Thanksgiving Salad is a gorgeous, vibrant addition to any menu, bursting with pomegranate, pears, pecans, & brie and dressed with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette!
Your Thanksgiving feast won't be complete without my Maple-Glazed Turkey with Bacon, Make-Ahead Garlic Herb Mashed Potatoes, and The BEST Pecan Pie!
I'm a sucker for a loaded salad. The more contrasting flavors and textures, the better. And if it's a pretty salad, to boot? Can't be beat. Lucky for us, this Thanksgiving Salad has all of those qualities in SPADES!
Inspiration
This time last year, I concocted a festive red-and-green Holiday Honeycrisp Salad using some of my favorite salad ingredients. And, lo and behold, y'all seemed to agree that it was both beautiful and delectable, as it quickly became one of Five Heart Home's most-pinned recipes on Pinterest. That salad immediately became our new family Christmas dinner tradition as well.
So this year, I decided that our Thanksgiving table also needs a new tradition: a fresh, vibrant salad to lighten up all of the buttery Sweet Potato Casserole and Bacon-Wrapped Green Beans and Creamy Cheesy Corn. And since I can't resist a combination of fresh mixed greens, sweet fruit, crunchy nuts, salty cheese, and zesty vinaigrette, I decided to start with those ingredients as my template for this Thanksgiving Salad.
Ingredients
Since my other holiday salad centered around apples, I decided to make juicy pears the star of this Thanksgiving Salad.
The thinly sliced pears are complemented by ruby-red pomegranate seeds, speckling the salad like little jewels (seriously...aren't they so pretty?!).
Since pears and pomegranates are already sweet, I decided to forgo my usual beloved candied nuts in favor of simple toasted pecans. Just promise me you won't skip the toasting, as it makes the pecans extra crunchy and brings out a deep, nutty flavor.
As for the cheese, I wanted to branch out from crumbled Feta or blue cheese, which are my typical salad choices. I've had a recent (and heavy) obsession with Brie, and it turned out that little pieces of this creamy, salty, soft cheese were the perfect balance to the zippy greens, fresh fruit, and toasty nuts.
And finally...the dressing! I decided to go classic here with an effortless homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette. It's silky, zesty, and adds a perfect touch of acidity to the salad. It's also tasty enough to lick the bowl clean...but that might be rather off-putting to the other Thanksgiving guests in attendance, so do your best to refrain. 😉
So how did this experimental Thanksgiving Salad go over 'round these parts? Well, I tested the recipe out on my friends at a church meeting over the weekend, annnnnd...it was a smashing success. In fact, everyone agreed that Y'ALL need to make this Pomegranate, Pear, Pecan, & Brie Salad for Thanksgiving! And Christmas! And New Year's!
I'm pretty sure that once you do, it'll become a new holiday tradition. (Just remember...don't lick the bowl 'til you get it back to the kitchen.) 😉
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
- Slow Cooker Brown Sugar Ham
- Creamy Cheesy Corn Casserole
- Cran-Cherry Sauce
Thanksgiving Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE:
- ⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup good-quality balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, pressed or finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
FOR THE SALAD:
- 3 medium D'Anjou pears, ripe yet firm, thinly sliced
- Juice of ½ lemon, or more, as needed
- 16 ounces salad greens, such as spring mix, with or without baby spinach
- 8 ounces Brie, thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces
- Seeds from 1 large pomegranate
- 1 ½ cups pecan halves, toasted
Instructions
- To prepare Balsamic Vinaigrette, measure all of the ingredients into a mason jar. Tightly screw on the lid and shake vigorously until everything is thoroughly combined. Alternatively, you may briskly whisk the ingredients together in a medium bowl, or blend them in a blender or mini food processor.
- Immediately after cutting the pear slices, place them in a large plastic baggie and squeeze fresh lemon juice over them. Close bag and gently shake to coat. In a large salad bowl, layer salad greens, pear slices, pieces of Brie, pomegranate seeds, and toasted pecans. Just before serving, dress with desired amount of Balsamic Vinaigrette and toss until salad ingredients are evenly coated.
Notes
- If you use a really good balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey should be sufficient. However, you can always add a bit more honey, to taste, if you wish.
- I've made this dressing before when I was out of fresh garlic (oh, the horror!), but I substituted ½ teaspoon garlic powder and it still turned out great.
- To toast the pecans, preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the pecans on sheet pan and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until fragrant and lightly toasted, watching carefully to prevent burning. Allow to cool before adding to the salad.
- You may use your favorite variety of pears in place of D'Anjous...just make sure that the pears you choose aren't overly soft or ripe.
- For the least messy experience, I prefer to seed a pomegranate underwater. Fill a large bowl with cool water and slice the pomegranate in half. Take one half of the pomegranate and, holding it underwater, break it into large pieces and pop out the seeds, allowing them to fall to the bottom of the bowl. When you are done extracting all of the seeds and discarding the pomegranate peel, most of the pieces of membrane will be floating in the water as the seeds will have sunk. Pour as much water and membrane out of the bowl as possible, without losing any seeds. Pour the seeds and remaining water into a colander and pick out any remaining membrane. Repeat with the other half of the pomegranate. (And if this explanation didn't make sense, Google a YouTube video demonstrating this technique...it's much easier than it sounds!)
