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This Winter Pomegranate Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts and Balsamic Fig Vinaigrette is my go-to “house” salad. I make it on repeat all winter long. Baby arugula, mixed greens, juicy pomegranates, sweet and spicy maple roasted walnuts, and plenty of crumbled goat cheese. All tossed together with a delicious balsamic fig vinaigrette for a salad that’s simple to put together, healthy, and pairs perfectly with just about any meal. You’ll never tire of this beautiful winter salad.
This post is sponsored by POM Wonderful.
I’m not sure why winter gets such a bad rap when it comes to produce. Pomegranates alone are reason enough to LOVE the fall and winter produce seasons. I mean, right?
Yes, yes, correct.
Clearly, I am overly excited about this salad. It has been my go-to winter salad for over four years, and I make it ALL. THE. TIME!
This is also my staple Christmas Salad. I usually end up making it for both Christmas Eve and Christmas dinner. It’s just so simple to throw together, plus it pairs well with everything and is so delicious.
Also? This salad is truly a combination of my favorite foods…greens, pomegranate arils, roasted walnuts, and goat cheese.
Here is how I make my simple winter salad.
Start with the walnuts and toss them together with maple syrup, cinnamon, and cayenne. These are my healthier take on candied walnuts, and they’re every bit as addicting as they sound. Perfectly sweet, hinted with cinnamon, and just a touch spicy too. Finish these off with flaky sea salt to seal the deal.
While the walnuts are baking in the oven, toss together the salad base. I like to use a blend of baby arugula and mixed winter greens…usually baby kale and baby spinach. Next add in plenty of pomegranate arils. The pomegranate arils are the heart of the salad, so be generous. To make things incredibly easy, I love using POM POMS Fresh Pomegranate Arils. They come already deseeded in a convenient package of ready-to-eat pomegranate arils. The lack of preparation needed makes the enjoyment of these pomegranates that much better.
Plus, adding the POM POMS arils to my salad adds a ruby red pop of color and a sweet burst of flavor – which you all know I LOVE.
Once you’ve added the pomegranates, crumble over some creamy goat cheese and the base of your salad will be complete.
The vinaigrette…
This is my favorite, and only has three simple ingredients, extra virgin oil, balsamic vinegar, and fig preserves.
It’s the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and sweet. I love tossing my simple winter salad with this vinaigrette for the perfect finish. It makes every bite that much more delicious.
As said, I’ve been making this salad for years, but yet I still look forward to it every single December. And, it’s my most requested salad. Even my brothers enjoy this one. When the brothers enjoy something, especially a green something, you know it’s got to be a VERY GOOD recipe.
So with that, I’m hoping you all give this delicious winter salad a try.
My suggestion? Include this in your holiday menu. It’s so easy to toss together, and yes, it’s loved by everyone! Enjoy. Enjoy!
PS. looking for something similar-ish winter salad but with beets? Try this winter beet and pomegranate salad with maple candied pecans and balsamic citrus dressing.
If you make this winter salad with maple candied walnuts, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Winter Pomegranate Salad with Maple Candied Walnuts
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 589 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw walnuts
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper
- flaky sea salt
- 6 cups mixed greens, I use baby kale and spinach
- 2 cups arugula
- 2 cups POM POMS Fresh Pomegranate Arils
- 1 blood or cara cara orange, sliced (optional)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
Balsamic Fig Dressing
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fig preserves
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the walnuts with the maple syrup, cinnamon, crushed red pepper, and salt. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring twice throughout cooking, until the walnuts are toasted. Remove from the oven and spread the walnuts in one layer. Sprinkle with flaky salt. 2. Add the greens to a large salad bowl. Add the POM POMS, oranges (if using), cranberries, goat cheese, and walnuts. Gently toss the salad. 3. To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake to combine. Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss. Enjoy!
{This post is sponsored by POM Wonderful. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!}
I made this salad for the first time last week for our Christmas dinner. It was AMAZING! i can’t wait to make it again. It is the perfect winter salad and so very easy – yet impressive. I am enjoying your blog and recipes so very much!
Hey Sher,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This salad is absolutely delicious but a word of caution. I made the candied walnuts according to the recipe and at 15 minutes they were smoking. They are now sitting on my front step so that my smoke detector doesn’t go off. Watch them closely and maybe take out after 10 minutes!
Hey Anne,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This recipe was a hit for Christmas,my family LOVED it. Thank you for a fantastic and delicious recipe.
Hey Jade,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Made this last night among other Italian recipes of yours and I was a little frustrated (my grocery store did not have the arils and being in a hurry for the feast I was getting them out manually and had them all over my blouse…then I was worried about my walnuts – they came out stuck together in a sheetlike glaze….all that frustration for nothing as it was sooooooo delicious! What a medley of flavors bursting in my mouth in every bite and I just couldn’t get enough. I wasn’t alone, everyone was taking seconds…thank goodness this made a large salad and we had enough!! Thank you!
Hey Lailah,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This salad made me feel like a professional chef. I made all the pieces (even whacked the pomegranate seeds out of the pomegranate). It was delicious and honestly the perfect healthy pairing for any meal!
Hey Melissa,
Thanks so much for trying the salad, I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
made this tonight, threw some chicken on top and called it dinner! yummy and healthy. i’ve never tried fig preserves before but i like it! thanks, tieghan!
Thank you Lauren! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was AMAZING. Wow! New family favorite!
Thank you so much Anna! xTieghan
Hi, would it be possible to use a different cheese in the salad? Thanks
Hey there,
You can use any cheese you like:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I absolutely love this salad. I actually realized I love Arugula after trying this recipe!
Love that!! It is so good for you too! Thank you Kay! xTieghan
This looks amazing! I apologize if this is a repeat question; I scanned through everything and didn’t see it. Can you make the walnuts ahead of time? If so, what’s the best way to store and for how long?
Thanks for your amazing recipes!!
This salad was divine- even my husband who doesn’t abide “sweet” in his salty loved it! I used some fresh dandelion greens and frisée that I found. And you are so right about the walnuts being addictive. I think we got our Omega 3 quota for the entire month! I will absolutely be adding this salad to my own holiday repertoire this year. Thanks, Tieghan!
I am so happy this recipe turned out so amazing for you Natalie! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
This looks wonderful! What kind of balsamic vinegar do you use? There are so many kinds — some thick, some thin, some light, some dark, etc.
Thank you!
Hey Elle,
I use a dark balsamic vinegar from Whole Foods. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Holy crap I think I’ve found my new favorite salad. I’m not often a fan of so much fruit in my salads but the combination of the cranberries and pomegranates were amazing with the fig vinaigrette. Also, the walnuts were absolutely the BEST part. I am planning to make these again on their own just to put with other things like oatmeal/yogurt. Tastes (and makes your home smell) like fall!
Wow yes!! I am so glad you have been loving this salad, Sasha! Thank you so much for trying it!! xTieghan
Love this recipe but have to say I used the original one so many times the last few winters…can you please also re-add this as I never had a chance to save it.
Hi there!! It’s the exact same recipe, no changes where made 🙂 Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
Omg … this was heaven on a plate!! For those who haven’t made it yet, please do add the cara cara orange , it is a such a great surprise in the midst of all the other flavors. This recipe is perfection and will be made again and again!! Thank you so much for this recipe !!
Hi Judi! Thank you so much for trying this recipe!! I am so glad it turned out so well for you! xTieghan