Dixie salad is a Thanksgiving family favorite dish. I’m from southern Utah, and I have vivid memories of picking pomegranates for fresh eating and this salad. It tastes more like a dessert, but we always ate it as a salad on the same plate as the rest of our dinner. The pomegranate, nut, and apple combination gives it a good crunch, while the grapes, whipped cream, and other fruits add a delicious sweetness. It’s one you won’t want to miss!
Ingredients:
- Equal portions of chopped bananas, chopped apples, seedless grapes, and drained pineapple tidbits (I did about 1 cup of each)
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon Mexican vanilla
Step 1. Dice the bananas, apples, and grapes. Do yourself a favor and get one of these fruit choppers. Everything comes out uniform, and it’s quick. Add everything into a bowl. I didn’t have any pineapple, darn it.
Step 2. This is my method for cutting a pomegranate – cut the ends off each side and cut a vertical slit in the skin, just enough to open up the fruit. I like to split it a part with my hand, put the fruit seed down in my palm, and use a spoon to tap the arils out in my palm over a bowl. Throw all the arils into the bowl, reserving some for the garnish.
Step 3. Give the pecans a rough chop and add them to the bowl.
Step 4. Whip the cream and sugar until stiff peaks form, then fold in the vanilla. I used a handheld immersion blender with a whisk attachment. I used regular vanilla, which turns the whipped topping a little brown, so ideally, you’d use clear vanilla.
Step 5. Add the whipped cream mixture to the fruit and stir well. Transfer the salad into a nice casserole dish and garnish with additional pomegranate arils and pecans.
Are you interested in other Thanksgiving recipes or need ideas? If so, I created a complete guide on hosting a Friendsgiving / Thanksgiving dinner party. Click this link, and I’ll email you a copy!
XOXO
Crystel
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