This Christmas wreath salad is made for an Australian summer Christmas. It's got rocket, red and green capsicum (because, Christmas), cherry tomatoes, brie cheese, cranberries and candied walnuts arranged in a wreath (how cute) with a creamy avocado yogurt dressing. It's like a super festive and edible centerpiece.
Christmas centerpieces are normally focused around a big baked ham, a classic roast turkey or roast pork, or even some seafood like a whole baked barramundi in Australia.
I think we need to put that same effort into our salads. This one is designed so you can do most of the work ahead of time and then assemble right when you're about to eat it. Plus, if you've got leftovers (or just want to add this salad to your weekly routine), I've got some tips and tricks for how you can meal prep this as well!
TL;DR
- Servings: 8 side servings
- Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes (if candying walnuts)
- Make ahead: prep components separately and assemble close to serving
- Meal prep: add some leftover roast chicken, salmon or ham and keep the dressing separate.
- Fridge storage: 3 days
- Customise: customise greens and veggies, use your favourite salad dressing
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Why you'll love this recipe
Summer suitable. A cold salad makes much more sense for a hot Australian Christmas than another tray that needs oven space.
Make-ahead. The dressing, candied walnuts and vegetables can be prepared separately before guests arrive, then assembled close to serving.
Centrepiece without extra work. The wreath shape makes a simple salad look festive without requiring complicated food styling.
Meal prep friendly. Yes, I know, on an athlete lunchbox recipe? Pair it alongside some leftover roast chicken as you'll see pictured because it's yum.
Ingredients
Rocket/arugula. We call this rocket in Australia, but it is so much more fun saying "Arugula" hahah.
I use rocket because its peppery flavour holds up against the brie, cranberries and sweet walnuts. Baby spinach or mixed lettuce works too (either on their own or in combination with the rocket), but choose leaves sturdy enough to hold the toppings.
Walnuts. I make delicious candied walnuts using brown sugar and maple syrup, but you can use plain walnuts or any other nuts (or you can omit if you need to make this recipe nut-free). BUT, I would recommend incorporating some crunch so perhaps some croutons would be the next best option.
Brie. Brie adds a creamy element that balances the sharper rocket and cranberries. Camembert, goat cheese or feta also work depending on how salty or tangy you want the salad.
Bell peppers / capsicum. You can mix-and-match these with their colour varieties, I chose green and red to make it Christmassy.
Dried cranberries. These give the salad its red "Christmas" colour and a chewy sweet-tart contrast. Pomegranate arils are a fresher alternative and are also common in festive wreath salads.
Cherry tomatoes. They add freshness and extra red colour. Halve them so they are easier to serve and don't roll off the wreath.
Dressing. I make an avocado Greek yogurt dressing for this which also includes lime, parsley and garlic. You can make your own favourite dressing or sauce or you can purchase one.
You can try some of my others that would work well including creamy orange and balsamic or a Greek yogurt dill sauce.
Substitutions and variations
Greens. Rocket, baby spinach, mixed lettuce, kale or endive.
Cheese. Brie, camembert, feta, goat cheese or blue cheese.
Fruit. Dried cranberries, pomegranate, cherries, apple or pear.
Nuts. Walnuts, pecans, almonds or pine nuts. I do recommend toasting them lightly (or candy them like I have for extra sweetness) so you get an extra crunch element.
Dairy-free. Use dairy-free yoghurt in the dressing and omit the brie or replace with a plant-based cheese.
Nut-free. Use croutons, roasted chickpeas or pepitas for crunch instead of walnuts.
Protein add-ons. Leftover chicken, salmon, ham, roast pork or turkey will all work added into this salad (or on the side)
How to make a Christmas wreath salad
Step 1: If you're choosing to candy the walnuts. Heat some brown sugar and maple syrup in a small frying pan, then add the walnuts in. Heat over low heat until the walnuts are covered in the mixture. Remove from heat and let cool.
Step 2: Combine your sauce ingredients. This can be done by hand or using a stick blender for a smoother texture.
If making this ahead of time, keep this in an airtight jar.
Step 3: First, you want to get yourself a large, flat circular plate or lazy susan plus a small circular ramekin for the middle. (this will be for your sauce and makes the 'hole' of the wreath).
