If your holidays are anything like mine, meals are a celebration of bold flavors. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day we fill the table with seafood, pasta, and Italian classics — and every year everyone waits for one special offering.
That offering is the salad.
This recipe is inspired by Aunt Suzanne’s marinated antipasto. It’s not technically her exact recipe, but it follows the same idea: bright, herby vegetables and cheese marinated in a lemony Italian dressing until everything melds together.
It’s so popular that years ago our family decided Aunt Suzanne would be responsible for salad at every holiday gathering. She brings it on Christmas Eve and it disappears first. If you need other sides to pair with this, check my Top 10 Holiday Dishes that complement it beautifully.
Below I explain why this method works and how you can make it ahead for any party.
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👝 How to Store Leftovers
Keep leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container. The salad is ready to eat straight from the fridge — just give it a quick stir if the dressing has settled.
The secret sauce: make the dressing in the container, then marinate everything overnight
Rather than tossing greens at the last minute, make the dressing directly in a tall container, add the chopped vegetables and cheeses, seal it, and refrigerate overnight. This turns the vegetables from merely dressed to fully marinated in a lemony, herby, slightly sweet Italian sauce.
The next day you can spoon the mix over greens, toss it with cooked tortellini, or serve it family-style. The flavors develop overnight and the texture stays bright and fresh.
You’ll want a 32‑ounce deli container with a tight‑fitting lid — big enough to hold the dressing and ingredients without spills, and tall enough to stir or shake easily.
Below is the exact method, with helpful notes for small tweaks.
How to Serve It (The Holiday Way)
When you’re ready to serve:
- Spoon the marinated vegetables and dressing over a large bowl of fresh greens, toss with cooked cheese tortellini for a hearty pasta salad, or serve it spread over a mix of whipped cream cheese and feta as a savory dip.
- Alternatively, serve it family-style with crusty bread on the side and let guests help themselves.
This salad is bright, herby, and balances richer holiday dishes nicely. It’s a staple at our Christmas meals and pairs especially well with seafood on Christmas Eve.
What We Serve This With at Christmas
At our house this salad appears every Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, typically alongside:
- Sicilian Shrimp Pasta
- Shrimp Oreganato
- Other family favorites from my Top 10 Christmas Recipes
If you’re bringing a dish to a party, this marinated salad trick is a guaranteed hit — no soggy lettuce, no last‑minute tossing, and everyone asks for the recipe.
🤔 Common Questions
Yes. This salad is meant to be made ahead. For the best flavor refrigerate it at least 6–8 hours; overnight is ideal so the ingredients have time to marinate together.
Stored in an airtight container, it keeps well for 3–4 days. Stir before serving since the dressing can settle.
Aunt Suzanne’s Italian Marinated Salad (Holiday Version)
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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1 32 ounce deli container with a tight lid
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1 cup good extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup total acid — fresh lemon juice plus red wine vinegar to equal ½ cup
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
Herbs
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fresh basil, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, sliced in half
The Veggies & Add-Ins
- ¼ cup finely diced celery
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 6–7 ounces fresh mozzarella, cubed
- 1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- ¼ cup diced red onion
Instructions
Start with the dressing
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In a 32-ounce deli container, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar. Seal and shake or stir until blended.
Taste & adjust
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If it’s too sharp, add a little more sugar. If it tastes flat, add a pinch more salt. Getting the balance right is key.
Add the herbs
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Stir in oregano, chopped basil, and parsley, plus the halved garlic clove.
Add the vegetables and cheese
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Add the celery, quartered cherry tomatoes, cubed mozzarella, chopped artichokes, and diced red onion. Pack the container so everything will marinate together; if it feels too full, reserve a bit of the artichokes.
Seal & chill
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Close the lid tightly and refrigerate for at least 6–8 hours, preferably overnight, so the flavors develop.
How to serve
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Spoon the marinated mix over fresh greens and toss, stir it into cooked cheese tortellini, or serve as a dip over whipped cream cheese and feta. You can also serve it family-style with crusty bread.