• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Inside The Rustic Kitchen
  • Recipe Index
  • FREE Italian Food Club
  • Tips & Tricks
  • About Us & Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • My Recipe Box
  • About us
  • Subscribe!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Salads

    A Winter Salad - Spinach, Apple, Gorgonzola & Candied Walnuts

    Published: Jan 6, 2018, Last updated: May 22, 2020 by Emily This post may contain affiliate links.

    100666 shares
    • Facebook10
    • Yummly
    • Reddit
    Recipe Print

    A flavour packed Winter salad made with baby spinach, red apple, creamy Gorgonzola cheese and candied walnuts that are crunchy, sweet and spicy. This is a salad that's sure to keep those winter blues far, far away with salty, streaky, smoked pancetta and little sprinkles of pomegranate.

    A Winter salad...

    A winter salad made with spinach, gorgonzola cheese, apple and candied walnuts

    Needs cheese.

    Oh yes, a creamy, silky smooth, blue cheese, no other than Gorgonzola.

    The dressing for this salad is inspired by The Essentials Of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.

    Now this book, for anyone that loves Italian food is a must have and if you don't have it then you need to run out and buy it asap. It goes into SO much depth and detail when it comes to Italian cooking and it will never leave my side, ever.

    Now, I'll be honest this gorgonzola dressing looks a bit odd but it tastes incredible!

    And yes,  this salad isn't Italian but it's a mix of flavours that I love and it's so worth making this winter.

    A winter salad served on a large plate on a wooden surface

    What makes a perfect Winter Salad?

    A good winter salad has to have a good balance of sweet and savoury flavours.

    Colours of red and green should always be seen as far as I'm concerned and like any salad, it needs to be exciting and utterly delicious.

    PLUS easy peasy to put together.

    This Winter salad ticks all the boxes and makes taking down the Christmas tree that little bit more bearable *sniff sniff*.

    How to make this Winter Salad With Spinach, Apple, Gorgonzola & Candied Walnuts

    First, make the candied walnuts. These babies are pretty hard to resist and make a pretty delicious and totally addictive snack all on their own.

    Add butter, sugar, chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), paprika, pinch of salt and the walnut halves in a pan under a medium heat.

    Let the butter and sugar melt and dissolve together for a couple of minutes, stir to coat the walnuts evenly then transfer them immediately to a sheet of baking paper. Separate the walnuts so they don't stick together and set them aside.

    step by step photos for making a winter salad dressing

    Next, place the streaky bacon or pancetta under a hot grill and grill on both sides until crispy, drain on kitchen paper and set aside.

    The dressing

    Add the olive oil and vinegar to a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper and whisk together until completely homogenized.

    Add the Gorgonzola and mash it with a fork (I know what you're thinking here but stick with me ok, it's just cheese!)

    Add the baby spinach and toss until it's evenly coated in the dressing.

    Assemble the Winter Salad

    Divide the dressed spinach in serving bowls and top with equal amounts of apple, gorgonzola, pomegranate, walnuts and pancetta. Finish with a sprinkling of pepper and serve.

    a close of a winter salad made with apple, spinach, pomegranate and gorgonzola

    Top tips for making this Winter Salad

    • You can make the candied walnuts in advance and store them in a sealed container (also make extra for snacking on).
    • Bring the gorgonzola out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before making the dressing (the longer the better) so it's easier to blend with the other ingredients.
    • Don't worry if the dressing is lumpy if you prefer you can blitz it in a food processor or blender.
    • Any sweet red apple will work well and green apples will work well as a substitute as long as you go for a sweet one and not tart.

    More simple salads to try

    • Arugula Salad with lemon and Parmesan
    • Italian Tuna Potato Salad
    • Zucchini ribbon salad
    • Watermelon basil salad with mint and goats cheese

    Let me know if you've tried this winter salad recipe or any other recipe on the blog then let me know how you got on in the comments below don’t forget to rate the recipe, I love hearing from you! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more delicious food and what I'm getting up to.

