Christmas Salad Wreath Recipe | Festive Vegetarian Salad

This festive Christmas salad is a colourful wreath of peppery rocket topped with figs in blankets, goat cheese pastry stars, fruit, nuts and herbs. Served with a maple lemon dressing on the side, it’s a show-stopping vegetarian centrepiece that can easily be made vegan.

The Ultimate Christmas Salad: A Festive Wreath Salad That Steals the Show

Looking for the perfect Christmas salad that’s festive, colourful and guaranteed to impress? This stunning Christmas salad wreath is a show-stopping dish that combines seasonal flavours, beautiful presentation and flexibility for vegetarian and vegan guests.

Designed to sit proudly at the centre of your Christmas table, this Christmas salad recipe features a fresh rocket base shaped like a wreath, a bright maple lemon dressing served on the side, and an irresistible selection of festive toppings: meat-free figs in blanket, goat cheese stars, fresh fruits and nuts.

Why This Is the Best Christmas Salad for the Festive Table

A great Christmas salad should feel special, and this one delivers on every level. It’s light yet indulgent, visually striking and packed with contrasting textures and flavours.

Why you’ll love this Christmas salad:

• Meat-free and vegetarian
• Easily adaptable to a vegan Christmas salad
• Packed with festive colours and seasonal ingredients
• Perfect as a starter or side dish.

This is the kind of Christmas salad guests remember and ask for again next year.

Other festive salads to try

Christmas Salad Base: Rocket Wreath with Dressing on the Side

The base of this festive Christmas salad is fresh rocket (arugula), arranged into a wreath shape on a large serving platter. The peppery leaves provide a bold, fresh foundation and a deep green backdrop for the vibrant toppings.

At the centre of the wreath sits a small ramekin filled with maple lemon dressing, served on the side to keep the salad crisp and allow everyone to dress their portion to taste.

Maple Lemon Dressing for Christmas Salad

This simple yet elegant dressing brings the entire Christmas salad together.

• Fresh lemon juice for brightness
• Maple syrup for gentle festive sweetness
• Olive oil for a smooth, balanced finish

Serving the dressing separately ensures the rocket stays fresh and makes this salad ideal for entertaining.

Festive Toppings for the Ultimate Christmas Salad

What truly sets this Christmas salad recipe apart is its generous selection of seasonal toppings, each chosen for flavour, colour and texture.

Figs in Blankets (Vegan)

Move over pigs, these “figs in blankets” are a game-changer festive twist on a Christmas classic. Fresh figs wrapped in vegan bacon rashers and roasted until sticky and caramelised: sweet, savoury and irresistible.

Goat’s Cheese Puff Pastry Stars

Golden puff pastry stars filled with cranberry sauce and creamy goat’s cheese add richness and festive charm.

🌱 MAKE IT VEGAN : Simply use vegan goat’s cheese, vegan puff pastry and plant-based milk.

Fresh Fruit & Colourful Accents

• Black grapes for juicy sweetness
• Physalis (cape gooseberries) for a festive pop of orange and gentle tang
• Sweet red pepper drops (from a jar) also known as peppadrops, sweet and tangy for a colour boost

Toasted Nuts for Crunch

• Toasted pecan nuts for warmth
• Toasted shelled pistachios for colour and subtle sweetness

Fresh Thyme Sprigs

A final scattering of thyme adds a wintry aroma and an elegant finishing touch.

How to make Christmas salad

Ingredients

To make this festive Christmas salad you will need:

FOR THE FIGS IN BLANKET

• fresh figs
• vegan bacon rashers
• vegetable oil
• maple syrup

FOR THE GOAT CHEESE STARS

FOR THE SALAD

• rocket leaves
• physalis
• black grapes
• sweet red pepper drops (from a jar) also known as peppadrops
• toasted pecan nuts
• toasted shelled pistachios
• thyme sprigs

FOR THE DRESSING

• Dijon mustard
• fresh lemon juice
• extra virgin olive oil
• maple syrup
• white wine vinegar
• garlic clove
• salt & pepper

Step 1: Prepare The Figs in Blanket

• Cut the figs and bacon rashers in half lengthwise.
• Brush the bacon rashers with oil on both sides. Then brush them with maple syrup.
• Wrap the bacon rashers around the figs, securing both ends with toothpicks so the bacon rashers stay in place while cooking.
• Place the figs in blanket on one half of an oven tray lined with parchment paper.

Step 2: Prepare The Goat Cheese Stars

• Roll out the puff pastry sheet and cut out 12 stars (I used a 6 to 7 cm [2 1/3 – 2 3/4 inch] star cookie cutter).
• Brush half of the stars with milk.
• Place 1/2 tsp of cranberry sauce followed by a small tsp of goat cheese on top of those 6 stars. (avoid any fruit chunks or cheese rind so the stars are not too bulky).
• Place the other 6 stars on top and seal each star carefully using a spoon or your fingers.
• Brush the stars with milk and transfer to the oven tray where you placed the figs.

Step 3: Bake The Figs and Stars

Bake the figs and stars in the oven for 20 mins at 200°C / 400°F until the stars are golden and the figs soft.

Step 4: Make The Dressing

To make the dressing whisk together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, maple syrup, white wine vinegar, and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 5: Build Your Christmas Salad & Serve

• Place the dressing in a ramekin in the middle of a large round serving dish. Arrange the rocket leaves around the dish in a wreath shape.
• Decorate with the figs in blanket, goat cheese stars, physalis, grapes cut in small bunches, and peppers. Scatter roasted pecans and pistachios all around. Top each fig in blanket with some fresh thyme leaves.
• Serve, leaving each guest to drizzle dressing over their salad portion.

How to Make This Christmas Salad Vegan

This salad is naturally vegetarian, but it can easily be turned into a vegan Christmas salad without compromising on flavour or presentation:

• Use vegan bacon rashers for the figs
• Swap goat’s cheese for vegan goat’s cheese
• Choose vegan puff pastry and plant-based milk

The result is a festive salad everyone can enjoy.

Top Tips on How to Serve Christmas Salad for Best Results

• Assemble just before serving to keep everything fresh
• Arrange toppings evenly for visual impact
• Serve the dressing chilled in the centre
• Garnish with thyme leaves

This Christmas salad works beautifully as:

• A festive starter for 6 people
• A Christmas lunch or dinner side for 6 people
• A vegetarian or vegan main course for 3 people

I hope you enjoy these Christmas salad recipe as much as I do. If you do make it, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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