The easiest, yet most festive salad you will make all season, this Winter Salad with Fig Jam Balsamic Vinaigrette, is sweet, fresh, and totally customizable!
I’ve learned for me, over the holidays, my biggest struggle with eating is not planning. I mean sure, I’ll indulge at a party, or have a few extra treats, but for me it’s being so busy that I don’t meal prep, or even make it to the grocery store to grab anything of substance for the week. Enter this Winter Salad with Fig Jam Balsamic Vinaigrette.
This Winter Salad with Fig Jam Balsamic Vinaigrette was my lunch or dinner a few times last week. I was playing with some flavors for a sweet, and fresh salad for the family potluck we have with my in-laws this coming weekend, and this salad ended up turning into a meal all on its own. It’s not the most filling by itself, but if you load up enough greens, and are trying to balance out the eating you may doing right now, during the holiday hustle, then it’s the perfect salad for just that!
But really, it’s a wonderful salad to bring for Christmas dinner – or any event you need a quick dish for. I used baby romaine, goat cheese (how I love thee), pecans, cranberries, and pomegranate arils, honestly because it’s mostly what I already had on hand. You could use gorgonzola or feta, or omit the cheese altogether, if you’d like.
I tend to make homemade vinaigrettes with honey, or maple syrup to sweeten up, but I had leftover fig jam from girls night last week, and mixed that in, and O.M.G. it was amazing. And pretty much why I am deeming this a “Winter Salad” – I will be making again this coming Sunday when we host the in-laws for an early Christmas dinner.
This salad will easily serve 6-8 as a side, or roughly 4 as a balanced salad to get you through the holiday hustle – enjoy!

winter salad with fig jam balsamic vinaigrette
Ingredients
salad
- 6 cups mixed greens of choice - I used a baby romaine mix
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 cup dried cranberries - sugar free, suggested
- 8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- arils from one pomegranate - can use a fresh pom, or buy these store-bought
fig jam balsamic vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup olive oil - can also use avocado oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fig jam - (preserves)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
salad
- To a large salad bowl, add the greens, pomegranate arils, pecans and dried cranberries. Mix to combine. This can be made ahead of time, if desired. When ready to serve, toss vinaigrette (recipe to follow), to salad mix, and top with goat cheese.
fig jam balsamic vinaigrette
- Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fig jam, and salt and pepper until combined. Just before serving, toss dressing over salad, and top with goat cheese. Can be made in advance.
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I am making this for Christmas dinner with French onion au jus beef tenderloin roast, Asiago potatoe stacks, roasted asparagus, peas and Hawaiian rolls. Hope it turns out! Just omitting cranberry’s and will roast some walnuts with maple syrup.
Rachelle V recently posted…almond flour chocolate chunk cookies [paleo + gluten free]
Rachelle, that sounds heavenly! The entire menu! I’m sure the salad and vinaigrette will be a hit! please let me know. Merry Christmas!
This really is a healthy bowl of comfort! Looks wonderful!
oh this looks so good!! I love salads.
I need this salad in my life! It looks and sounds amazing!