Festive holiday salad with tangy feta, sweet cranberries, crunchy nuts, and fresh herbs in a tree shape.
# What You'll Need:
→ Base Salad
01 - 2 cups baby spinach, finely chopped
02 - 1 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
03 - 1 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
04 - 1 small English cucumber, diced
05 - ½ cup scallions, thinly sliced
→ Toppings
06 - ¾ cup feta cheese, crumbled
07 - ½ cup dried cranberries
08 - ⅓ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
09 - 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)
→ Dressing
10 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish & Serving
15 - Fresh rosemary sprigs for decoration
16 - Assorted crackers, pita chips, or vegetable sticks for dipping
# Step-by-Step:
01 - Place chopped spinach, parsley, dill, cucumber, and scallions in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the greens and toss gently until evenly coated.
04 - Transfer the salad mixture onto a large serving platter and form into a triangle resembling a holiday tree.
05 - Evenly sprinkle crumbled feta cheese over the salad to simulate snow-covered branches.
06 - Adorn the tree with dried cranberries, toasted nuts, and optional pomegranate seeds as ornaments.
07 - Position fresh rosemary sprigs at the base to represent the tree trunk and enhance the festive appearance.
08 - Present immediately with crackers, pita chips, or vegetable sticks for dipping.
