Pear Gorgonzola Fig Dressing (Printable Version)
Pear, gorgonzola, arugula, and spiced nuts are tossed with a vibrant vanilla fig dressing for a festive fall salad.
# Ingredients:
→ Spiced Nuts
01 -
120 g mixture of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and pecans
02 -
30–45 ml pure maple syrup
03 -
0.5 g salt
04 -
1.5 g ground cinnamon
05 -
1.5 g ground cumin
06 -
0.5 g cayenne pepper
→ Vanilla Fig Dressing
07 -
45 ml extra virgin olive oil
08 -
37 ml balsamic vinegar
09 -
30 g fig jam
10 -
2.5 ml pure vanilla extract
11 -
3 g salt
12 -
3 g freshly ground black pepper
→ Salad
13 -
25 g red onion, thinly sliced
14 -
2 ripe pears, sliced
15 -
140 g baby arugula
16 -
85 g pomegranate seeds
17 -
50 g crumbled gorgonzola cheese
18 -
35 g dried currants (or dried cranberries or dried cherries)
# Steps:
01 -
Preheat the oven to 175°C. In a small bowl, combine seeds and nuts with maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, cumin, and cayenne. Toss well to coat. Spread on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 10–15 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven, fluff with a fork, and allow to cool completely.
02 -
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, fig jam, vanilla extract, salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
03 -
In a large bowl, gently combine arugula, red onion, 60 g spiced nuts, pomegranate seeds, dried currants, and gorgonzola. Drizzle with the prepared dressing and toss lightly to coat.
04 -
Carefully fold in sliced pears, mixing gently to keep the fruit intact.
05 -
Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with additional spiced nuts, gorgonzola, and pomegranate seeds as desired. Serve immediately.
# Notes:
01 -
Prepare all salad components ahead and toss with dressing only just before serving for optimal freshness.
02 -
Use only half of the spiced nuts for the salad; reserve the remainder for garnish or snacking.