This Holiday Crunch Salad is bursting with flavor! Made with quinoa, pomegranate seeds, avocado, toasted almonds, and fresh parsley, it’s a festive, healthy, vegan, gluten-free salad, perfect for the holiday table!
The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. ~Alan Watts
Meet my new favorite holiday salad recipe! Holiday Crunch Salad is so festive and beautiful you’ll want to add it to your holiday menu. Made with pomegranate seeds, quinoa, sliced almonds, parsley, and avocado, tossed in a simple citrus vinaigrette, it’s light and healthy and couldn’t be any easier.
Tangy and bright, the flavors delight the palate. But the crunchy texture from the pomegranate seeds and sliced almonds is what got me hooked on it. It’s a healthy and festive side dish, perfect for midweek meals or the holiday table, full of protein and antioxidants.
Holiday Crunch Salad Ingredients
- Cooked quinoa- or sub other cooked whole grains
- Fresh pomegranate seeds (or sub-dried cranberries)
- Scallions or red onion
- Italian Parsley
- Toasted sliced almonds, or sub other nuts; pistachios, walnuts, or pecans
- Fresh avocado (optional)
- An Orange- you’ll use the zest and juice
- Olive Oil
- Red wine vinegar ( or sub apple cider vinegar)
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Spices: Cinnamon, Allspice – give this a unique flavor.
Holiday Salad Instructions.
- Cook Quinoa and let cool. Fluff with a fork.
- Place cooked quinoa, pomegranate seeds, scallions, parsley and almonds in a large serving bowl.
- Toss with olive oil, orange juice and orange zest, vinegar, salt and spices.
- Taste and adjust salt. Gently fold in the avocado right before serving (or serve the avocado on the side if wanting to keep leftovers).
Time Saving TIPS
- To save time, cook the quinoa the night before and chill in the fridge until you are ready to make the salad.
- Purchase pre-seeded pomegranate arils in the refrigerator section of your grocery store.
Serving Suggestions and Storage
The salad can be made 1 day ahead, but wait until serving to add pomegranate and avocado. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The salad can be served on its own as a festive holiday side dish or served over dressed greens (arugula, kale)for a heartier meal.
Health Benefits of Pomegranate
- Rich in Antioxidants: Pomegranates are packed with antioxidants like polyphenols, which help protect the body against oxidative stress and reduce inflammation. These antioxidants may also play a role in preventing chronic diseases, including heart disease and certain types of cancer.
- Heart Health: Pomegranates have been shown to support heart health by reducing systolic blood pressure and improving overall cardiovascular function. The high concentration of antioxidants in pomegranates can help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which plays a key role in the development of heart disease.
- Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Pomegranates are known for their anti-inflammatory effects due to their high content of antioxidants, particularly punicalagins.
- Improved Digestive Health: Pomegranates are a good source of dietary fiber, which is essential for healthy digestion and supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
- Enhanced Immune Function: Pomegranates are packed with vitamin C, which is well-known for its immune-boosting properties. Vitamin C helps stimulate the production of white blood cells, which are essential for fighting off infections. Including pomegranate in your diet can help strengthen your immune system and protect against various illnesses.
Faqs
Originating in Persia and the Himalayas, pomegranates became popular in Middle Eastern civilizations because they provided sustenance for long journeys across hot deserts. They eventually migrated to Russia, India and Mediterranean countries and as far east as China and Southeast Asia via the Silk Road. It was the Spanish who brought them to the Americas in the 1500s. Eventually, they migrated to California and Texas, where they were planted around missions by Franciscan monks.
Their name comes from the Latin meaning “seeded apple.” Some believe a pomegranate was the first apple, the one that caught Eve’s eye, in the book of Genesis. Throughout history, pomegranates seem to be revered – linked to health, fertility and rebirth. They were carved on the pillars of Solomon’s temple, buried in tombs with Egyptian kings and depicted in the art of Zen temples.
I hope you enjoy this salad! Let us know what you think in the comments below!
More favorite Holiday salads
And For more vegan make-ahead salad be sure to visit here!
How to cut a PomegranatE video!
Holiday Crunch Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 6-8 1x
- Category: vegan, salad
- Method: tossed
- Cuisine: northwest
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Holiday Crunch Salad is bursting with flavor! Made with quinoa, pomegranate seeds, avocado, toasted almonds, and fresh parsley, it’s a festive, healthy, vegan, gluten-free salad, perfect for the holiday table!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa (4 cups cooked)
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 4 chopped scallions
- 1 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1/2 orange- zest and juice
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1–2 chopped avocados ( optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the quinoa with cold water to remove bitterness. Strain and place in a medium pot. Add 2 ⅔ cups water and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Cover, lower to a gentle simmer, for 15 minutes. Let cool, fluff with a fork. Feel free to make this ahead and refrigerate.
- Place cooled cooked quinoa, pomegranate seeds, scallions, parsley and almonds in a medium bowl.
- Add the olive oil, orange juice and zest, vinegar, salt and spices and toss well.
- Taste and adjust salt. Gently fold in the avocado right before serving (or serve the avocado on the side, if wanting to keep leftovers).
