This Greek Romaine Lettuce Christmas Tree is a festive way to serve a delicious Greek salad at your holiday table this year!
I don’t usually make festive looking recipes, but I saw someone on social media making a version of this Romaine Lettuce Christmas Tree Salad and I had to make one! This version is Greek inspired and topped with a delicious creamy tahini dressing.
This Romaine Lettuce Christmas Tree makes a great appetizer for a Christmas party, but is also fun for a festive lunch! The seasoned chickpeas add some protein and then you can go crazy with the veggies you choose to add.
Romaine lettuce Greek salad Christmas tree ingredients
- romaine lettuce – I like to use the inner leaves of the romaine lettuce because they are a bit smaller and have more crunch. I bought a pack of three and used them all, but I removed a few of the outer leaves so I didn’t use the entire head of the romaine lettuce. You could try making this lettuce Christmas tree with a different type of lettuce, but romaine leaves really lend themselves to a tree shape!
- Tahini Dressing – I made a super quick but very tasty Tahini Dressing for this recipe. It’s made with olive oil, red wine vinegar, tahini, granulated garlic, dried herbs, salt, and black pepper.
- Chickpeas – The chickpeas add a nice protein element as well as some texture and flavor. I cook the chickpeas in some olive oil with salt, pepper, paprika and granulated garlic.
- vegetables – I used a combination of cucumbers, red onions, Kalamata olives, tomatoes, marinated artichokes and fresh parsley. Roasted red peppers would be good too!
- Croutons – I wanted to add the crunch of the croutons but didn’t want them in big chunks. I smashed about half a piece of croutons and then sprinkled them over the salad. It added a nice subtle crunch!
How to Make a Romaine Lettuce Christmas Tree
- Start by preparing your chickpeas. Rinse the chickpeas, drain and pat dry with a towel. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil, chickpeas, and spices. Mix everything together and cook the chickpeas until warmed through and crispy.
- Make your dressing. Place all of the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until well combined and creamy. Feel free to add additional spices if you’d like.
- Prepare your toppings. Cut all the topping ingredients into small, evenly sized pieces. They shouldn’t be too much larger than the chickpeas.
- Make your Christmas tree. Remove the outer leaves from the romaine lettuce. Then gently pull apart any remaining sheets. Start assembling your tree on the platter you plan to serve it on. I like to use the large leaves at the bottom and the smaller leaves as you get to the top of the tree.
- Scatter all the chickpeas and chopped greens evenly over the Christmas tree. Drizzle with dressing and then garnish with the mashed croutons. Enjoy as finger food or as a salad plate to serve yourself.
Lettuce Christmas Tree Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe vegan? Yes! But if you’re not vegan, you can add feta cheese.
- Is this recipe gluten free? I used regular gluten croutons, but you can easily use gluten-free croutons or omit the croutons to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Can I make this Romaine Lettuce Christmas Tree ahead of time? Romaine lettuce is quite hearty, so you can make it a little ahead of time, but there’s always a chance the lettuce will wilt if made too far in advance. If you make it ahead of time, make sure to keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Is this Christmas party recipe hygienic? As long as the person preparing this recipe has clean hands, it should be hygienic! You can use gloves to lay out the lettuce leaves and a spoon to apply the toppings and dressing. You can also use tongs when serving so people don’t touch the food with their fingers.
Do you have a question that I haven’t answered? Ask me in the comments section below and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible!
Looking for more vegan holiday recipes?
Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce
Creamy vegan mashed potatoes
Miso Sesame Green Beans
Crispy broccoli salad with maple mustard dressing
Easy and delicious 5 minute dinner salad
Romaine Lettuce Greek Salad Christmas Tree
- Total time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8th–10 1x
- Diet: Vegan
description
This Roman Salad Christmas Tree with Greek Salad is the perfect festive side dish for the holiday table this year! It’s fun to make and delicious to eat!
- 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 2–3 heads of romaine lettuce
- 1/2 cup small diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup sliced ​​Kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 cup diced marinated artichoke hearts
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs such as dill, parsley, mint, cilantro
- 1/2 cup smashed croutons
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Tahini Dressing:
- 1/4 tahini
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 tablespoon Tamari or soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs such as Trader Joe’s Green Goddess Seasoning, Herbs De Provence, or dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
instructions
- Start by preparing your chickpeas. Rinse the chickpeas, drain and pat dry with a towel. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a few teaspoons olive oil, chickpeas, and spices, along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix everything together and cook the chickpeas until warmed through and crispy, about 10 minutes.
- Make your dressing. Place all the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and mix together until creamy, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Prepare your toppings. Cut all the topping ingredients into small, evenly sized pieces. They shouldn’t be too much larger than the chickpeas.
- Make your Christmas tree. Remove the outer leaves from the romaine lettuce. Then gently pull apart any remaining sheets. Start assembling your tree on the platter you plan to serve it on. I like to use the large leaves at the bottom and the smaller leaves as you get to the top of the tree.
- Scatter all the chickpeas and chopped greens evenly over the Christmas tree. Drizzle with dressing and then garnish with the mashed croutons. Enjoy as finger food or as a salad plate to serve yourself.
Remarks
Best served immediately. Can be made ahead, but only about a couple of hours and I would suggest covering and refrigerating until ready to serve. Also, wait until serving to dress.
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
- Cooking time: 10 mins
- Category: appetizer, side
- Method: stovetop
- Kitchen: American
Keywords: Romaine Lettuce Greek Salad Christmas Tree