in large skillet until your desired crispness. Remove to a paper towel to drain and cool. Reserve 1½ tablespoons of the bacon grease and set aside. Crumble the bacon once it is cool enough to handle.
- Layer the salad ingredients in a large bowl in whatever order you prefer. Keep the salad covered in the refrigerator. Do not dress the salad until ready to eat.
To make the dressing:
- Add all the salad dressing ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid. Whisk the ingredients together and then add the lid and shake well. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Serve the salad along with the dressing and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you'll enjoy making (and eating today's colorfully festive and healthy salad as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
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