- This recipe can easily be cut in half in the event that you're not feeding a small army.
Post originally published on November 14, 2016.
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Kay
Hi. This recipe sounds beyond delicious. Can’t wait to make it in just 2 days. For the pecans, I was wondering if I should get raw pecans and toast them or would store bought toasted and salted work as well? Thanks in advance!
Samantha Skaggs
I always just buy raw pecans and toast them myself...I worry that pre-salted pecans might be too salty. Hope that helps and happy Thanksgiving! 🙂
Kay
The salad was amazing!!!
Kay-Lynn
Super yummy! Thank you. I had to use canned pears. Fresh would have been perfect for texture and body. The flavor was delicious. I love when you can taste all the ingredients individually and enhanced by togetherness.
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Does this dressing last long? It looks so versatile!
Suzanne
This looks so good! I love this fruit combination in the fall and winter!
Laura
I made this for thanksgiving this year. I was asked to bring a salad and wasn’t real excited by it. Then I found this recipe and knew it was the one. I was a little uncertain about the Brie but I loved the mild creaminess against the stronger pomegranate seeds. Everything about this was perfect. I didn’t even get to take any leftovers home because everyone else wanted them! Best of all it was easy! Highly recommend and will make again!
Emilie Gates
This salad is absolutely beautiful. We haven’t made it before, but are super excited for our thanksgiving!!!
Amanda
I made this salad last year (Thanksgiving 2018) and everyone loved it, it was the star of the dinner. I could not find pearsr that were good at the store in November in ohio, so I substituted with apples. I also could not find brie so I substituted for a different cheese. I made the dressing exact to the recipe though. I was asked to make the exact same salad this year for thanksgiving.
Katie
Absolutely love this salad! Making it again for Thanksgiving this year. I have some picky eaters that do not like Brie cheese. What is a good substitute for this cheese that won’t ruin the integrity of the salad?
Samantha at Five Heart Home
Hi Katie! I'm happy to hear you enjoy this salad so much! For those who don't care for the Brie, I would probably suggest slicing it up, arranging it on a platter, and then allowing people to add a few pieces to the tops of their salads if they wish. But as far as a substitute, I think you could use feta in this salad as an alternate cheese, or perhaps small strips of a neutral-flavored cheese like gouda? That being said, I haven't tried those in this salad so I'm not sure how they'd compare to Brie. Happy Thanksgiving!
Conny Henschel
Fantastic
Vinitha Vanessa
I tried this recipe for thanksgiving this year and it was a hit!! Thanks Samantha:)
Samantha at Five Heart Home
Yay! Always makes me happy to hear that. 🙂
Amy McCall
Hi! Can I make the dressing a few days ahead of time?
Samantha at Five Heart Home
Yes! Just store it in the refrigerator, and then allow it to come to room temperature and shake well before serving. Hope you enjoy!
Amberly Steltenkamp
Hi Samantha! I plan on making this for Friendsgiving. I was wondering, how soon in advance can you make this? I don't want to be preparing it right before we leave, but I am a bit concerned about the pears browning...
Samantha at Five Heart Home
Hi Amerberly! Shaking in lemon juice should keep the pears from browning for at least a few hours, but if you'd like to prep the salad even more ahead of time, soaking slices for a few minutes in a solution of lemon juice + water, or Sprite, or even honey water (Google it!) should also help delay browning, as opposed to just quickly shaking with lemon juice. Hope that helps!
Mary
Hi, I just made this salad for my daughter’s bridal shower and it was a big hit. I found working with the Brie problematic due to it being very soft and sticky. Am I missing Something with how to work with it? I agree it tastes wonderful with the ingredients and would use it again, except for the stickiness factor! Any suggestions how to make t easier?
Samantha at Five Heart Home
Hi Mary! So glad this salad was a hit at your daughter's bridal shower! Some brands or varieties of Brie are stickier than others, but the colder the Brie is, the easier it should be to slice. So I'd recommend popping it in the freezer for 20 minutes or so before slicing it. It can then come to room temperature in the salad. Hope that helps!
Cynthia
Cannot wait to try this out for Christmas! Thank you so much for sharing.
Samantha at Five Heart Home
Hope it's a hit, Cynthia, and that you have a wonderful Christmas!
Kate
I made your salad for "Friendsgiving" and it was a huge hit! Thanks for the recipe!
Amy L.
Hi Samantha, this salad recipe caught my eye so I made it for my cousin's Thanksgiving dinner. It was delicious and a festive addition to a sumptuous feast! I also ordered your slow cooker cookbook on Amazon and look forward to trying the tasty recipes that have healthy ingredients.
Samantha at Five Heart Home
So happy to hear this salad was a hit, Amy! And I hope you enjoy the cookbook! 🙂
Barb
I think this is the prettiest salad I've ever seen! I am so excited to make this and I absolutely have fallen in love with the pomegranate in the salad. It so festive and the color just makes the salad gorgeous on the table! Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for sharing.
Elva Roberts
This Thanksgiving salad-pomegranate-pear-pecan -brie salad with the wonderful homemade dressing made my mouth water. I love pomegranate seeds and they do look like tiny rubies but taste much better! I think I have found a new Christmas Salad. Thank you for sharing with us.
Samantha at Five Heart Home
You're so welcome, Elva...I hope you enjoy! 🙂