Description
A vibrant and flavorful Spinach Salad combining the freshness of baby spinach with the sweet notes of figs and candied walnuts, balanced by creamy Gorgonzola cheese and savory prosciutto, all tossed in a luscious fig and balsamic dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
Candied Walnuts
- 10 Walnuts
- 50 g Granulated sugar (¼ cup)
Salad
- 200 g Baby spinach (7 oz)
- 2 Figs dried, sliced (optional: fresh figs)
- 1 Pear, diced (medium size)
- 100 g Gorgonzola cheese (3.5 oz) (optional: Blue cheese)
- 4 slices Prosciutto
Fig Dressing
- 2 Dried figs
- 2 tsp Honey
- 50 ml Balsamic vinegar (¼ cup)
- 150 ml Olive oil (⅔ cup) (or sunflower oil)
Instructions
- Prepare Candied Walnuts: Start by melting the sugar in a pan over low heat. Once the sugar has melted completely and turned into caramel, add the walnuts and stir continuously until they are fully coated in the caramelized sugar.
- Cool Candied Walnuts: Spread the coated walnuts out on baking paper. Use two forks to separate any walnuts stuck together to ensure they cool individually. Place them in the refrigerator to harden while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Make Fig Dressing: Slice the dried figs into smaller pieces suitable for blending. In a blender, combine the sliced figs, honey, and balsamic vinegar. Blend until smooth and uniform in texture.
- Incorporate Olive Oil: Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the fig mixture while blending intermittently, creating a smooth and creamy dressing.
- Assemble the Salad: Slice the additional dried figs into thin slices. Dice the pear and Gorgonzola cheese into small cubes. In a large bowl, combine the baby spinach, sliced figs, candied walnuts, diced pear, and Gorgonzola cheese.
- Toss Salad with Dressing: Pour the fig dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently to ensure all components are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Add Prosciutto: Finally, arrange the prosciutto slices on top of the tossed salad as a savory garnish before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh figs if available for a fresher flavor.
- Blue cheese can be used in place of Gorgonzola if preferred.
- For a nut-free version, omit walnuts or substitute with seeds such as pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- Ensure to separate candied walnuts while cooling to prevent clumping.
- Adjust the honey quantity in the dressing according to desired sweetness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Spinach salad, Gorgonzola, figs, candied walnuts, prosciutto, fig dressing, healthy salad, Italian salad
