A Very Good Holiday Salad
A bright, crunchy salad perfect for the holidays.
In case you missed it last week, I made a very strong case for a holiday salad. Comfort food during the holidays is practically essential, but all that comfort begs for contrast—which is where a salad gently (but confidently) steps in. A salad brings freshness, acidity, and something crunchy enough to make the rest of the meal taste even better. It’s not about being “healthy”—it’s about balance, flavor, and keeping your palate interested.
And this salad is very good. It’s not the obligatory “green thing” on the table; it’s the kind of salad people actually eat. I made it last week for Thanksgiving, and let me tell you—even the salad haters went back for seconds.
Filled with holiday flavors, this salad will make you stop and say “What is in this?” after every bite. It’s bright, crunchy, a little sweet, a little bitter, and exactly the kind of thing your plate needs to stay interesting. Whether you serve it alongside a holiday meal or make it the next day when you can’t look at another starch, it delivers every time. This salad has earned a permanent spot on my table this holiday season, and I have a feeling it’ll earn one on yours, too.
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup raw pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fennel seed
2 tablespoons honey
2 crisp Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
1 large fennel bulb, very thinly sliced lengthwise
3 cups radicchio, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dill, chopped
1/4 cup chives, chopped
Zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Step 1: Heat olive oil and pecans in a skillet over medium heat. After about 3 minutes, once pecans are toasted, add the fennel seed and season with salt and pepper. Continue stirring often and allow the nuts to cook for another 4 minutes. Add honey to the skillet and stir so that all the nuts are coated evenly. Remove from heat and set aside.
Step 2: In a serving bowl or platter, add chopped radicchio to the bottom. Top with half of the dill and chives.
Step 3: Add sliced fennel and apples to a large mixing bowl. Top with apple cider vinegar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Step 4: Top the radicchio with the apple-fennel mixture. Make sure to drizzle any leftover juices from the mixing bowl over the top of the salad.
Step 5: Once the caramelized pecans have cooled, spoon them over the salad. Finish with the remaining dill and chives.
