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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.
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.
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
{This post is sponsored by POM Wonderful. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!}
Can you double the dressing and store more for later? Do you think it would be shelf stable?
Hi Nicole,
Yes, you could totally double the dressing, just keep it in the fridge. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
LOVED this salad! The best. It was a huge hit. So I’m just going back to the recipe to share w/ family – question = does the recipe call for cayenne or crushed red peppers? The list of ingredients states crushed red peppers but notes about the recipe state cayenne.
Hi Dee Dee,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! I like to use crushed red peppers. Happy Holidays! xT
Another winner!!! I changed out the goat cheese for gruyere. Love the dressing!
Hi Diane,
Thank you so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Merry Christmas!?? xT
I made this for a Friends Christmas dinner and it was SO good!!! I had to make some changes because my husband doesn’t like goat cheese(ugh!!) and is allergic to walnuts, so I used fresh mozzarella and pecans. I also didn’t have fig preserves so I used both apricot preserves and orange marmalade to have it not be too sweet. It was awesome! I was lucky enough to sit by the bowl towards the end of dinner and just kept helping myself to more!
Hi Julianna,
Awesome! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Happy Holidays!❄️ xT
Amazing! How would you store the walnuts?
Hey Vanessa,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. You can store in an airtight container. Happy Holidays!? xx
Wow thank you for replying! The colors in this salad are absolutely gorgeous and the flavors are so rich.
I’m obsessed with this salad – it’s the perfect combo! I’d like to make for an upcoming dinner but a friend is allergic to walnuts. Do you think this could be made with pecans? Would you alter the baking time? Thanks!
Hey Kat,
Totally, pecans would be great here, no need to alter anything. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Just recently tried your fall harvest salad (it was wonderful), and was coming to look for Christmas salad inspo and voila! Wondering what cows cheese you might recommend in place of the goats cheese? Thanks!
Hey Amy,
Blue cheese would work well here! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi! How far in advance can I make the walnuts? Looks so good!
Hey Lee,
You could definitely make the walnuts a few days in advance. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
So yummy! I’ve been trying to find salads that have a “wow” factor that make me wanna eat them ? loved this salad!! My dad doesn’t like goat cheese so I subbed burrata ripped into chunks. The candied walnuts were also amazing!! Had to be careful not to eat them all lol
Hey there,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan
I made this for a Christmas menu as part of my food tech and the family loved this salad.
Thanks for the recipe!
This is hands down the best salad, with the best candied nuts and the easiest dressing ever. Tried it for the first time last holiday season and it is the only salad I’ve regularly made. The nuts are incredibly addicting though so be careful to leave some in the salad!
Hey Alexandra,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! xTieghan
Looks as good as it tastes!
Thanks so much Jennifer! xTieghan
This is so delicious! We made it for a weeknight meal and added grilled chicken. It was such a hit I served it again to family with our Christmas meal and we were left with a big empty salad bowl!
Hey Jessica,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe. I am so glad you enjoyed! xTieghan
I made this spectacular salad for New Year’s Eve dinner and it was a huge hit. Make it exactly as written and you and your guests will not be disappointed. Do watch the walnuts – mine were done after twelve minutes. Thank you Tieghan for your fabulous recipes and beautiful photography!
Hey Rachel,
Thank you so very much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy New Year! xTieghan
I’ve made this salad 3 times now and it’s such a favorite! really tasty combo, and the walnuts are really easy! I’ve only included a blood orange once – it made everything very wet and I didn’t have more greens on hand to soak up the juices, but it was still delicious. Highly recommend!
Hey Laura,
Thank you so very much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Very good
Thanks so much Josephine! Happy New Year! xTieghan