12 Christmas Dinner Salads That Deserve a Spot on Your Holiday Table

The right salad at Christmas dinner has a real job to do. It cuts through roast beef, mashed potato, and buttery stuffing, gives your plate a fresh, crunchy contrast, and looks gorgeous while doing it. Pomegranate seeds glint like little rubies, toasted nuts bring a deep savory note, and sturdy greens hold up under anything you spoon on top. The versions below take that same idea and run in twelve genuinely different directions, from a warm pan of roasted roots to a crisp apple slaw and a creamy potato number that could nearly steal the whole meal.

Go straight for the Classic Christmas Salad if you want the bowl everyone recognizes from the photos, the one with the red and green and the candied nuts. Pick the Balsamic Roasted Root Salad if your table loves something warm and slightly sweet. The Apple Fennel Slaw is for anyone who wants crunch and brightness in under fifteen minutes, and the Cranberry Broccoli Salad will win over the mayo dressing crowd at the far end of the table.

Which Christmas Dinner Salad Should You Make?

Classic Christmas Salad with Candied Pecans

This is the one I make every single year, because it looks exactly like a Christmas salad should look and it never sits untouched at the end of the meal. The pecans take five minutes on the stove and make the whole bowl feel special, so do not skip them even if you are short on time.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Spring mix or baby spinach: 280 g (10 oz)
• Pomegranate arils: 180 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Red pear, thinly sliced: 2 medium
• Crumbled feta: 120 g (3/4 cup)
• Pecan halves: 120 g (1 cup)
• Maple syrup: 3 tbsp
• Flaky salt: 1 tsp
• Olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Balsamic vinegar: 2 tbsp
• Dijon mustard: 1 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Toss the 120 g (1 cup) of pecan halves in a dry skillet over medium heat and keep them moving for about 4 minutes, right when the kitchen starts smelling toasty and nutty. Pour in the 3 tbsp maple syrup and stir quickly so every piece gets coated, then scrape them onto a piece of parchment in one layer and sprinkle with the 1 tsp flaky salt while they are still warm.

Step 2: Whisk the 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, and 1 tsp Dijon mustard together in the bottom of your biggest salad bowl with a good pinch of black pepper. You want it emulsified and slightly thickened before any greens go in, which takes about 30 seconds of steady whisking.

Step 3: Pile the 280 g (10 oz) of greens into the bowl and toss gently with your hands until every leaf has a light coating of dressing. Break the cooled pecans apart with your fingers and scatter them over the top, because tossing at this stage just sends them all to the bottom.

Step 4: Arrange the 2 sliced pears and 180 g (1 1/2 cups) of pomegranate arils over the greens, then finish with the 120 g (3/4 cup) of feta and a final turn of black pepper. Serve it right away while the pears are still crisp and the pecans still snap.

Balsamic Roasted Root Salad

I reach for this one when the oven is already doing the heavy lifting for the roast, because the vegetables can sit in there on the rack below and come out glossy and sweet. Parsnips and carrots turn almost candy-like with the balsamic, which makes the sharp goat cheese on top exactly the right counterpoint.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Carrots, cut into thick batons: 450 g (1 lb)
• Parsnips, cut into thick batons: 300 g (10 oz)
• Red onion, cut into wedges: 1 large
• Olive oil: 5 tbsp
• Balsamic vinegar: 2 tbsp
• Maple syrup: 1 tbsp
• Baby arugula: 120 g (4 cups)
• Goat cheese, crumbled: 100 g (2/3 cup)
• Toasted pumpkin seeds: 60 g (1/2 cup)
• Fresh thyme leaves: 1 tbsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 220C (425F) and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Toss the 450 g (1 lb) of carrots, 300 g (10 oz) of parsnips, and the onion wedges in a big bowl with 3 tbsp of the olive oil, the 1 tsp salt, and the 1/2 tsp black pepper until they glisten.

