Pear and Fennel Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette
A bright, vibrantly-flavored salad that pairs sweet, juicy pears with crunchy fennel and a sweet-tart pomegranate vinaigrette.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 4 cups baby spinach washed and stemmed
- 2 ripe pears about 1 pound
- 1 fennel bulb ½ to ¾ pound
- ½ cup blanched almonds
- ½ cup feta cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils optional, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons fennel fronds roughly chopped (optional, for garnish)
For the pomegranate vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- fine sea salt to taste see notes
Instructions
Prepare the Vinaigrette:
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the Champagne vinegar, pomegranate molasses, honey, salt, and Dijon mustard until well combined.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously to emulsify the dressing. Add a little more if needed to achieve a smooth, emulsified consistency.
- Taste and adjust your seasoning, adding more salt or honey as needed to balance the flavor.
- As an alternative, you can put all of the ingredients in a jar with a tightly-fitting lid and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds.
Prep your ingredients:
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown and fragrant (about 3-5 minutes). Be careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Remove any tough or damaged outer layers from the fennel bulb. Trim the bottom off of the bulb and slice from the bottom very thinly using a mandoline or a very sharp knife. Remember to protect your hands by using the guard that comes with your mandoline or wearing a cut-resistant glove.
- Cut the pears in half and remove the cores. Slice into ⅛ inch slices. This can also be done on a mandoline if the pears aren't too soft.
Assemble the salad
- In a large salad bowl, combine the baby spinach, sliced pears, and fennel. Drizzle half of the pomegranate vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat the ingredients evenly. Add more to taste, and serve any leftover dressing on the side.
- Sprinkle the toasted almonds and crumbled feta cheese over the salad. Add the pomegranate arils, if using. Enjoy!
Notes
- Pomegranate molasses can be difficult to source. You can make it by boiling 1-½ cups of pomegranate juice and 2 teaspoons of honey or sugar until it is syrupy (about ½ cup). Stir frequently.
- I use fine sea salt in my salad dressing recipes, which is less salty than kosher salt. Start with ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt or ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt. Be sure to taste and adjust your seasoning before serving.
- Champagne vinegar and pomegranate molasses vary dramatically in terms of tartness. If your dressing is too tart, add honey by the teaspoon to balance out the flavor. It will taste very strong until it is on your salad, so don't make it too sweet.
- Pomegranate arils are something of an acquired taste, texture-wise. If you don't enjoy their seedy texture, leave them out.
Nutrition
Calories: 415.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.6g | Protein: 8.2g | Fat: 30.8g | Saturated Fat: 5.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19.4g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 16.7mg | Sodium: 477.7mg | Potassium: 689mg | Fiber: 7.5g | Sugar: 19.6g | Vitamin A: 3004.3IU | Vitamin C: 21.3mg | Calcium: 201.8mg | Iron: 2.3mg
