Christmas in Australia is HOT! Which is why a cold Christmas Wreath Salad is the perfect accompaniment to your Christmas recipes. Plus, the Avocado Yoghurt Dressing has the perfect amount of tang from the herbs that make it perfect to drizzle on top of the salad packed with Christmassy ingredients like cranberries, brie and candied walnuts.
TL;DR
- Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes (optional)
- Meal Prep: add a protein and store salad dressing separately.
- 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 35 degree Christmas Day with 70%+ humidity is not out of the ordinary in Australia so Salads are perfect as a side dish!
Versatile. You can pair it with a mix of different proteins like a whole baked barramundi, salmon or even your classic maple glazed ham.
Christmassy. I had a lot of fun making this into a wreath and it makes a great centrepiece - you could definitely do this with a BBQ Mediterranean Veg Salad or my basil pesto pasta salad.
Ingredients and substitutions
Arugula. We call this rocket in Australia, but it is so much more fun saying "Arugula" hahah. You can use any greens you want for this.
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.
Bell peppers / capsicum. You can mix-and-match these with their colour varieties, I chose green and red to make it Christmassy.
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.
How to make a Christmas wreath salad
Step 1: 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).
Step 2: 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 3: While the walnuts are cooling, prepare the rest of your ingredients.
I cut my capsicum (peppers) into small slithers and my cherry tomatoes in half.
You also want to cut your brie cheese into small slices.
Step 4: Add all your salad dressing ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
You can adjust the texture with the oil.
Step 5: Start with about half of the leafy greens and arrange them around the ramekin. Slowly build up by adding the rest of the ingredients (including the rest of the leafy greens), ensuring you're getting a mix of colours all the way around.
Pour the salad dressing into the ramekin in the middle and top with some herbs.
My Top Tips
Cool walnuts. Allow the walnuts to cool before adding them to the salad otherwise they can wilt the greens.
What can I do with the leftovers?
The concern with a cold salad meal prep though is the sogginess on day 2-5. But, I have some tips that will help you combat this!
- Make the salad ingredients and dressing separately.
- Store the salad dressing in a separate container and add JUST before you're about to eat it. This will stop the salad ingredients from becoming soggy.
- Add a paper towel to the bottom of the container. This will help soak up the excess moisture from the leafy greens, helping to keep them crisp (you could also do this on the top as well).
- Store the salad in a glass container. I've found that it holds the integrity of the ingredients better than in silicone or plastic.
If the dressing has already been poured across, the greens are likely to degrade overnight, but it will still taste good.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can substitute the Greek yoghurt for a vegan yoghurt, such as coconut or oat in this avocado yoghurt with lime dressing. Alternatively, you could make it a vegan-mayo base (however, if your goal is weight-loss, I wouldn't recommend this as there may be extra calories in the mayo due to the oils).
Yes. The avocado yoghurt dressing keeps in the fridge for up to 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container. It may be a less bright green as the avocado in it could discolour when exposed to air. But, I guarantee it will still taste just as delicious.
Make sure you hold off adding the dressing to the salad until right before (or a few hours before) to avoid serving up a soggy salad!
This salad can be served on a tray or in a large salad bowl if you're not wanting to make it into a Christmas-themed salad. It's a delicious recipe anytime of the year.
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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
- 50 g (2 oz) Dried cranberries
- 200 g (7 oz) Brie cheese, approx. 1 small wheel, sliced
Dressing
- 240 g (8 oz) Plain Greek yoghurt, See Note 2
- 1 Avocado, remove skin and seed
- 1 Lime, approx. 2 tablespoon juice & zest
- ½ cup (½ cup) Parsley
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) Olive oil
- 2 Garlic cloves, crushed
Candied Walnuts
- 50 g (2 oz) brown sugar
- 50 ml (3 tablespoon) maple syrup
- 150 g (5 oz) Walnuts
Instructions
Toast Walnuts
- Add 50 g (2 oz) brown sugar and 50 ml (3 tablespoon) maple syrup to a small pan over low heat. Mix until combined then add 150 g (5 oz) 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 240 g (8 oz) Plain Greek yoghurt, 1 Avocado, 1 Lime, ½ cup (½ cup) Parsley, 1 tbsp (1 tablespoon) 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, 50 g (2 oz) Dried cranberries, 200 g (7 oz) Brie cheese, 150 g (5 oz) 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 🙂