Step 2: Spread everything in one layer on the baking sheet and roast on the middle rack for 25 minutes. Pull the pan out and drizzle the vegetables with the 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp maple syrup, then use a spatula to turn them so the sticky glaze coats every side before you slide the pan back in.

Step 3: Roast for another 10 minutes and check for soft, caramelized edges, the carrots should offer no resistance when you poke one with a fork. Whisk the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil with the 1 tbsp thyme leaves in a small bowl and set it aside while you let the vegetables cool for 5 minutes on the pan.

Step 4: Spread the 120 g (4 cups) of arugula over a wide platter and spoon the warm vegetables right on top, letting some of the pan juices soak into the leaves. Crumble over the 100 g (2/3 cup) of goat cheese, scatter with the 60 g (1/2 cup) of pumpkin seeds, and finish with a drizzle of the thyme oil right before you carry it to the table.

Apple Fennel Slaw with Toasted Walnuts

This is the salad I make when the rest of the dinner is heavy enough that the table needs something that crunches and cuts through all that richness. There is no cooking involved, which means you can pull it together in the last ten minutes while the roast rests and everyone is already hovering by the kitchen.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Green apples, julienned: 2 large
• Fennel bulb, thinly sliced: 1 large
• Red cabbage, shredded: 300 g (3 cups)
• Walnut halves, toasted: 90 g (3/4 cup)
• Fresh parsley, chopped: 45 g (1/2 cup)
• Lemon juice: 3 tbsp
• Olive oil: 4 tbsp
• Honey: 1 tbsp
• Celery seeds: 1 tsp
• Salt: 3/4 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the 3 tbsp lemon juice, 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp celery seeds, and 3/4 tsp salt in the bottom of a large mixing bowl until the honey has dissolved completely. Taste it now, before the apples go in, and add another pinch of salt if it does not pop.

Step 2: Toss the 2 julienned apples in the dressing right away so the lemon keeps them from turning brown while you prep everything else. The dressing should coat them lightly, not pool at the bottom.

Step 3: Add the fennel, 300 g (3 cups) of red cabbage, and 45 g (1/2 cup) of parsley to the bowl and toss everything with your hands, massaging the cabbage just a little so it softens and drinks up the dressing. Let it sit for 5 minutes if you have the time, the slaw gets more cohesive but stays crunchy.

Step 4: Fold in the 90 g (3/4 cup) of toasted walnuts at the very end and pile the slaw onto a serving platter. Serve it cold or at room temperature, and do not worry if the apples sink a bit, that is where the good lemony dressing pools.

Cranberry Broccoli Salad with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

This is the salad that converts people who claim they do not like salad at a holiday dinner. It leans on the same sweet-tart, creamy, crunchy energy as a classic broccoli salad, but the cranberries and sunflower seeds make it read properly festive rather than cookout.

Ingredients (makes 10 servings)

• Broccoli florets, cut small: 700 g (1 1/2 lb)
• Dried cranberries: 150 g (1 cup)
• Red onion, finely diced: 1/2 medium
• Sunflower seeds, toasted: 80 g (1/2 cup)
• Sharp cheddar, cubed small: 150 g (1 cup)
• Mayonnaise: 180 ml (3/4 cup)
• Greek yogurt: 60 ml (1/4 cup)
• Apple cider vinegar: 2 tbsp
• Honey: 2 tbsp
• Poppy seeds: 2 tsp
• Salt: 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/4 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the 180 ml (3/4 cup) of mayonnaise, 60 ml (1/4 cup) of Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tsp poppy seeds, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper together in a small bowl. Taste the dressing before you move on and add a drop more vinegar if you want it sharper.

Step 2: Put the 700 g (1 1/2 lb) of broccoli florets in a large bowl and pour about three quarters of the dressing over them. Use a big spoon to fold everything together, scraping the sides, until every tiny floret is slicked and the dressing has worked into all the little gaps.