Start by pouring your sauce in and creating a full circle with the leafy greens.
Step 4: Begin layering with the capsicums and tomatoes. You want to make sure there's a good spread of the red amongst the green.
Step 3: Add the cranberries, walnuts and brie cheese around like decorations on a tree.
Add more capsicum/tomato if necessary to keep the red popping.
Step 4: Serve as a wreath and allow your guests to pick out what they want and dress it themselves (this also keeps the texture for leftovers.
Lauren's Top Tips
Dry the greens properly. Wet rocket makes the whole wreath wilt faster and dilutes the dressing.
Cool the walnuts completely. Warm candied walnuts can wilt the greens and soften the cheese.
Meal prepping leftover Christmas salad
I tested this recipe again just recently (not over Christmas) and Zak had it for a meal prep and absolutely lovvvveeeeed it! It's one of his new favourite cold meal preps.
I did add in some chicken which I quickly cooked after the walnuts were done so they were slightly sweet and had some flavour to them.
To help combat the sogginess, you can keep the dressing separate (like I have in the image above) and add a paper towel to the bottom of the container (this helps soak up excess moisture from the leafy greens.
You could also layer the salad like I have in the image below. By adding the heartier ingredients like the dressing and chicken at the bottom and the leafy greens at the top, you'll be able to keep the integrity of the greens longer.
Regardless of how you choose to store, I do recommend glass containers as I've found it holds the integrity of the ingredients better than in silicone or plastic.
It'll hold in the fridge for 2-3 days. Note - you may notice a slightly less bright green dressing because of the avocado.
Frequently Asked Questions
Keep the dressing separate, dry the greens thoroughly and assemble the wreath close to serving. If preparing components ahead, store the wetter ingredients away from the rocket.
Store it airtight with wrap pressed directly against the surface. The lime helps slow browning, but some colour change is normal.
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Recipe
Australian Christmas Wreath Salad with Avocado Yoghurt Dressing
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Equipment
Ingredients
Salad
- 200 g (7 oz) Rocket, See Note 1
- 1 Red capsicum, thinly sliced
- 1 Green capsicum, thinly sliced
- 200 g (7 oz) Cherry tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup Dried cranberries
- 200 g (7 oz) Brie cheese, approx. 1 small wheel, sliced
Dressing
- 1 cup Plain Greek yoghurt, See Note 2
- 1 Avocado, remove skin and seed
- 1 Lime or lemon, approx. 2 tablespoon juice & zest
- ½ cup Parsley
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 Garlic cloves, crushed
Candied Walnuts
- 3 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup Walnuts
Instructions
Toast Walnuts
- Add 3 tbsp brown sugar and 3 tbsp maple syrup to a small pan over low heat. Mix until combined then add 1 cup Walnuts. Stir until walnuts are covered in the mixture. Remove from the heat and let rest while assembling rest of salad ingredients.
Make Dressing
- Add 1 cup Plain Greek yoghurt, 1 Avocado, 1 Lime or lemon, ½ cup Parsley, 1 tbsp Olive oil, 2 Garlic cloves dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Add more olive oil or some water if you prefer a runnier texture.
Prepare Vegetables
- Thinly slice: 1 Red capsicum, 1 Green capsicum, 200 g (7 oz) Brie cheese and halve: 200 g (7 oz) Cherry tomatoes
Assemble Wreath
- Add a ramekin to the middle of a circular dish.
- Start with about half of the 200 g (7 oz) Rocket and arrange them around the ramekin. Slowly build up by adding the rest of the salad ingredients (1 Red capsicum, 1 Green capsicum, 200 g (7 oz) Cherry tomatoes, ¼ cup Dried cranberries, 200 g (7 oz) Brie cheese, 1 cup Walnuts (candied in step 1) and other half of leafy greens, ensuring you're getting a mix of colours all the way around.
- Pour the salad dressing into the ramekin in the middle or pour over salad ingredients (if eating immediately).
athletelunchbox
This is one of my favourite recipes to make during the Christmas season. It's incredibly delicious with the mixture of Christmassy-themed ingredients, plus you get the fun of making it into a wreath! I hope you try it 🙂