Notes
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 287
- Sugar: 4.2 g
- Sodium: 153.1 mg
- Fat: 17.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.5 g
- Fiber: 6.3 g
- Protein: 6.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Made this recipe to have on hand for lunches this week, and wow is it ever good. Filled with lots of superfoods, and it is still packed with a lot of flavor!
Thanks Kathleen!
Excellent salad, I’ve made it a few times, the last time I roasted some sweet potato chunks and added them to this delicious recipe it was great.
Sounds tasty Sandra!
I’ve made this for Christmas for the last three years running and it’s honestly a favourite. I think it’s delicious and it’s perfect for a Southern Hemisphere summer Christmas! Popular with vegans and omnivores alike.
Glad you are enjoying this Tui!
I want to make this for Christmas and wanted to check the quantity of Pomegranate seeds needed, is it really 1 cup?
Yes, Ally. But feel free to adjust it if you want more or less.
I was a bit disappointed with this one. I just found it rather bland and flavorless.
Oh Shoot. I’ll have to remake this one…it has been a while. Did you make any changes?
One of my all time favorite holiday salads. Everyone loves the combination of flavors and colors!
This is a simple and great recipe. I made this for a crowd and it was indeed a
crowd pleaser. Your recipes are always so tasty and your photographs the best.
I cook with no oil, but have no problems with any of your recipes.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
thanks Jo!
This was unexpectedly delicious. I’ve made it twice. The second time I added persimmon and a little bit of cardamon in lieu of all spice. The hint of cinnamon is perfection.
I decided to get the quinoa, tri-color. This was not only a beautiful looking dish but so yummy. The avocados put it over the top!
Great to hear!
I’m going to make this very soon! I rated it 5 because I can tell from the ingredients, I will love it. I harvested more than 30 lovely pomegranates from my little 3-year tree here in southern Nevada. I have given a few away, made jelly, and have eaten many straight up, on green salads and yogurt. My husband will eat the jelly but not the fruit. Since they keep well in the fridge, I still have quite a few left so I welcome any unique uses for them. Thank you!
btw, I am loris.little.bakery on Instagram and I follow you there too. 🙂 My account is private but you can request to follow me, if you wish.
Thanks, Lori
Thanks Lori!
I have all the ingredients to make this except for the quinoa! What do you think of brown rice or farro? I usually have quinoa but out right now.
I love everything in this recipe and can’t wait to make it.
I like the idea of farro! Give it a go!
This salad is the BEST! I’ve made it twice already and ate it all myself. My husband cooked some vegan tacos the other day and I add this on top of my salad with some vegan jalapeño Mayo. Omg it was so delicious as a taco topping as well. I literally sat in my living room with a tub if this just munching and watching TV. Also I’ve tried it with Tahini to make it oil free and it’s just as good.
Absolutely brilliant salad! Thanks Sylvia. Everyone loved it. Didn’t change a thing. The crunchy texture mixed with the smooth creamy avocado is just sensational. I will be making this again and again.
Awww thanks so much Fiona!
My niece made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit with everyone!
Subbed half the quinoa for spinach and threw in blackberries and apple instead of avocado as that’s what I had on hand. I usually despise salads but now I look forward to this for lunch!
I’d like to serve this salad tomorrow night with a soup. Can you suggest one?
Thanks!
How about the Parsnip or Butternut soup ?
This is one of my favorite salads in the winter months. Love the brightness the orange gives this.
This was not good. Sorry.
It’s too bitter. I followed the recipe to the T and it’s just too bitter. And the textures are not right either.
If I had to do it again, which I may, but only because it makes a completely different recipe, this is what I’d do. Do not add any zest. Just the juice. Omit the allspice. Omit the pomegranate entirely. The texture just doesn’t go with the quinoa. Switch them for cranberries. Add 1-2 Tbsp of maple syrup to the dressing.
Thanks for posting anyway and for being accepting of non-positive feedback.
hummm, sorry you didn’t like it. It may not be the salad for you.
Sometimes the quinoa you use can be bitter. I find it tastes better when I rinse the quinoa several times before cooking. It’s one of out favorite salads.
This is a wonderful! It has quickly become a favorite of our family. My kids now say they LOVE quinoa based almost entirely on this one recipe. I have taken it to several potlucks and it was a hit. We use it both as a side dish and sometimes add grilled chicken to make a kind of grain bowl. Hands down my favorite quinoa recipe!
So happy you like this- I forgot how much I like this one!
Loved every bit of it.
Delightfully light and fresh salad! It is excellent on its own, or with a main dish. The dressing is great.
I made this recipe for supper to accompany turkey scaloppini and it was absolutely delicious: perfect spicing and texture. Great success! Thank you, Sylvia. You have outdone yourself again.
Thank You Sylvia, This is definitely going to be on our table this year. I live in tropical Australia.
Your beautiful salad is also perfect for us in the southern hemisphere. .
Thanks Janet- I’m feeling very jealous of you right now! I’m looking out the window at snow and cold and dreaming of being somewhere warm.;)
Absolutely gorgeous as always, Sylvia!
This looks so colorful and tasty! I really crave salads during the holidays-with all the heavy food being served. Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Thanks so much!