Pomegranate Salad with Spinach, Kale, Honey Walnuts & Pomegranate Dressing Recipe

Introduction

This vibrant pomegranate salad combines tender baby spinach and marinated kale with sweet honey walnuts and a tangy pomegranate dressing. Packed with fresh fruit, crunchy nuts, and tangy blue cheese, it’s a colorful, flavorful dish that’s perfect for any season.

Ingredients

• 5 kale stems (big and leafy; substitute baby rocket/arugula but skip marinating)
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 big, juicy pomegranate (or 1 cup pomegranate arils)
• 8 cups (120g/4.5oz) baby spinach (or baby rocket/arugula)
• 100g/3.5oz blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (or raisins, craisins)
• 2 blood oranges (or normal oranges, yellow peach, nectarine, or grapefruit for extra color and juiciness)
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts or pecans
• 1/4 cup honey (runny; warm if thick, or use maple syrup)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 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 each salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Remove kale leaves by grabbing the base of each stem and running your fist up to strip off the leaves. Discard the stalks.
2. Step 2: Bundle the kale leaves on a chopping board and slice them into 0.5 cm (about 1/5 inch) thick strips.
3. Step 3: Place the sliced kale in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to scrunch the leaves for about 20 seconds to soften and coat them. Let it marinate for 30 minutes.
4. Step 4: For the honey walnuts, put walnuts in a bowl. Drizzle with honey, then sprinkle cinnamon and salt. Mix well and spread on a baking tray lined with paper.
5. Step 5: Bake walnuts at 180°C (350°F) or 160°C fan for 15 minutes, tossing halfway through. Let cool, then break into smaller pieces by hand.
6. Step 6: Make the dressing by combining pomegranate molasses, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a jar. Shake vigorously until well combined and no molasses remains at the bottom.
7. Step 7: To remove pomegranate seeds, cut fruit in half. Hold cut side down over a bowl and firmly tap the back with a wooden spoon until all seeds fall out. Remove any white pith. Save any juice for the dressing.
8. Step 8: If using, slice blood oranges or other chosen fruit. For peaches or nectarines, halve, stone, and cut into 4mm (1/6 inch) slices. For citrus, peel and segment.
9. Step 9: Dress the greens lightly by placing kale and spinach in a large bowl. Drizzle about 3 tablespoons of dressing and toss well.
10. Step 10: In a large serving bowl, layer half of the kale and spinach. Sprinkle with one third each of walnuts, blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, orange segments, and dried cranberries.
11. Step 11: Top with remaining kale and spinach, then the remaining walnuts, blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, orange segments, and cranberries. Drizzle the rest of the dressing over just before serving.
12. Step 12: Serve immediately for the freshest taste. The salad holds up well for leftovers because kale stays crisp and flavorful even after dressing.

Tips & Variations

• Use baby rocket or arugula instead of kale for a milder green; skip marinating if using these.
• Maple syrup is a great substitute for honey if you prefer a vegan option.
• Toast the walnuts lightly before baking to deepen their flavor.
• Add sliced avocado or roasted sweet potato for extra creaminess and heartiness.

Storage

Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The kale helps the salad stay crisp longer, but other ingredients may soften. For best flavor, add dressing just before serving if storing separately. Reheat is not recommended since it is a fresh salad.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I prepare the salad in advance?

You can prep components like marinating kale, roasting nuts, and making dressing a day ahead. Assemble and dress the salad just before serving to maintain freshness and texture.

What can I use if I don’t have pomegranate molasses?

If you don’t have pomegranate molasses, substitute with a mixture of balsamic vinegar and a small amount of honey or maple syrup to mimic the sweet-tart flavor.

Pomegranate Salad with Spinach, Kale, Honey Walnuts & Pomegranate Dressing Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 50 reviews

A vibrant and nutritious Pomegranate Salad featuring marinated kale and baby spinach, crowned with honey-roasted walnuts, blue cheese, dried cranberries, and fresh pomegranate arils. Tossed in a tangy pomegranate molasses dressing, this salad offers a balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors, perfect for a refreshing, healthy meal or side dish.

