Tired of the same old cheese and crackers for your holiday gatherings? This year, let’s turn a simple salad into a stunning, edible centerpiece! We’ve seen this trend all over social media, and we had to create our own. 

This Christmas Tree Salad Board is easy to assemble, visually spectacular, and packed with incredible flavor. It’s the perfect way to bring some freshness and fun to your Christmas party table.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Visually Stunning: It genuinely looks like a Christmas tree!
• Easy to Assemble: No complicated cooking required, just simple assembly.
• Customizable: Easily swap ingredients to suit different tastes or dietary needs.
• Crowd-Pleaser: It offers a variety of textures and flavors that everyone will enjoy.

Ingredients for Christmas Tree Salad Board

This recipe is built around five key elements that mimic the colors and shapes of a decorated Christmas tree.

Romaine Lettuce: The vibrant green base that represents the “tree.”

Grape Tomatoes: These add a pop of color and some fresh sweetness. We used reds, yellows and oranges to add a variety of colors as the “ornaments” on the tree.

Blue Cheese Crumbles: Adds salty, tangy “snow” along with a rich flavor. 

Bacon Bites: Everything is better with bacon.. Including this salad board!

Dried Cranberries: Use to create a “garland” effect along with some sweet chewiness.

Pretzel Rods: We used these as the trunk of the tree.

Dressing: You can choose your dressing of choice to drizzle on top or set on the side.

How To Build Your Christmas Tree Salad Board

This board is all about presentation. Grab your largest serving platter or a wooden cutting board to use as your canvas!

First, you should Prep the “Greenery” aka romaine lettuce.Wash and thoroughly dry your Romaine lettuce. Drying is key to keeping everything crisp! Lay the entire leaves of Romaine flat on your board, overlapping them slightly to completely cover the surface in the shape of a large Christmas tree. The wider end should be at the bottom, tapering up to a point.

Next, you should form the “trunk” of the tree with the pretzel rods. At the base of your lettuce tree, place 3–5 pretzel rods side-by-side to create a clear, defined “tree trunk.”

Then, it’s time to decorate the tree.

• The Tomato “Ornaments”: Scatter the bright, colorful grape tomatoes evenly over the green lettuce. Think of them as large, shiny ornaments.
• The Dried Cranberries + Bacon “Garland”: Sprinkle the dried cranberries and bacon bites across the lettuce, arranging them in diagonal, sweeping lines that mimic a garland draped around the tree.
• The Blue Cheese “Snow”: Finally, crumble the blue cheese over the entire tree. The white/pale blue pieces look just like freshly fallen snow!

Now, let’s add the finishing touches! You can drizzle your dressing on top of the salad, or you can place some in a small bowl and set it next to the board for dipping.

Recipe/Ingredient Variation Ideas

If you don’t like something suggested in this recipe or you have other things on hand, we have some variation swaps that may be useful:

• Romaine: You could use curly endive or frisée for a frillier, more textured look. You could also use kale for a sturdier base.
• Grape Tomatoes: Want something a little sweeter? Add pomegranate arils for a beautiful jewel tone and satisfying crunch. Or, add sliced strawberries. Sliced strawberries for a sweeter, fruitier flavor.
• Blue Cheese: We know not everyone loves blue cheese. You could use feta for a creamy and salty swap. You could also go with a milder flavor and choose shredded mozzarella or crumbled goat cheese.
• Dried Cranberries: You can easily swap this out with any dried fruit or raisins. You could also add candied pecans or walnuts for added crunch and sweetness.
• Pretzel Rods: You could use breadsticks for a  more refined, classic look. Celery Sticks or Carrot Sticks could also be a healthier, raw vegetable option.

Serving & Enjoying

Present the board as a centerpiece. Guests can use a fork, or simply grab a crisp piece of Romaine, and use the pretzel rods as dippers for the dressing! It’s a fun, interactive, and a healthier addition to any holiday spread.

Other Salad Board Ideas

• Wedge Salad Board
• Cobb Salad Board
• Wild Rice Salad Board