Step 3: Scatter in the 150 g (1 cup) of dried cranberries, the diced red onion, 80 g (1/2 cup) of sunflower seeds, and the 150 g (1 cup) of cheddar, then fold once more so everything is distributed evenly. The cheddar cubes will try to sink, so scoop from the bottom and bring them back up.

Step 4: Cover the bowl and let it sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours if you are making it ahead. Give the salad one final stir, drizzle the last of the dressing over the top, and serve it cold with a big serving spoon.

Shaved Brussels Sprout Caesar

This is the version I put on the table when someone in the family says they hate Brussels sprouts, and then watches me like I have lost my mind. The shaved raw sprouts act more like a hearty romaine, holding the garlicky dressing in all their little frilly edges, and they do not wilt under a load of Parmesan.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Brussels sprouts, shaved: 500 g (1 lb)
• Parmesan, finely grated: 60 g (1/2 cup)
• Parmesan shavings, for topping: 40 g (1/3 cup)
• Toasted breadcrumbs: 60 g (1/2 cup)
• Lemon juice: 3 tbsp
• Olive oil: 80 ml (1/3 cup)
• Greek yogurt: 2 tbsp
• Dijon mustard: 1 tsp
• Worcestershire sauce: 1 tsp
• Garlic clove, minced: 1 small
• Anchovy fillets, minced: 2
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the 3 tbsp lemon juice, 80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil, 2 tbsp Greek yogurt, 1 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp Worcestershire, the minced garlic, the 2 minced anchovies, and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a large bowl until the dressing is smooth and thick enough to coat a spoon.

Step 2: Add the 500 g (1 lb) of shaved Brussels sprouts and toss with your hands for a full minute, working the dressing into every layer. Stop when the sprouts look glossy and have dropped in volume by about a third, which tells you they have softened enough to eat but still keep their snap.

Step 3: Fold in the 60 g (1/2 cup) of grated Parmesan and the 60 g (1/2 cup) of toasted breadcrumbs, turning the bowl as you go so the breadcrumbs stay scattered instead of clumping in one spot. The dressing will loosen slightly as the cheese melts into it, so give it another few folds.

Step 4: Transfer the salad to a wide bowl and top with the 40 g (1/3 cup) of Parmesan shavings and one more grind of pepper. Serve it immediately while the breadcrumbs are crunchy, because those are the part everyone fights over with the serving spoon.

Winter Citrus and Pomegranate Salad

I make this one on the years when the table feels heavy with gravy and cream, and everyone is grateful for something that tastes like a cold glass of fresh juice. The trick is cutting the citrus into rounds instead of segments, because the little wheels look like stained glass and the pith softens under the dressing so you can eat every bit.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Blood oranges, peeled and sliced into thin rounds: 3
• Navel oranges, peeled and sliced into thin rounds: 2
• Grapefruit, peeled and sliced into thin rounds: 1 large
• Pomegranate arils: 120 g (1 cup)
• Fresh mint leaves: 20 g (1/2 cup)
• Pistachios, roughly chopped: 70 g (1/2 cup)
• Olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Honey: 1 tbsp
• Orange blossom water: 1 tsp, optional
• Flaky salt: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Arrange the blood orange, navel orange, and grapefruit rounds in overlapping layers on a large platter, going in whatever order looks prettiest to you. Pour any juice that leaks onto your cutting board over the top, because that is free dressing.

Step 2: Whisk the 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp honey, the 1 tsp orange blossom water if you have it, and 1/2 tsp flaky salt in a small bowl until the honey fully dissolves. Drizzle it evenly over the citrus so the dressing catches in all the little gaps between the wheels.

Step 3: Scatter the 120 g (1 cup) of pomegranate arils, 20 g (1/2 cup) of mint, and 70 g (1/2 cup) of pistachios over the top, holding your hand high so they fall lightly instead of clumping. Step back and look at it, then fill in any empty gaps with a few more arils.

