Best Spinach Blue Cheese Salad With Walnut Dressing Recipes

SPINACH SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Place dressing ingredients in a sealed jar or cruet and shake well to mix.
• Toss all the salad ingredients to mix well.
• Do not add dressing until just before serving.

SPINACH SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Soak the red onion in a small bowl of ice water, about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
• Meanwhile, make the croutons: Mash the anchovies with a fork. Combine the olive oil, mashed anchovies, 1 grated garlic clove and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Add the torn bread and toss with your hands until the bread absorbs the oil. Spread on a baking sheet and bake, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool.
• Whisk the buttermilk, sour cream, blue cheese, vinegar, parsley, the remaining grated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl until combined. Add the spinach, lettuce, cucumber, red onion and croutons; toss well.

BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUT SALAD WITH MAPLE DRESSING

Steps:

• Place spinach on a large platter.
• Top with blue cheese and walnuts.
• Warm maple syrup in a small saucepan.
• pour vinegar into a small bowl.
• Whisk oil into vinegar in a slow stream.
• Whisk maple syrup into dressing in a slow stream.
• pour dressing down over the salad platter and serve.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUT SALAD WITH MAPLE DRESSING

Steps:

• Place spinach on a large platter. Top with blue cheese and walnuts. Warm maple syrup in a small saucepan. Pour vinegar into a small bowl. Whisk oil into vinegar in a slow stream. Whisk maple syrup into dressing in a slow stream. Pour dressing down over the salad platter and serve. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.

SPINACH, PORTABELLA, BACON & BLUE CHEESE IN WALNUT DRESSING

Steps:

• For Dressing: Whisk together all ingredients. Season w/salt + pepper as desired & set aside.
• For Salads:.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Toss 1/4 cup walnuts w/1 tsp powd sugar. Place on baking sheet & bake 6-8 min, stirring occ. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Set aside to cool.
• Combine spinach, sliced mushrooms & crumbled bacon in a lrg bowl. Add dressing & toss to coat.
• Divide mixture onto 6 salad plates & sprinkle w/toasted walnuts + crumbled blue cheese. Serve immediately.
• NOTE #1: I frankly did not notice that much of a distinction between the plain walnuts mixed w/the dressing & the toasted & slightly sweetened walnuts atop the salad. For that reason, I will likely just combine the 1/2 cup walnuts w/the dressing, add the tsp of powd sugar for a hint of sweetness & eliminate the toasting step.
• Note #2: As an option, feel free to sub pecans in this recipe or even use pine nuts which I think work very well w/spinach salads.
• Note #3: For those of you (like me) who do not keep red wine vinegar in your pantry, make your own using a 1:3 ratio. For this recipe using 1/4 cup, that would be 1 tbsp red wine mixed w/3 tbsp white vinegar. Too easy, huh?

APPLE, PEAR, AND SPINACH SALAD WITH WALNUTS AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the shallot, vinegar, mustard, thyme, honey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a grind or two of pepper. Continue to whisk as you drizzle in the olive oil. Dip a spinach leaf into the dressing and taste. Add more vinegar or salt as needed. Set aside.
• Put the pear and apple in a large bowl, drizzle the lemon juice over them, and toss gently until the slices are evenly coated. Add the spinach and all but a tablespoon each of the walnuts and cheese, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the dressing. Toss and taste the salad. Add more dressing or vinegar, salt, and pepper as needed. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts and cheese over the salad.