festive summer wreath salads

Looking for the perfect dish to wow your guests this Christmas?

These Summer Wreath Salads combine fresh, colourful ingredients in a beautiful presentation that’s as delicious as it is festive.

With a mix of baby greens, rocket or spinach, then adding any combination of your favourite salad ingredients, these salads are true crowd-pleasers. Top with avocado cubes, juicy cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, candied pecans/walnuts, tangy feta/baby bocconcini, artichoke hearts, roasted capsicum…or whatever you choose to treat your friends and family with the yummiest Christmas salad ever!

To take it up a notch, you can fill the centre with fresh prawns for an elegant touch.

It’s simple to assemble and adds a striking centrepiece to any holiday table—just grab a platter, arrange the ingredients in a circle, and drizzle with balsamic glaze to finish it off.

Serves: 8–8 as a side dish
Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (or use your own combination)

• 2 large handfuls of baby salad leaves (e.g., rocket, spinach, or mixed greens)

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 medium avocado, cubed

• ½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted

• ½ cup feta cheese, cubed or crumbled (or baby Bocconcini)

• ½ cup roasted capsicum, sliced

• ½ cup artichoke hearts, quartered

• ½ cup candied pecans or walnuts (add a small amount of sugar-free maple syrup and a tsp butter in a frying pan and lightly fry until nuts covered, browned and sticky)

• Balsamic glaze, for drizzling

• Optional: Fresh prawns, to fill the centre

Instructions

1. Prepare the Platter: Place a small round bowl in the centre of a large platter. This will act as a guide for creating the wreath shape.

2. Layer the Base: Arrange the baby salad leaves around the bowl to form the base of the wreath. Keep the greens evenly spread out for a full, lush look.

3. Add the Veggies: Scatter the cherry tomatoes, cubed avocado, Kalamata olives, roasted capsicum, artichoke hearts, candied nuts over the greens. Distribute evenly to create a colourful display.

4. Top with Feta: Sprinkle the feta cheese or baby bocconcini over the salad for a creamy, tangy touch.

5. Finish with Glaze: Drizzle the balsamic glaze lightly over the entire wreath for a pop of flavour and shine.

6. Optional Prawns: If you’re using prawns, remove the bowl from the centre and fill the space with freshly cooked and chilled prawns.

7. Serve and Enjoy: Bring the salad to the table as a stunning edible centrepiece. Encourage guests to help themselves directly from the wreath!