Step 4: Let the platter sit for 10 minutes before you serve it, which gives the salt time to pull more juice out of the fruit. Carry it to the table whole and serve with a flat spatula so each person gets a full slice of each color.

Warm Mushroom and Spinach Salad

This is the salad for the person who wants the vegetable course to feel as substantial as the roast itself. The mushrooms cook in a buttery, garlicky pan and then get dumped, still sizzling, over a bed of spinach so the leaves wilt just at the edges, which makes the whole bowl taste rich and savory instead of light.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced: 500 g (1 lb)
• Baby spinach: 200 g (7 oz)
• Shallot, thinly sliced: 1 large
• Garlic cloves, minced: 2
• Butter: 3 tbsp
• Olive oil: 2 tbsp
• Balsamic vinegar: 2 tbsp
• Toasted hazelnuts, chopped: 70 g (1/2 cup)
• Parmesan, shaved: 50 g (1/2 cup)
• Fresh thyme leaves: 2 tsp
• Salt: 3/4 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Melt the 3 tbsp butter with 2 tbsp olive oil in your widest skillet over medium-high heat and wait until the foam subsides, which takes about a minute. Add the 500 g (1 lb) of mushrooms in one layer and let them sit undisturbed for 5 minutes so they brown instead of steam, then give them a stir and leave them alone for another 4 minutes.

Step 2: Stir in the sliced shallot, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tsp thyme, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper, scraping the bottom of the pan to lift up all the browned bits. Cook for 3 more minutes, until the shallot is soft and the kitchen smells like garlic-butter mushrooms, which is the whole point of this salad.

Step 3: Pour in the 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and stir once, letting it bubble and reduce for 30 seconds until the pan is glossy and the sharp edge cooks off. Working fast now, dump the hot mushrooms and every drop of the pan sauce over the 200 g (7 oz) of spinach in a large bowl.

Step 4: Toss with two big spoons until the spinach has wilted by about half and the dressing has coated every leaf. Top with the 70 g (1/2 cup) of hazelnuts and 50 g (1/2 cup) of Parmesan shavings, then serve immediately while the whole thing is still warm and the cheese is just starting to melt.

Maple Glazed Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

This is the fancy one I save for the year when someone wants the Christmas table to look like a magazine spread. The pears get a quick sear in maple and butter, so they go in warm and a little caramelized, and the blue cheese melts slightly into the dressing as you toss it, turning everything faintly creamy and sharp at once.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Butter lettuce or red leaf lettuce, torn: 1 large head
• Anjou or Bartlett pears, cut into wedges: 3 firm
• Butter: 2 tbsp
• Maple syrup: 2 tbsp
• Blue cheese, crumbled: 120 g (3/4 cup)
• Dried cherries: 80 g (1/2 cup)
• Toasted pecans: 60 g (1/2 cup)
• Olive oil: 3 tbsp
• Sherry vinegar: 2 tbsp, see note
• Dijon mustard: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1/4 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/4 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Melt the 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and swirl in the 2 tbsp maple syrup until it bubbles and starts to thicken slightly. Lay the 3 pear wedges in cut side down and let them caramelize for about 3 minutes without moving them, then flip and cook for 1 minute more, until they are golden on both sides and just tender at the tip of a knife.

Step 2: Whisk the 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a large bowl while the pears cool for a moment on a plate. Taste the dressing and add a tiny pinch more salt if it seems flat, because the blue cheese brings salt but not quite enough.

Step 3: Add the torn lettuce to the dressing and toss gently with your hands until every leaf is coated, working from the bottom so the dressing does not pool. Transfer the dressed lettuce to a platter and nestle the warm pear wedges in among the leaves.

Step 4: Scatter the 120 g (3/4 cup) of blue cheese, 80 g (1/2 cup) of dried cherries, and 60 g (1/2 cup) of pecans over the top, then drizzle with any juices left on the pear plate. Serve right away, while the pears are still warm and the blue cheese has not quite fully melted into everything.

