Overhead of spinach and pomegranate salad in a shallow bowl with pomegranate arils and halves alongside.

Iโ€™ve mentioned it before, but Iโ€™m not the biggest of salad fansโ€”Iโ€™m definitely not one of those people who can fill a mixing bowl with lettuce and happily go to town (Iโ€™m not a rabbit!). But I do love interesting salads like this one. I love the mix of flavors and textures. And I love that there are enough hearty mix-ins that it feels like a full meal.

This bright and colorful Spinach Pomegranate Salad is great for everyday eating, but would also be a beautiful addition to your holiday table! Serve it as a Thanksgiving or Christmas salad for a fresh addition to the menu.

Pouring clementine vinaigrette over a baby spinach salad topped with sliced almonds and pomegranate arils.

What is in this pomegranate salad?

This colorful dish makes a perfect Christmas salad, thanks to its cheery reds and greens. For the salad itself, you’ll need baby spinach, pomegranate seeds, toasted sliced almonds, feta cheese, and green onions. The whole thing is tossed with a homemade clementine vinaigrette.

Intimidated by the idea of making your own dressing? Don’t be! All you need to do is whisk clementine juice and zest with a few other ingredients, and you’ll have a delicious, complex salad dressing.

How do I get the seeds out of a pomegranate?

Cutting and peeling a pomegranate seems intimidating, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll realize just how simple it can be! Here’s how to do it:

Step by step numbered images of how to cut a pomegranate

  1. Using a sharp knife, cut a thin slice from the base of the pomegranate.
  2. Score the pomegranate along the ridges from the crown down to the base. No need to cut deepโ€”just through the peel.
  3. Make the score marks all the way around the pomegranate.
  4. Break apart the segments along the score marks.
  5. Remove the pomegranate seeds from the peel and pith and pop into a bowl.
  6. If any pieces of the peel or pith are still in the pomegranate seeds, you can fill a bowl with water and the seedsโ€”the arilsโ€”will sink, and the pith will float.

A small glass jar holds homemade clementine vinaigrette.

Tell me about the dressing!

This clementine vinaigrette is bright, zesty, and sweet! It’s a great contrast to the tart burst of the pomegranate and earthiness of the spinach. Grab those adorable sweet clementines when they are in season, and the juice and zest will add tons of flavor to this dressing.

Can I make this salad in advance?

You can go ahead and make this salad undressed up to a day in advanceโ€”just dress it right before serving.

Another tip: this salad is absolutely a great candidate for a mason jar salad! There is nothing in this mix that wonโ€™t hold in the fridge for a few days. I will say that pomegranate seeds tend to turn more quickly than most produce, so I would use any pre-made salads within three days or so.

To make this spinach and pomegranate salad recipe as a salad in a jar, pour the dressing into the bottom of the jar, and then add the pomegranate seeds, feta, green onions, and almonds. Top it all off by packing the baby spinach on the top. This order of layering will keep the dressing separated from the greens until you are ready to eat, so you don’t end up with soggy, slimy spinach.

Close view of spinach and pomegranate salad in a shallow bowl with a fork.

What should I serve with a spinach and pomegranate salad?

With this recipe, you have the perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas salad! So what should you serve with it? We suggest:

 

 

Overhead of spinach and pomegranate salad in a bowl with a split pomegranate alongside.

Spinach Pomegranate Salad with Clementine Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 small servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

This bright and colorful Spinach Pomegranate Salad is packed with flavor, color, and nutrition! Don't miss that clementine vinaigrette, either.

Ingredients

For the Salad:

  • 2 cups baby spinach leaves
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
  • 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 green onions, sliced

For the Clementine Vinaigrette:

  • Zest and juice of 2 clementines
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a bowl, combine all the salad ingredients. Set aside.
  2. To make the dressing, combing all the vinaigrette ingredients into a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Close lid, and then shake to combine. Pour dressing over the salad and serve.

Notes

To make a salad in a jar: layer two tablespoons of the vinaigrette followed by the pomegranate arils, feta cheese, green onions, almonds, and then fill the jar with the baby spinach.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 small salad
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 332Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 296mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 5gSugar: 19gProtein: 6g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

 

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14 Comments

  1. Gonna make the dressing and re-heat later, poring over the spinach hot so it wilts. I will let you know how it turns out.

  2. Took a riff on this, juice from a blood orange instead of clementine, Used half arugula half spinach, roasted pecans, blue cheese. What I had. Went very well with seared scallops and pappardelle al fredo.

    1. Thanks, Frank! We love hearing about subs and swaps that work. Thanks for taking the time to share your success with us!

  3. Can you recommend the name brand of a good balsamic vinegar . By the way I really enjoy your web site. Thank you

  4. I think you could sub dried cranberries & a regular orange if you don’t have the poms or a clementine on hand.

  5. I love your website! I have been experimenting with homemade salad dressings for a while now. Most have turned out very good but I run out of ideas. I noticed that you add mustard to most of your recipes, as do I so I will probably love your dressings.

  6. That picture of the pomegranates is beautiful! I love eating them on their own but of course always enjoy them in salads as well. I definitely wasn’t drinking enough water while traveling this holiday season, so I’m also planning on upping my in take in this new year.

    1. I really struggled with drinking water, too! It’s almost like I needed to strap a CamelBak on for the entire month of December!

    1. You’re gonna have to hold me accountable on this one, friend! Next time I call you and say, “Um, I want to do this super complicated thing in three days.” talk me down. Maybe just make a big piece of paper that says “Simplify” and hold it up to the camera whenever I start talking crazy. ๐Ÿ˜›

  7. I love your “fearless” intention for 2016 – I’m with you! This salad looks amazing too ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. It’s a really freeing intention! It’s amazing how awesome it feels when you don’t approach life with fear. ๐Ÿ™‚

  8. This looks great! You know I’ve never bought a pomegranate before (for shame!) but i think this is the perfect excuse. I’m going to use creamy goat’s cheese with mine – can’t wait!
    Good luck with your goals – mine are the same! Happy New Year from a Canuck reader.