Does it mean anything to you if I say “Dixie Salad”?

A Pioneer Recipe that was made from the fruit that was available to them in the fall

If you’re from Southern Utah (I’m talking 4+ generations) you have had Dixie Salad, and it’s most likely one of your favorites! For my house, Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without Dixie Salad! You’ll also find one on our dinner table often, any other time of the year there are pomegranates around!

So what is Dixie Salad?

Pomegranates are what make Dixie Salad different from any other “fruit salad”. The original Dixie Salad was made by the pioneers who settled Southern Utah. Southern Utah was nicknamed “Dixie” and that is where the name came from.

They used what was available when it was Thanksgiving. An “original Dixie Salad” contains, Chopped Apples, Pecans, Raisins, Pomegranate, all covered in fresh sweetened whipped cream.

It’s not what it used to be!

Today you’ll find different variations from table to table. The most common add ins to Dixie Salad are, pineapple chunks, sliced bananas, grapes, and marshmallows. I add pineapple, and sometimes the bananas (they brown if not all eaten the first serving). Grapes, and marshmallows take it too far for me. I will still eat it, I just push the marshmallow and grapes to the side. And, don’t skimp and try to substitute cool whip for the fresh thick whipped cream!

If I had to choose 2 things to eat for Thanksgiving it would be Dixie Salad and Million Dollar Yams. If I had to choose only 1, it would be Dixie Salad! It really is that good!

My husbands family lives just a couple hours away, but they had never heard of Dixie Salad. They know that I will ALWAYS show up with it, even if I wasn’t assigned. My kids would be just as upset as I would be to not have it at Thanksgiving dinner.

Is a pomegranate a pomegranate?

Pomegranates grow in 2 variety’s around here, Wonderful/POM (dark red seeds), and Dixie Sweets! The ones you’ll find in the store, are Wonderful/POM, and they’re tart (also be careful they stain)! The Dixie Sweets are pink inside and they’re just like they sound, sweet!

In the home I grew up in, our back yard neighbor had a red bush. Any of the pomegranates that grew on our side of the fence we got to pick. I loved them, but when I moved into a home with sweet pomegranate bushes I was SO excited! Our kids would go pick pomegranates and sit on the trampoline peeling and eating seeds for hours in the fall! My kids are mixed on which ones they like best, but don’t complain as long as there’s a Dixie Salad to eat.

So let’s get to making this Dixie Salad shall we?!

One of the reasons I like to add pineapple chunks (I do love pineapple in it), is to use the juice to soak the apples, and bananas in, to help them from not getting so brown. For that reason, I like to start by opening the pineapple, draining the juice into a bowl, and adding the chopped apples into the juice, making sure all apples all coated. If you’re using bananas, do the same with them. Using a slotted spoon, remove the fruit from the juice and place in a serving bowl.

Add in chopped pecan, raisins, pomegranates, and any other add ins you’d like.

Mix the whipping cream (tip…measure your cream and place it in the freezer 30 minutes before whipping and it will whip faster/easier). Mix until it reaches a stiff peak (if you lift your beaters out of the whipped cream, it should create peaks that stay put!).

Add your whipped cream to your fruit and fold it in. Mmmm I’m so glad I have all of the ingredients to make this right now, because I can almost taste this just talking about it!

Cover and place in fridge til serving. I recommend not putting everything together til an hour or two before serving. If adding bananas, add 30 min before serving.

Dixie Salad (pomegranate salad)

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• Author: Lisa
• Prep Time: 30
• Total Time: 30
• Yield: 10 1x
• Category: Salad/Side
• Method: No cooking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

3 medium apples

½ cup roughly chopped pecans

¼ cup raisins

2 pomegranates shelled – 1 cup kernels

1½ cups cream, whipped and sweetened with 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla

Additional add ins (I use pineapple, and banana)

• pineapple chunks
• 2 bananas sliced
• grapes cut in ½
• mini marshmallows

 

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Instructions

Chop apples in bite size pieces

If using pineapple, soak apple pieces in pineapple juice

If using bananas, also soak in pineapple juice

Roughly chop pecans

With hand or stand mixer, mix whipped cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla til forms stiff peaks

Combine all ingredients folding the whipped cream in.

Cover and place in fridge until serving

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