Pomegranate Salad with Spinach, Kale, Honey Walnuts & Pomegranate Dressing Recipe
A vibrant and nutritious Pomegranate Salad featuring tender marinated kale, fresh baby spinach, crunchy honey-glazed walnuts, tangy blue cheese, juicy pomegranate seeds, and a flavorful pomegranate molasses dressing. This salad combines a mix of textures and flavors, offering a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory elements ideal for a refreshing and healthy meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Greens and Fruits
- 5 big and leafy kale stems (or substitute with baby rocket/arugula, but skip marinating)
- 8 cups (120g/4.5oz) baby spinach (or baby rocket/arugula)
- 1 big juicy pomegranate (or 1 cup pomegranate arils)
- 2 blood oranges (or normal oranges, yellow peach, nectarine, grapefruit for extra color and juiciness, optional)
Cheese and Nuts
- 100g/3.5 oz blue cheese, crumbled
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts or pecans
Honey Walnuts Glaze
- 1/4 cup runny honey (warm if thick) or maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
Dressing
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar or cider vinegar)
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Other
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (for marinating kale)
- Pinch of salt and pepper (for marinating kale)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (or raisins, craisins)
Instructions
- Marinate Kale: Remove the leaves from the kale stems by grabbing the base and running your fist up to strip the leaves. Bundle the leaves on a chopping board and slice into 0.5 cm (1/5 inch) thick strips. Place sliced kale in a bowl, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to scrunch the kale for about 20 seconds to soften and coat it. Let it marinate for 30 minutes until the leaves soften, which improves flavor and texture.
- Prepare Honey Walnuts: In a bowl, toss the walnuts with honey, cinnamon, and salt ensuring they are well coated. Spread the walnuts evenly on a paper-lined baking tray. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 15 minutes, tossing once halfway through for even roasting. After baking, allow the walnuts to cool and then break them into smaller pieces by hand.
- Make Pomegranate Dressing: Combine pomegranate molasses, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a jar. Shake vigorously to fully emulsify and ensure no molasses residue remains at the bottom. Shaking in a jar yields better results than whisking.
- Remove Pomegranate Seeds: Cut the pomegranate in half. Hold a half cut-side down over a bowl and firmly smack the back with a wooden spoon to release the seeds into the bowl. Continue until all seeds are extracted, removing any white pith that falls in. Include any juice collected in the bowl in the dressing for extra flavor.
- Slice Optional Fruit: If using peaches or nectarines, halve, remove the stone, and slice into 4mm (1/6 inch) pieces. For grapefruit or oranges, peel off skin and pith then segment the fruit.
- Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, lightly dress the marinated kale and baby spinach with about 3 tablespoons of the pomegranate dressing and toss thoroughly to coat.
- Layer Salad Ingredients: Pour half the kale and spinach mixture into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle one-third each of honey walnuts, crumbled blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, orange segments (if using), and dried cranberries evenly over the greens.
- Presentation Layer: Top with the remaining kale and spinach, followed by the rest of the walnuts, blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, orange segments, and cranberries. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad just before serving to keep the flavors fresh.
- Serve: Best served freshly assembled to enjoy the textures at their peak. The kale’s robust texture allows this salad to hold up well even the next day without becoming soggy, unlike other leafy salads.
Notes
- Using big leafy kale and marinating it softens the leaves and enhances the flavor, but if substituting with baby rocket/arugula, skip marinating to avoid wilted greens.
- If fresh pomegranate is unavailable, 1 cup of pomegranate arils works well as a substitute.
- Crumbled blue cheese adds a tangy and creamy element; adjust quantity to taste.
- Pomegranate molasses can be found in Middle Eastern markets or specialty stores; it adds a rich tartness and sweetness to the dressing.
- Honey walnuts are roasted to enhance their crunch and flavor; allow to cool completely before breaking to maintain texture.
- Segmented oranges or grapefruit add a burst of freshness and color, but are optional.
- This salad holds up well for leftovers because kale retains its texture after dressing, unlike more delicate greens.
Keywords: Pomegranate salad, Kale salad, Honey walnuts, Blue cheese salad, Healthy salad, Mediterranean salad, Winter salad
