Vegan Christmas salad

Vegan Christmas salad

vegan christmas salad

By now you are probably in the firm grasp of fully-fledged Xmas madness – running around like a headless vegan, buying last minute presents and doing last minute prep.

I wondered what recipe would be suitable for today given that there is not much time left ahead of the main event and I concluded that a simple and eye-catching vegan Christmas salad would be a fitting tribute to your festive table.

After the splendour of the Beet Wellington I posted on Tuesday, I owe you something light, refreshing and less hearty to balance all the indulgence you are about to (or maybe have already) throw yourself into head first! 🙂 .

I certainly owe myself that as having sampled a few too many cookies and slices of said Wellington, I managed to put on weight ahead of Christmas…Most vegan dishes may be healthier than their omnivorous counterparts, but they still aren’t in the ‘ya can stuff your face like there is no tomorrow and you’ll stay slim regardless’ category of food 😉

This simple salad is very seasonal. It gets its pleasant crunch from a host of root vegetables: celeriac, carrots and beetroots punctuated by some slices of sour apple. It’s not strictly speaking especially ‘Christmassy’ as I would happily eat it anytime between October and March, but it has nice festive-looking colours which I thought make a nice change from the usual beiges and browns of puff pastry roulades and seitan roasts that typically adorn our Xmas tables. Happy Xmas!

vegan christmas salad close up

vegan christmas salad side on

vegan christmas salad top down

serves
4 as a side
PREP
20 min
COOKING
5 min
serves
4 as a side
PREPARATION
20 min
COOKING
5 min
INGREDIENTS
SALAD

  • ½ celeriac root
  • 2 medium beetroots
  • 1 green apple
  • 2 carrots
  • chopped parsley, large handful
  • chopped walnuts, large handful
  • pomegranate seeds, large handful

DRESSING

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated finely
  • 2 tsp wholegrain mustard
  • salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD
  1. Put a small frying pan on a medium heat and dry roast walnuts until lightly browned and fragrant. Make sure you move them around the pan frequently as they burn easily. Chop roughly once cool.
  2. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Wash your apple well. Peel carrots, beetroots and celeriac root.
  4. Slice all your vegetables thinly (if you have the necessary equipment for this, now it’s the time to use it!) with a sharp knife and then cut them into thin matchsticks. Slice celeriac and apple first and sprinkle them both with a bit of lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Set aside. Next tackle the carrots and finally the beetroots.
  5. Place all the veggies in a large mixing bowl apart from a few strands of celeriac, which you may want to save until the end so that they don’t get all pink from the beetroot (that’s a purely an aesthetic consideration so feel free to override me). Mix all the vegetables together with chopped parsley and the dressing you made earlier.
  6. Transfer to a serving bowl, add celeriac you saved earlier. Sprinkle the salad with extra parsley, toasted walnuts and pomegranate seeds.
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NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories
194
10%
sugars
12 g
13%
fats
12 g
17%
saturates
1 g
7%
proteins
3 g
6%
carbs
21 g
8%
*per serving
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5.0
3 reviews, 22 comments
REVIEWS & QUESTIONS
Susan:
Is the beetroot in this recipe raw beetroot or cooked . Can’t wait to try it.
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Susan, yes, it is raw! Hope you'll like it! Ania
    Ellen:
    Thank you, was my first question as well.
    Im making ot for Xmas.
craig duncan:
looks amazing cant wait to try it myself, thanks for the taking the time to post. yum
    Ania
    Ania:
    Pleasure, I hope you'll enjoy it! x Ania
davarius:
its perfect i love it <3
    Ania
    Ania:
    Great to hear, thanks! x Ania
Mary Costello:
Can you make this salad a day earlier?
TIA
    Ania
    Ania:
    I personally feel that salad should be made just before serving but I suppose your could make the salad, store it in an air-tight container in the fridge and stir the dressing through it until just before serving. Hope this helps! Ania
Marina:
Hi, I was wondering are the beetroots raw or cooked?
    Ania
    Ania:
    I use raw beets here.
Aneta:
Hi, going to make the salad tomorrow! I'm wondering, how long before my guest arrive I can make it? Does it need to be done straight before serving? Thanks :)
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi,
    Yes, it's ideal if you make it a couple of hours before serving, but if you need to prepare it earlier just make sure you don't put the dressing through it until the last minute. Ania
Amy:
Hi Ania!
I'm dying to make this gorgeous dish for Christmas, but I'm having troubles finding the celeriac. What would you suggest as a substitute? Perhaps celery or jicama?
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Amy,
    As celeriac is a close relative of celery, I would use finely sliced celery stalks instead. They will add freshness and a savoury note. Hope that helps! Ania
Fatma:
Hi ania thak u for rhe recipe but i have question should I boil beetroot before I use it
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Fatma,
    No, there is no need to boil it, beetroot is really delicious and nutritious raw - just make sure to slice or grate it thinly. Hope that helps! Ania
Jamie:
What can you suggest in place of the pom seeds? Raisins? Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Hi Jamie,
    I would go for something a bit tart, how about dried cranberries? :) Hope that helps! Ania
Phoebe:
I think I'm going to do this for Chrissy! Looks delicious!
Thanks!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks Phoebe. Lovely to hear! Hope you'll like it! Ania
Sarah | Well and Full:
This salad is so gorgeous, Ania!! I love all of the vibrant colors, so festive! I hope you and your family have a very merry Christmas <3
    Ania
    Ania:
    Thanks so much, Sarah! Wishing you merry & white (if at all possible, I have no chance ;) ) Christmas too! x
Sall:
I love your site. It is the brightest, freshest one and deserves a huge following. All the best to you both for 2017, and thank you!
    Ania
    Ania:
    Aw, thanks so much! Your comment really made our day! :) Thanks so much for following along and all the best for 2017 to you too! Ania & Duncan
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