• Author: Yana
• Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes marinating kale and 15 minutes baking walnuts)
• Cook Time: 15 minutes (for baking walnuts)
• Total Time: 65 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Mediterranean
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Greens

• 5 big kale stems (big and leafy; substitute baby rocket/arugula but skip marinating)
• 8 cups (120g/4.5oz) baby spinach (or baby rocket/arugula)
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Fruits & Nuts

• 1 big juicy pomegranate (or 1 cup pomegranate arils)
• 2 blood oranges (or normal oranges, yellow peach, nectarine, or grapefruit; optional for extra color and juiciness)
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (or raisins, craisins)

Dressing

• 1/4 cup honey (runny; warm if super thick, or substitute with maple syrup)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 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 black pepper

Cheese

• 100g/3.5 oz blue cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1. Marinate the Kale: Remove the leaves from the kale stems by grabbing the base of the stalk and running your fist upward to strip the leaves. Bundle the leaves on a chopping board and slice into 0.5 cm (1/5″) thick strips. Place sliced kale into a bowl, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Using your hands, scrunch the kale leaves for about 20 seconds to soften and coat them well. Let them marinate for 30 minutes until soft and more flavorful.
2. Prepare Honey Walnuts: Place walnuts in a bowl, drizzle them with 1/4 cup runny honey, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/8 tsp salt. Mix well to coat evenly, then spread the walnuts out on a paper-lined baking tray.
3. Bake Walnuts: Bake walnuts at 180°C (350°F) or 160°C fan-forced for 15 minutes, tossing once halfway through for even baking. Remove from oven, let cool, then break walnuts into smaller pieces with your fingers.
4. Make Pomegranate Dressing: In a jar, combine pomegranate molasses, red wine vinegar, olive oil, honey (from the walnuts step), salt, pepper, and any pomegranate juice collected. Shake vigorously until all ingredients are blended well and no molasses settles at the bottom.
5. Remove Pomegranate Seeds: Cut the pomegranate in half. Hold one half cut side down over a bowl, then firmly smack the back with a wooden spoon to dislodge seeds. Continue all around until all seeds are extracted, picking out any white pith. Collect any juice and add to the dressing.
6. Slice Additional Fruit (Optional): For peaches or nectarines, halve and remove the stone, then slice into 4 mm (1/6″) slices. For grapefruit or oranges, carefully remove peel and pith and segment the fruit.
7. Assemble the Salad: Lightly dress the kale and baby spinach in a large bowl with about 3 tablespoons of the pomegranate dressing; toss well to combine.
8. Layer the Salad: Transfer half of the dressed greens to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle evenly with one-third of the honey walnuts, crumbled blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, orange or other fruit segments, and dried cranberries.
9. Finish Presentation: Top with the remaining greens, then evenly scatter the remaining walnuts, blue cheese, pomegranate seeds, fruit segments, and dried cranberries. Drizzle the rest of the dressing over the top just before serving.
10. Serve: This salad is best eaten freshly assembled but holds up well due to the hearty kale leaves, which remain crisp and not soggy even the next day.

Notes

• The kale marinade step is skipped if using more delicate greens like baby rocket or arugula to avoid wilting.
• You can use pomegranate arils bought pre-packaged to save time.
• Crumbled blue cheese adds a creamy tang; other cheeses can be substituted based on preference.
• Pomegranate molasses is key for the distinctive dressing flavor; use quality molasses for best results.
• Honey walnuts provide a sweet crunch; maple syrup is a good vegan alternative.
• If desired, substitute dried cranberries with raisins or craisins.
• Additional fruit options like grapefruit, yellow peaches, nectarines, or oranges add color and freshness.

Keywords: pomegranate salad, kale salad, honey walnuts, blue cheese salad, pomegranate dressing, healthy salad, autumn salad