21 Christmas Salads and Side Dishes
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Elevate your Christmas table with 21 Christmas salads and side dishes! Discover easy, delicious recipes featuring fresh greens, hearty veggies, and seasonal flavors to complement your holiday meals and impress guests.
Serving & Presentation Tips
- Use a large platter or shallow bowl. Instead of a deep bowl, serve salads on a wide platter for a beautiful, spread-out look that shows off all the elements, colors, and texture of the salad.
- Garnish at the last minute. Sprinkle toasted nuts, pomegranate seeds, crispy shallots, or fresh herbs right before serving so they stay crisp and pretty.
- Warm sides for a cozy feel. If serving roasted Brussels sprouts, green beans, or sweet potatoes, keep them warm in a low oven (200°F) until ready to serve. I also love to use a warming tray on a low setting for serving a buffet, especially throughout the holiday season.
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
- Salads with sturdy greens (kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage) can be dressed a day ahead—they actually improve as they sit.
- Avoid soggy salads by storing creamy dressings separately until just before serving. Toss delicate greens (spinach, arugula) at the last minute.
- Reheat sides smartly. If you need to reheat roasted or baked sides, use the oven (not the microwave) at 300°F for 10–15 minutes to keep the texture crisp.
Holiday Hosting Tips
- Offer one make-ahead salad and one fresh salad. This way, you have something ready to go and something that can be tossed quickly right before serving.
- Label your dishes. Use small tags or cards with the recipe name so guests know what they’re eating and can look up the recipe later.
- Keep portions family-style. Christmas meals are often buffet-style—use large salad bowls or serving bowls or platters so everyone can help themselves.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe
Strawberry Spinach Salad topped with an easy Poppy Seed Dressing makes for a beautiful and delicious spring and summer salad recipe. Perfect for parties, picnics, and get-togethers! Always a crowd favorite!
Apple Pear Salad With Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Apple Pear Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
This Apple Pear Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette makes a delicious salad anytime of year, but especially throughout the holidays.
Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad
Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad Recipe
This Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad recipe is loaded with crisp apples, crunchy pecans or walnuts, and sweet cranberries and topped with a delicious apple cider vinaigrette dressing that is simply amazing! The perfect fall salad!
Waldorf Salad
Waldorf Salad
The classic Waldorf Salad makes a delicious salad recipe. Including apples, celery, nuts, and grapes, this salad is always refreshing.
Fruit Salad
Fruit Salad Recipe
This easy fruit salad recipe is made with fresh fruit and a creamy yogurt dressing. Ready in minutes and a great make-ahead recipe.
Honey Lime Fruit Salad
Honey Lime Fruit Salad Recipe
Honey Lime Fruit Salad makes the best fruit salad recipe! Colorful, juicy fruits with a honey and lime dressing make this a refreshing and incredibly delicious crowd favorite.
Broccoli Salad
Broccoli Salad Recipe
This Broccoli Salad recipe makes a quick and easy side dish.  Tossed in a homemade dressing, this easy broccoli salad is a crowd favorite!
Ambrosia
Southern Ambrosia Salad Recipe
Classic Southern ambrosia salad recipe with pineapple chunks, mandarin oranges, mini marshmallows, and sweetened coconut all in a creamy whipped dressing. This 10-minute ambrosia fruit salad is the perfect make-ahead holiday side!
Twice-Baked Potatoes
Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe
The BEST Twice Baked Potato recipe! This recipe is loaded with creamy, cheesy, buttery flavor and makes the perfect side dish for any meal.
Mashed Potatoes
Easy Mashed Potatoes Recipe
This Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe makes creamy, fluffy mashed potatoes with just 5 ingredients! A rich, delicious side dish for holidays or weeknights, and incredibly easy to make with proven tips for a foolproof recipe.
Duchess Sweet Potatoes
Duchess Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Duchess potatoes make an elegant side dish perfect for entertaining. These duchess sweet potatoes will quickly become a favorite.
Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
This Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is easy, delicious, and an all-time family favorite! Rich sweet potatoes topped with your choice of a Southern pecan crumble, a gluten-free crumble, or a marshmallow topping make this recipe a favorite holiday side dish or dessert! Ready in 30 minutes, this Southern Sweet Potato Casserole can also be made ahead for stress-free prep!
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
Broccoli Cheese Casserole
This Broccoli Cheese Casserole recipe is the ultimate cheesy, comforting side dish made from scratch with fresh broccoli, a creamy homemade sauce, and a buttery cracker topping. It's ready in under an hour, can be made ahead, and is perfect for holidays, weeknight dinners, and family meals
Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles
Bacon Wrapped Green Beans Recipe
These easy and delicious bacon wrapped green bean bundles make a favorite side dish for family meals or when entertaining.
Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
This easy scalloped potatoes recipe makes the best potato side dish! Tender slices of potatoes in an easy creamy sauce is a classic favorite!
Hashbrown Casserole
Hashbrown Casserole Recipe
The Best Hashbrown Casserole Recipe is a cheesy potato casserole that is always a favorite! The ultimate easy, comforting side dish!
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pomegranate
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pomegranate melds savory oven roasted Brussels sprouts, crispy bacon and sweet pomegranate in this delicious favorite side dish recipe! Perfect for holidays and entertaining!
Skillet Mac and Cheese
Skillet Mac and Cheese Recipe
Skillet Mac and Cheese Recipe – Mac and Cheese is the ultimate comfort food! This easy cheesy sauce combined with macaroni and a buttery, crunch topping makes for the creamiest Mac and Cheese!
Southern Macaroni and Cheese
Southern Macaroni and Cheese
This Southern Macaroni and Cheese Recipe is a rich, creamy baked mac and cheese with a crunchy topping. It's a heirloom family recipe and a favorite comfort food loved for generations! Make-ahead and freezer-friendly!
Corn Casserole
Corn Casserole
Corn casserole makes a comforting classic casserole! Made of creamed and whole corn, this corn casserole comes together quickly and makes a favorite side dish!
Squash Casserole
Squash Casserole Recipe
Squash Casserole is an essential dish for holidays and special events. Topped with a buttery cracker topping, this squash casserole is an all-time favorite!
Merry Christmas!
Robyn xo
