Most Christmas dinners include a salad of some kind, and I saw a picture of a great Christmas salad on an Australian website, so I made my own version of Christmas Tree Wedge Salad It was a big hit at our annual family party, and looked very festive on the buffet table. Most importantly, it was delicious.

It’s important to choose heavy heads of iceberg lettuce so the wedges hold together. Toppings include blue cheese, crisp bacon, chopped red onion, and dried cranberries. The dressing is my favorite French vinaigrette which I serve in a dish on the side so diners can add their own. You can also add pomegranate seeds to add a bit of sparkle.

18 Servings



1 pound thick sliced bacon, chopped

2 heads iceberg lettuce

1/4 cup diced red onion
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pomegranate arils, (optional)


Yellow bell pepper, cut into a star with a cookie cutter
Red onion, cut into a square to resemble the trunk of the tree

Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, (large)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1. Cook the bacon until crisp; remove from the pan and drain well.
2. Remove the cores from the heads of lettuce (rap them hard on the counter and they will pull out easily); rinse well and drain well. Cut the heads in half; cut them into thin wedges.
3. Arrange the wedges on a large platter in the shape of a Christmas Tree.
4. Sprinkle with the crisp bacon, blue cheese, red onion, cranberries, and pomegranate seeds if using.
5. Cut a star from the yellow pepper and place it at the top of the tree. Cut a piece of red onion into a square and place it at the bottom of the tree for the trunk. Serve with the dressing in a bowl or gravy boat on the side.
6. Dressing: Add all dressing ingredients to a bullet blender blend until smooth.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 222 Calories from Fat 176
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 79% Protein 8% Carb. 10%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 20 g
Saturated Fat 4 g
Cholesterol 11 mg
Sodium 295 mg
Total Carbohydrate 6 g
Dietary Fiber 0 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 4 g

Vitamin A 6% Vitamin C 21% Calcium 0% Iron 3%