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21 Christmas Salads and Side Dishes

Robyn Stone

Published Dec 22, 2025

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.

21 Christmas Salads and Sides Dishes featuring southern ambrosia. - 1

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. - 2

Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe

Apple Pear Salad With Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Apple Pear Salad Recipe - This Apple Pear Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette makes a delicious salad anytime of year, but especially throughout the holidays. // addapinch.com - 3

Apple Pear Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

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! // addapinch.com - 4

Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad Recipe

Waldorf Salad

21 Christmas Salads and Side Dishes - 5

Waldorf Salad

Fruit Salad

Fruit salad with a creamy dressing in a glass bowl. - 6

Fruit Salad Recipe

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

Honey Lime Fruit Salad Recipe - Made with your favorite fruits with a delicious dressing, this honey lime fruit salad is always a favorite! // addapinch.com - 7

Honey Lime Fruit Salad Recipe

Broccoli Salad

Photo of broccoli salad on a white platter. - 8

Broccoli Salad Recipe

Ambrosia

Ambrosia salad with cherries in a clear glass bowl. - 9

Southern Ambrosia Salad Recipe

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Twice baked potatoes on a white plate. - 10

Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

Mashed Potatoes

Creamy golden mashed potatoes topped with butter, salt and pepper in a white Dutch oven. - 11

Easy Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Duchess Sweet Potatoes

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Duchess Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Sweet Potato Casserole

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Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Broccoli Cheese Casserole

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Broccoli Cheese Casserole

Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles

White platter filled with green bean bundles wrapped in bacon. - 15

Bacon Wrapped Green Beans Recipe

Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes Recipe - This easy scalloped potatoes recipe is so creamy, cheesy, and out of this world delicious! // addapinch.com - 16

Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Hashbrown Casserole

Hashbrown Casserole Recipe - A cheesy potato side dish that comes together in a snap! Perfect to serve when entertaining and a staple on the holiday table! // addapinch.com - 17

Hashbrown Casserole Recipe

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate and Bacon Recipe - Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranate and Bacon make a delicious side dish! The brussels sprouts are roasted and then drizzled with maple syrup and balsamic vinegar and then tossed with crispy bacon and pomegranate! // addapinch.com - 18

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pomegranate

Skillet Mac and Cheese

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! // addapinch.com - 19

Skillet Mac and Cheese Recipe

Southern Macaroni and Cheese

21 Christmas Salads and Side Dishes - 20

Southern Macaroni and Cheese

Corn Casserole

21 Christmas Salads and Side Dishes - 21

Corn Casserole

Squash Casserole

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Squash Casserole Recipe

Merry Christmas! Robyn xo