A colorful and festive Thanksgiving salad featuring seasonal ingredients.

Thanksgiving Salad

BySavannah Brooks
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why make this recipe

Thanksgiving Salad is a delightful dish that brings together fresh, seasonal ingredients. With its vibrant colors and satisfying flavors, this salad is a perfect addition to your holiday meal. It is light yet filling, making it a healthy choice during the feast. The combination of sweet apples, crunchy pecans, and tangy blue cheese creates a balanced taste that everyone will enjoy.

how to make Thanksgiving Salad

Ingredients:

  • Mixed greens
  • Fresh apples
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Blue cheese
  • Candied pecans
  • Homemade vinaigrette

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, sliced fresh apples, pomegranate seeds, crumbled blue cheese, and candied pecans.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the homemade vinaigrette.
  3. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine.
  4. Serve immediately, and enjoy your festive holiday meal!

how to serve Thanksgiving Salad

Serve Thanksgiving Salad as a refreshing starter or side dish during your holiday gathering. It pairs well with turkey, stuffing, and other traditional Thanksgiving dishes. For a beautiful presentation, you can serve it in individual bowls or on a large platter.

how to store Thanksgiving Salad

If you have leftovers, store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. However, keep the vinaigrette separate if possible, to prevent the greens from wilting. The salad is best enjoyed fresh, so try to consume it within a day or two.

tips to make Thanksgiving Salad

  • Use crisp, tart apples for the best flavor, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp.
  • Toast the pecans for extra crunch and flavor before adding them to the salad.
  • For a lighter option, you can substitute feta cheese for blue cheese.

variation

You can customize this salad by adding other ingredients like roasted squash, cranberries, or avocado. Feel free to experiment with different types of nuts or cheeses based on your tastes.

FAQs

1. Can I make the salad ahead of time?
You can prep the ingredients ahead but avoid tossing them with the vinaigrette until just before serving to keep everything fresh.

2. What can I use instead of blue cheese?
If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, try goat cheese or feta for a different flavor.

3. Can I add protein to this salad?
Absolutely! Grilled chicken or turkey works great and makes it a complete meal.

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Thanksgiving Salad

  • Author: admin
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

A delightful holiday salad featuring mixed greens, fresh apples, pomegranate seeds, blue cheese, and candied pecans, topped with a homemade vinaigrette.

Ingredients

  • Mixed greens
  • Fresh apples
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Blue cheese
  • Candied pecans
  • Homemade vinaigrette

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, sliced fresh apples, pomegranate seeds, crumbled blue cheese, and candied pecans.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the homemade vinaigrette.
  3. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine.
  4. Serve immediately, and enjoy your festive holiday meal!

Notes

Use crisp, tart apples for the best flavor, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. Toast the pecans for extra crunch and flavor before adding them to the salad. For a lighter option, you can substitute feta cheese for blue cheese.

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: No-Cook
  • Cuisine: American

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Hi, I’m Savannah Brooks, 35 years old, born in Charleston, South Carolina, and now living in Seattle, Washington. My kitchen is small but full of life shelves stacked with spices from all over the world, a sourdough starter that feels like part of the family, and usually a pot bubbling away with something hearty and comforting.

Food has always been the center of my world. Growing up in Charleston, I was surrounded by Southern cooking shrimp and grits, okra stews, biscuits that could melt in your mouth. My grandmother was the first person who showed me that recipes are more than instructions they’re stories passed from one hand to another. I still keep her stained recipe cards in a box, though I’ve long since memorized every one.

My path wasn’t traditional. I studied journalism first, thinking I’d write stories for a living. And I do but now I write them on the plate. After years of working late nights in small cafés, catering weddings, and even running a food truck, I found my true rhythm in cooking that bridges my Southern roots with global inspiration. These days, you’ll find me folding lemongrass into chicken soup, adding harissa to cornbread batter, or topping fried green tomatoes with a touch of miso.

I don’t believe cooking is about perfection it’s about connection. My kitchen is a place for experiments, happy accidents, and plenty of laughter. I’ve burned cookies, curdled sauces, and dropped more than one cake. But every mistake taught me something, and every shared meal reminded me why I love this work.

I cook for people who want food that feels like home but isn’t afraid to wander a little. My hope is that when someone takes a bite of my food, they feel cared for, seen, and maybe a little inspired to try something new in their own kitchen.

So, welcome to my world where Southern comfort meets global curiosity, and every dish tells a story.

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