This fresh pomegranate salsa recipe is bursting with sweet-and-spicy flavor. It’s a fun holiday appetizer or wintertime snack. You can serve it with tortilla chips like any other salsa. Of course, a side of guacamole is always a good idea.

For a special Christmas salsa presentation, try it as shown here, with whipped goat cheese as a creamy base and the salsa arranged in a wreath-like shape on top. This variation goes well with sturdy crostini or crisp toasted pita. The whipped goat cheese component is included in the recipe below, and it’s so easy to whip up.

This year, I’m bringing pomegranate salsa to my friends’ annual Christmas party! Lighter and brighter options are always welcome amongst heavy and sweet holiday fare. Let’s start the pomegranate salsa trend together.

Here in the U.S., pomegranates are typically available from the end of September through January. I hope you have the chance to make this recipe while we can.

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Have you made this salad before, by chance? I pulled this recipe from the archives and updated the photos to catch your eye. This stunner just might steal the show at your Thanksgiving feast, and for good reason. Glittering pomegranate arils and golden roasted delicata squash taste just as good as they look.

Delicata squash is a lovely winter squash. It’s unique because its skin is so, well, delicate that you don’t need to peel it before roasting. The balsamic dressing, arugula, pomegranate and goat cheese go great with the squash, of course, but also with apples and pears. If your oven is full, try sliced fruit instead, or simply roast the squash the day before.

Watch How to Make This Salad

When I revisit older blog posts, I’m always amazed by the parallels in my life over the years and the seasons. When I originally shared this post seven years ago, I was dreaming of a better living/work space. Since that time, I’ve upgraded from my tiny apartment to a little rent house where I made the cookbook, then to a new apartment with a functional kitchen. Then we got married and I moved into my husband’s cozy home, which we’ve outgrown.

We’re actually in the process of purchasing our dream home now. It’s everything we could ever hope for, including a recently renovated kitchen that’s so pretty, I can hardly stand it. We’ll move in time for Christmas and I’m looking forward to setting up our tree and sitting by the fireplace.

To be honest, all I really care about now is keeping Cookie healthy, but our new home is a bright ending to an acutely difficult year. I’ve left my original sentiments below just to show the hard work it took to get here. I hope you are staying well and cozy out there.

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This concept started out as a Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. It took a few twists and turns through the development process.

Here’s what we ended up with:

• Wild rice, tossed in a gingery dressing, plus some kale for extra green stuff and health bonus points
• Roasted butternut squash
• Red pomegranate, green onion, and crumbled goat cheese, which yield a festive color combination
• Pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), toasted with a little cinnamon for warming spice

I’m not sure what to call this situation. Can we call it a stuffing? Or is it a dressing? As a vegetarian, the distinctions are lost on me. Maybe it’s just a salad?

Here’s what I know for certain. This dish is a…

• Christmas-worthy, wildly colored main dish for vegetarians
• Healthy holiday side dish for all
• Special diet-friendly option, since it’s gluten free, nut free and easily dairy free/vegan

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I can’t take my eyes off this salad! The concept came to me as I was improvising a big green salad for Friendsgiving this year. Salads are often overlooked at the holidays, so I set out to make a festive red-and-green showstopper.

I knew I wanted to incorporate ruby-red pomegranate arils and fresh pear, since they’re both so delicious this time of year. I added Honeycrisp apple, goat cheese and pecans for good measure.

To make the dressing taste festive and cut through the sweetness of the fruit, I added fresh ginger to my basic apple cider vinaigrette. Believe me, this salad tastes as good as it looks.

This salad might look fancy, but it’s simple to put together. You’ll want to pay extra attention to how you prepare the ingredients, so I’ve typed up some tips below. If you’re craving some greens to get you through the holidays, or already working on your holiday menu, this salad is for you!

Watch How to Make Pomegranate & Pear Salad

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As I edited these sparkling, hot pink photos, I realized my “Super Bowl” cocktail looks more like a Valentine’s Day cocktail. The big game is tomorrow (find my Super Bowl recipes here) and we’re just around the corner from that horrid holiday, so let’s call it a two-for-one special!

My friends are probably tired of hearing me announce that “Champagne is the new beer,” every time I bring over a bottle for a game, but it’s true. You heard it here first. Sparkling sangria is a fun way to drink it.

I’ve been intimidated by sangria for far too long. It always seemed like some sort of magical potion that only a Spanish woman could properly mix up. Plus, my exhausting analytical side always wants to create the “perfect” recipe and there are so many variables when it comes to sangria.

The sweetness and type of fruit, the sweetness and type of wine… Fortunately, I’ve finally learned that sangria is a mix-and-match, do-no-wrong kind of drink, which is just as pitchers of cocktails should be.

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How about a Christmas spin on classic guacamole? Try stirring in fresh pomegranate. It’s festive, right?! And delicious, too—creamy, classic guacamole contrasts surprisingly well with sweet, juicy, ruby red pomegranate arils.

If you really want to mess with a classic, add some feta to this pomegranate guac. It offers irresistible pops of salty, tangy flavor. I’m a big fan.

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I was totally overwhelmed by the abundance of fresh Mediterranean food on my recent trip to Israel. Every time we sat down to the table, our hosts covered every available square inch with dishes to try. I couldn’t let one pass me by, so I always left the table feeling thoroughly stuffed and seriously spoiled.

In those stomach-clutching moments, I daydreamed about going home to a simple quinoa salad and a glass of wine. The grass is always greener, isn’t it?

Honest to goodness, those dishes passed by so quickly that I hardly had a moment to dissect one before the next arrived. I had hoped to come home with a long list of dishes to recreate, but I’m left mostly with vague, game-changing impressions of flavors, colors, smells and sights.

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Would you look at that? She’s a stunner, that salad. Like sunshine in a bowl. Kale got all gussied up for us today with dazzling clementines and pomegranate, avocado and pepitas, tossed in a honey, lime and jalapeño dressing. (Insert cat call here.)

I’m treating my body kindly this week—cue the kale salad—in preparation for a fancy-pants event at the art museum this Saturday. So far, I’ve rented a dress for the occasion. I visited my hair stylist for a much-needed trim this afternoon and stopped for fresh juice before heading home. As long as I can get some beauty rest between now and then, I think I should be good to go. Champagne, please!

Dreary winters are made more bearable with a little color and sparkle, aren’t they? If you’re desperate for springtime already, I hope you find some relief in this vibrant salad.

I’ll be the first to admit that there’s a lot going here, but each component adds a bit of sweetness or crunch or salty creaminess. The recipe takes cues from Deb’s kale salad, but I swapped lime for lemon and added chili peppers for a south-of-the-border twist. I also added clementines since they’re so good this time of year (any type of sweet citrus would be nice, though). Feel free to trade the pomegranate for a handful of dried cranberries for a more simple (and less seedy) salad.

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