This lamb's lettuce salad is a feast for the eyes and a total delicacy for your taste buds. It's fresh, colorful, and just fancy enough to make the Christmas table sparkle - but still easy enough to whip up on a Tuesday.
Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you purchase through those links. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here.
In This Post:
Lamb's lettuce is a big deal in Germany. It shows up all winter long and is especially flavorful from October to January - soft, nutty, and just a tiny bit peppery. Since I'm often spotting it outside the cold months, too, this lamb's lettuce salad recipe is not a "winter-only" thing. Whenever you can find lamb's lettuce, it's the perfect excuse to make this salad.
What Goes Into This Lamb's Lettuce Salad
Here's why this recipe works so well:
- Lamb's lettuce as the tender green base.
If you can't track it down where you live, you acn swap in any other mild lettuce.
- Walnuts for richness and crunch.
- Pomegranate kernels for tangy juice in the dressing and jewel-like pops on top.
- Grated carrots to brighten everything up.
- Vegan feta - salty and just magical in this salad. You can grab a store-bought one (lots of good options out there now) or try my homemade version with macadamia nuts. It's soft, tangy, and so good.
- And then the dressing. Mustard, pomegranate juice, a touch of sweetness - it's that sweet-tangy balance that ties the whole thing together.
What Work Is Involved
The great thing: You can do most of the prep ahead: deseeding and juicing the pomegranate, grating the carrots, whisking the dressing, even make the vegan feta a day or two in advance if you're not going the store-bought route.
When it's showtime, all that's left is rinsing the lamb's lettuce (tip: it often needs two or three washes to get really clean), and assembling.
And that's it - you're ready to serve something festive, fresh, and absolutely delicious…
Wait… We're Juicing a Pomegranate?
Yep. And before you roll your eyes - promise, it's way easier than it sounds. (Even the deseeding part is done in no time with this life-changing pomegranate hack).
No juicer. No blender. Just you, a mug, and a mesh strainer.
Here's the deal: toss the pomegranate kernels into a mug, grab the end of a wooden spoon (or honestly, anything smash-y), and give them a little mash. Then strain out the juice. Done. That's it. Three tablespoons of ruby-red magic liquid for your dressing.
So easy. So worth it. And now… let's build that lamb's lettuce salad.
🍽 Recipe
Festive Lamb's Lettuce Salad with Pomegranate & Vegan Feta
Equipment
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 whole pomegranate, kernels divided (½ for juicing, ½ for sprinkling)
- 125 g lamb's lettuce or another mild lettuce
- 2 big carrots
- 1 small red onion optional
- 100 g shelled walnuts
- 150 g vegan feta cheese store-bought or homemade - try my macadamia feta recipe
Dressing
- Juice of ½ pomegranate about 3 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- 4 tablespoons walnut oil or hazelnut oil, or a neutral-tasting oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons rice syrup or 1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
Instructions
- Prep the pomegranate. Deseed the whole pomegranate (here is my easy hack for deseeding). Set half of the kernels aside for sprinkling over the salad. Use the other half for the dressing.
- Juice the pomegranate for the dressing. Place them in a mug and smash with the end of a wooden spoon until juicy, then strain through a mesh strainer to collect about 3 tablespoons of juice.
- Make the dressing. Whisk 3 tablespoons of the pomegranate juice with mustard, oil, salt, and rice syrup (or agave/maple).
- Prep the veggies. Peel and grate the carrots (a box grater works well). Peel and finely chop the onion (if using).
- Wash the lettuce. Rinse the lamb's lettuce well - it often needs 2-3 washes to get fully clean. Divide evenly between 4 plates or bowls.
- Assemble the salad. Top the lettuce with carrots, onion, walnuts, vegan feta (plucked into little heaps), and the reserved pomegranate kernels.
- Finish. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve immediately.
I'm always curious. How did it go? Tried this lamb's lettuce salad with vegan feta? I wanna hear all about it. How did you serve it? Any fun twists? Any flops?
Drop the details below because we all love a good kitchen win or a lesson learned.
Wishing you planty of fresh delights,
Ramona
♥
Write a Comment