Honeyed Halloumi and Fig Salad

This is the salad I put out for vegetarian guests, and then I watch the meat eaters circle back for thirds because the halloumi is so salty and squidgy and good. The figs go jammy under the broiler, the honey gets sticky and dark at the edges, and the whole thing lands somewhere between a salad and a warm cheese course.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Halloumi cheese, cut into thick slices: 250 g (9 oz)
• Fresh figs, halved: 12
• Honey: 3 tbsp
• Arugula or baby kale: 150 g (5 cups)
• Red endive, leaves separated: 1 head
• Toasted pistachios: 50 g (1/3 cup)
• Olive oil: 4 tbsp
• Lemon juice: 2 tbsp
• Fresh oregano leaves: 2 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your broiler to high and put the 250 g (9 oz) of halloumi slices and 12 fig halves on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Brush everything with 1 tbsp of the honey and slide the pan under the broiler for 4 minutes on the top rack, watching closely until the cheese gets brown spots and the figs look jammy and split at the edges.

Step 2: Whisk the remaining 2 tbsp honey, 4 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tsp oregano, and 1/2 tsp black pepper together in a small bowl. This dressing should taste bright and only faintly sweet, not syrupy, so add a few more drops of lemon if it leans too far the other way.

Step 3: Toss the 150 g (5 cups) of arugula and the 1 head of endive leaves in a wide bowl with about two thirds of the dressing, using your hands to coat every leaf. Arrange the dressed greens on a platter and nestle the hot halloumi slices and figs among them while they are still warm.

Step 4: Drizzle the last of the dressing over the cheese and figs, scatter with the 50 g (1/3 cup) of pistachios, and finish with one more crack of pepper. Serve immediately, before the halloumi cools and turns squeaky, which nobody wants.

Roasted Beet and Orange Couscous Salad

This one is for the table where someone wants a salad that can nearly pass as a side dish all on its own, something with heft to it. The beets roast until they are dense and sweet, the pearl couscous soaks up the orange dressing like tiny little sponges, and the mint on top keeps everything from reading too heavy.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• Beets, peeled and cut into wedges: 600 g (1 1/4 lb)
• Pearl couscous: 250 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Orange juice: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Orange zest: 1 tsp
• Olive oil: 5 tbsp
• Red wine vinegar: 2 tbsp
• Honey: 1 tbsp
• Fresh mint leaves, torn: 30 g (1/3 cup)
• Feta, crumbled: 100 g (2/3 cup)
• Toasted almond slivers: 60 g (1/2 cup)
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Heat your oven to 220C (425F) and toss the 600 g (1 1/4 lb) of beet wedges with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, 1/2 tsp of the salt, and 1/4 tsp of the pepper on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast them on the middle rack for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the tip of a knife slides in with no resistance.

Step 2: Cook the 250 g (1 1/2 cups) of pearl couscous in a pot of salted boiling water for 8 minutes, or whatever the package says, then drain it well. While it is still warm, toss the couscous with the 120 ml (1/2 cup) of orange juice and let it sit so the pearls drink up all that citrus.

Step 3: Whisk the remaining 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp orange zest, the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper into the orange-soaked couscous. Fold in the roasted beets carefully, lifting from the bottom so the beets do not stain every single grain pink.

Step 4: Transfer to a serving bowl and scatter over the 30 g (1/3 cup) of mint, 100 g (2/3 cup) of feta, and 60 g (1/2 cup) of almonds right before it goes to the table. Serve it slightly warm or at room temperature, but not cold from the fridge or the couscous will firm up and lose its tenderness.

Herbed Wild Rice and Cranberry Salad

This is the make-ahead answer, the one you can cook on Christmas Eve and pull out of the fridge right before dinner without losing a thing. Wild rice has a chewy, nutty texture that holds up overnight, and the dressing brightens as it sits, so the bowl actually gets better a few hours in.

