Cranberry Gorgonzola Salad with Mixed Greens
A crisp mix of butter lettuce, Little Gem, and frisée gets tossed with thin-sliced red onion, dried cranberries, toasted walnuts, and creamy crumbles of Gorgonzola. It’s finished with a sharp-sweet Champagne vinaigrette for a tossed salad that’s all crunch, contrast, and flavor.
Servings: 8 Servings
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 5 ounces Butter lettuce 1 package
- 7 ounces Little Gem lettuce 1 head, torn in small pieces
- 2 cups frisée lettuce torn from the center of the head
- ½ medium red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup toasted walnut halves
- 5 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
For the Champagne Vinaigrette:
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pinch ground white pepper or black, freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup Champagne vinegar
- ½ cup walnut oil
Instructions
For the Salad:
- Place the lettuce and frisée greens in a large shallow salad bowl add the onion slices dried cranberries and walnuts. Using the tip of a small paring knife, break the chunk of Gorgonzola into small pieces and add to the salad.
For the Champagne Vinaigrette:
- Add the garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, honey and vinegar to a small dish, pitcher or jelly jar and whisk together to combine.
- Slowly whisk in the walnut oil until the vinaigrette emulsifies. This vinaigrette will keep refrigerated for 1 week stored in a lidded container.
To Serve:
- When ready to serve the salad, drizzle with ⅓ of the vinaigrette and toss to combine.
Notes
Gorgonzola: For cleaner crumbles, keep the cheese cold and break it up with a small paring knife right over the bowl. Blue cheese works as a swap if that’s what you have.
Walnuts: Toasting makes a big difference. Toast in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–5 minutes (stirring often). If you want a sweeter crunch, swap in my Candied Walnuts instead.
Red onion: Slice it paper-thin so it doesn’t overpower the salad. If your onion is extra sharp, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
Dressing amount: Don’t drown the greens. Start with about ⅓ of the vinaigrette, toss, taste, then add more as needed.
Oil swap: Walnut oil adds great flavor, but you can substitute grapeseed, avocado, or a light olive oil. If you swap oils, consider adding a few extra toasted walnuts to keep that nutty note.
Make-ahead: Wash and dry the greens, toast the walnuts, and make the vinaigrette up to 1 week ahead. Store the greens with a paper towel in the container, and dress the salad right before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 311mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 22g
