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Ensalada Nochebuena (Mexican Christmas Eve Salad)

Ensalada Nochebuena is a bright and colorful Mexican Christmas Eve Salad full of seasonal vegetables and fruits.

Prep Time
30 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 8 people
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

For The Salad
  • ½ head romaine lettuce, chopped
  • 2 medium beets, boiled, peeled and sliced*
  • 1 very ripe plantain (yellow with black spots), sliced (optional) or a banana
  • 1 c jicama, peeled and diced (optional) or water chestnuts
  • 1 large sweet apple, sliced into wedges
  • 1 large orange, peeled and sectioned
  • ½ c peanuts, unsalted
  • 1 c pomegranate arils (seeds)
For The Dressing
  • ¼ c orange juice
  • 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp fresh mint or 1 tsp dry mint
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • Honey or sugar (to taste)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. On a large serving platter (or in a clear salad bowl), place the chopped lettuce.
  2. Layer the sliced beets over the lettuce.
  3. Layer the remaining fruit and vegetables over the lettuce as desired, using a combination of sliced and diced ingredients (for visual interest).
  4. Top the salad off with a sprinkling of peanuts and pomegranate arils.
  5. In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients.
  6. Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving.*

Notes

  • *To Boil The Beets. Place whole, unpeeled beets in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes, until tender when tested with a fork. Remove the beets from the water and let cool to touch. Peel the beets by rubbing the skins vigorously with a paper towel. Slice the cooked and peeled beets to use in the salad. (Careful, the beet juice will stain!)
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  • Because of the staining nature of beet juice, it is best to keep this salad nicely layered until serving. Once the salad is tossed, everything takes on a festive pink hue from the beets!