Apple Pomegranate Salad

By Inger Nov 3, 2023 Christmas, Salads 100 Comments

Fresh and tasty, with apples, pomegranate seeds, homemade vinaigrette, and optional blue cheese, this Apple Pomegranate Salad is a perfect winter salad.

Is there any fruit that says celebrate more than the Pomegranate. Red, juicy, and almost jewel-like, it looks good sprinkled on… almost anything!

Apples are the other fruit of the season. Put them together with pomegranate seeds, crisp lettuce and a homemade vinaigrette and you can’t help but feel cheery!

This salad has the option of adding blue cheese (or any crumbling cheese) for some extra indulgence (and calcium)—or not. But even without it’s delicious and suitable for vegan or dairy-free diners.

Why You’ll Love This!

Flavorful. With bright, fresh flavors plus a hint of sweet and savory, this salad is a taste delight!

Healthy. Healthy lettuce, two fruits and optional cheese make this as healthy as it is tasty!

Festive. Put together crisp greens, bright apples, jewel-like pomegranate seeds and crunchy pecans and you can’t help but feel fun and festive!

What You’ll Need

Ingredient Notes

Shallot. This adds savory flavor to the dressing. You can use a comparable amount of chopped onion if needed.
Honey or maple syrup. This adds sweetness and flavor. With its greater intensity, honey is my first choice. You can also use a sweetener such as stevia.
Orange juice. This adds flavor and sweetness.
White wine vinegar. This adds tartness and volume. You can substitute another quality vinegar.
Extra virgin olive oil. This adds volume, richness and flavor.
Salt, pepper. These enhance flavor.
Lettuce. My first choice is half spring mix, half arugula, but any lettuce mix should work.
Apple. This adds crunch, flavor, sweetness and color. You could substitute a red pear,
Pomegranate seeds. These add crunch, flavor, sweetness and color.
Pecans halves. These add flavor and crunch. Ideally use toasted nuts, but if time gets away from you, people probably won’t notice you didn’t toast them (ask me how I know this).
Optional crumbled blue cheese. If you’re not a blue cheese lover, you could use feta or fresh goat cheese–or any cheese that you can crumble.

Special Tools

No special tools required!

Step by Step Directions

In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients and whisk until emulsified.

Add vinaigrette gradually to the lettuce and toss gently, until the lettuce is well coated. (You may use more or less to taste).

Top dressed lettuce with cheese (optional), pecans, apple and pomegranate seeds, adding pomegranate seeds last (so they are sure to be visible)

Serve immediately.

How to Serve

This would make a lovely first course salad for a special dinner. And wouldn’t it be perfect on a brunch or buffet table?

Of course, an Apple Pomegranate Salad can also make a lunch or light supper more special. Serve with a bowl of tasty soup like Oyster Chowder or Cream of Spinach Soup with Potatoes.

Or add a half sandwich (or full sandwich if you’re especially hungry). How about making a grilled cheese and cranberry jam sandwich to keep with the holiday spirit!

Variations and Special Diets

You should be safe making any of the substitutions listed in the ingredients section. Or for another delicious salad with cheese and fruit, check out my Red-WIne Poached Pear Salad, Kale Sweet Potato Salad or Arugula Pear Salad with Goat Cheese.

Special Diets

Add cheese or not depending on your guest list, preference, and contents of your pantry! Without it this salad is vegan (as long as you use maple syrup instead of honey) and dairy-free.

And if you’re serving dairy free or vegan guests but still want some cheese, you can serve that on the side.

For sugar free, use some sweetener instead of the honey or maple syrup.

Leftovers

If you have dressed your salad, you will need to finish it since leftovers will turn damp and limp.

But if you are worried that you might not eat it all, serve the dressing on the side and let guests dress their own. Then the leftovers will last a few days, sealed and refrigerated.

Tips and FAQs

You can buy your pomegranate seeds already removed from the pulp but it’s easier to seed a pomegranate than you think. Just click for instructions on how to deseed a pomegranate–even without special tools.

More Side Dish Recipes:

Baked Macaroni and Cheese for a Crowd from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Balsamic, & Brown Sugar from The Spiffy Cookie
Cheesy Grits Souffle from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Bacon Cornbread Casserole from Cheese Curd In Paradise
Grape and Pineapple Salad from Palatable Pastime
No Knead Dinner Rolls from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Palak Paneer Pulao from Magical Ingredients
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan Cheese from Blogghetti
Savory Canned Pumpkin Drop Biscuits from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
Squash Salad with Tahini Vinaigrette from A Day in the Life on the Farm