Winter Green Salad Walnuts (Printable)

A crisp blend of kale, spinach, arugula, pears, walnuts, and citrus dressing for a bright seasonal dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Greens

01 - 3.5 oz baby kale
02 - 3.5 oz baby spinach
03 - 3.5 oz arugula

→ Fruits

04 - 1 large ripe pear, thinly sliced
05 - 1.75 oz pomegranate seeds

→ Nuts & Cheese

06 - 2.6 oz walnut halves
07 - 1.75 oz crumbled goat cheese (optional)

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
09 - 1 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
10 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
11 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
13 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
14 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Toast walnut halves in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until golden and aromatic. Remove and set aside to cool.
02 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, orange juice, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, honey, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
03 - In a large bowl, place baby kale, baby spinach, and arugula and toss lightly to combine.
04 - Incorporate thinly sliced pear and pomegranate seeds into the mixed greens.
05 - Drizzle the prepared dressing evenly over the salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients thoroughly.
06 - Scatter toasted walnuts and optional crumbled goat cheese over the top. Serve immediately to maintain freshness and texture.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • It tastes like sunshine in a bowl when everything outside is cold and dim.
  • The sweetness of pear against peppery arugula wakes up your palate in a way creamy winter food never does.
  • You can toss it together in the time it takes to toast walnuts, no chopping marathon required.
02 -
  • Do not skip toasting the walnuts, raw ones taste chalky and ruin the texture.
  • If you dress the salad more than two minutes before serving, it turns into a soggy mess.
  • Taste the dressing before you pour it, citrus varies wildly and you might need more honey or salt.
03 -
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave the pear into thin ribbons instead of slicing, it looks elegant and distributes better.
  • If your pomegranate seeds taste bland, toss them with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon before adding them to the salad.
  • Make a double batch of dressing and keep it in a jar, it lasts a week and works on roasted vegetables too.

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