Ingredients (makes 8 servings)

• Wild rice blend: 300 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Vegetable stock: 720 ml (3 cups)
• Dried cranberries: 120 g (3/4 cup)
• Celery stalks, finely diced: 3
• Green onion, thinly sliced: 4
• Fresh parsley, chopped: 30 g (1/3 cup)
• Fresh rosemary, minced: 1 tbsp
• Olive oil: 80 ml (1/3 cup)
• Red wine vinegar: 3 tbsp
• Honey: 1 tbsp
• Dijon mustard: 2 tsp
• Toasted pecans: 80 g (2/3 cup)
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the 300 g (1 1/2 cups) of wild rice blend in the 720 ml (3 cups) of vegetable stock with 1/2 tsp of the salt, following the package time, which usually runs about 45 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid and spread the rice on a baking sheet to cool for 15 minutes, because adding dressing to hot rice turns it gummy.

Step 2: Whisk the 80 ml (1/3 cup) of olive oil, 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tsp Dijon, the remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a jar until it looks creamy and the honey has disappeared into the oil.

Step 3: Put the cooled rice into a large bowl and stir in the 120 g (3/4 cup) of cranberries, 3 diced celery stalks, 4 sliced green onions, 30 g (1/3 cup) of parsley, and 1 tbsp rosemary. Pour over the dressing and fold everything until the rice is evenly coated and the herbs are scattered throughout.

Step 4: Fold in the 80 g (2/3 cup) of pecans just before serving, or store the salad covered in the fridge for up to two days and stir in the nuts at the last minute. Serve it in a wide bowl so everyone can see the colors, and pass a spoon because this one goes fast.

Mini Wedge Salads with Smoky Ranch

I love this version because everyone gets their own little tower on the plate, which feels properly restaurant-y at a home Christmas table. The smoky ranch comes from smoked paprika and a touch of liquid smoke, which gives you all the depth of a steakhouse wedge without anyone needing to cook a thing.

Ingredients (makes 12 mini wedges)

• Iceberg lettuce, cut into 12 wedges: 2 small heads
• Cherry tomatoes, halved: 250 g (1 1/2 cups)
• Red onion, very thinly sliced: 1/2 medium
• Crumbled blue cheese: 90 g (2/3 cup)
• Mayonnaise: 120 ml (1/2 cup)
• Buttermilk: 80 ml (1/3 cup)
• Sour cream: 60 ml (1/4 cup)
• Garlic powder: 1/2 tsp
• Smoked paprika: 1 tsp
• Liquid smoke: 1/4 tsp
• Chives, finely sliced: 2 tbsp
• Black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Step 1: Whisk the 120 ml (1/2 cup) of mayonnaise, 80 ml (1/3 cup) of buttermilk, 60 ml (1/4 cup) of sour cream, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp liquid smoke, and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a bowl until completely smooth. Taste it and add a scrap more paprika if you want the smoke to come through stronger, but keep in mind the dressing should stay pourable.

Step 2: Arrange the 12 iceberg wedges on a large platter or individual plates, cut side up so the dressing has somewhere to pool. Drizzle each wedge generously with the ranch, letting it run down the sides and settle into all the layers, which is exactly what you want.

Step 3: Top each wedge with 250 g (1 1/2 cups) of halved cherry tomatoes, a few slices of red onion, and a good pinch of the 90 g (2/3 cup) of blue cheese. Go slowly here so each one gets the same amount, because the last wedge is just as important as the first.

Step 4: Finish with the 2 tbsp of chives and one more turn of pepper, then serve immediately. The wedges should be cold and crunchy, so keep them in the fridge until the moment the mains hit the table.

Everything on this list comes down to one move: dress the greens right before serving, or choose a salad sturdy enough to sit undressed like the wild rice or broccoli versions. A soggy Christmas salad is the only sad one.

Pick the one that sounds like your table, make it once, and let it earn its place next to the roast next year.