    Step By Step Photos AboveMost of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
    Save RecipeSaved!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin
    5 from 8 votes

    A winter salad - spinach, apple, gorgonzola and candied walnuts

    A flavour packed Winter salad made with baby spinach, red apple, creamy Gorgonzola cheese and candied walnuts.
    Course Main Course, Salad
    Cuisine Italian
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 692kcal
    Author Emily Kemp

    Ingredients

    • 7 oz (200g) spinach
    • 1 red delicious apple thinly sliced
    • 4.5 oz (130g) gorgonzola at room temperature
    • ½ pomegranate , arils removed
    • 5.2 oz (150g) streaky bacon or pancetta strips (2 slices per person)
    • 5 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
    • 1 cup (80g) walnts halves
    • 3 tablespoon sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes (red pepper flakes)
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • 1 oz (30g) Butter
    • salt and pepper

    Instructions

    • Add the walnut halves, sugar, chilli flakes, paprika, pinch of salt and butter in a small pan. Let the sugar and butter melt together for a couple of minutes, stir to coat the walnuts, make sure the sugar doesn’t burn.
    • Transfer the walnuts straight away to a sheet of baking paper and separate the walnuts so they don’t stick together, set aside.
    • Place the bacon or pancetta under a hot grill and grill until crispy on each side, drain on kitchen paper.
    • To make the dressing put the olive and vinegar in a large mixing bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk together until homogenized. Add half the of gorgonzola and mash it with a fork until it’s mixed in with the rest of the dressing (there will be a few lumps but don’t be discouraged).
    • Add the spinach to the dressing, toss the spinach until it’s evenly coated in the dressing.
    • Divide the dressed spinach in serving bowls then top with equal amounts of apple, gorgonzola, pomegranate, bacon pieces and walnuts. Top with a grinding of pepper and serve.

    Notes

    • Don't worry about the look of the dressing. it works.
    • The Gorgonzola must be at room temperature (very important).
    • Cut or tear the bacon or pancetta into smaller pieces before sprinkling over the salad.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 692kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 798mg | Potassium: 657mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 5270IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 2mg
    Helpful Info for All Recipes
    • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
    • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
    • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
    • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
    • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
    • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
    • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
    Did you try this recipe?Mention @insidetherustickitchen or tag #insidetherustickitchen! We'd love you see what you're getting up to in the kitchen!

    More Salads

    • Mozzarella bocconcini in a bowl with basil pesto and tomatoes
      Mozzarella Bocconcini, Pesto and Sun Blushed Tomatoes
    • An arugula salad in a large serving bowl with shavings of parmesan
      Arugula Salad with lemon and Parmesan
    • An overhead shot of a tuna potato salad in a large serving bowl
      Italian Tuna Potato Salad
    • Chickpea Tuna Salad

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Zosia

      January 19, 2021 at 9:55 am

      Do I put the walnuts in the oven on this baking sheet ?

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        January 19, 2021 at 10:36 am

        They don't go in the oven just on a baking sheet to cool and harden.

        Reply
      • Jen

        December 26, 2021 at 12:49 am

        Not to be too dramatic, but this is the most delicious salad ever created. 5 stars is not enough.5 stars

        Reply
    2. Ann

      January 10, 2018 at 12:29 am

      Can dressing be made ahead

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        January 11, 2018 at 1:21 pm

        Hi Ann, the Gorgonzola needs to be a room temperature for the dressing and it probably wouldn't work well if it was put back in the fridge. You could mix the rest of the dressing ingredients in advance then add the cheese when you're ready to serve. Hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Deanna

      January 06, 2018 at 9:24 pm

      Beautiful salad! Looks so good!

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        January 08, 2018 at 10:47 pm

        Thanks Deanna.

        Reply
    4. Veena Azmanov

      January 06, 2018 at 8:59 pm

      I love a good salad and I love adding fruits to my salad. This sounds so refreshing and light.5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        January 08, 2018 at 10:47 pm

        Thanks so much Veena!

        Reply
    5. Helene

      January 06, 2018 at 8:00 pm

      I find the pictures useful on how you make the dressing with the blue cheese. Kind of reassuring. I think I would enjoy this quietly when nobody is around at home. =D5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        January 08, 2018 at 10:49 pm

        Ha yes, the dressing is uuugly but SO delicious. Thanks Helene 🙂

        Reply
    6. Jen

      January 06, 2018 at 7:29 pm

      Holy moly, this salad is beautiful! The textures and salty/sweet flavors sound incredible.5 stars

      Reply
      • Inside the rustic kitchen

        January 08, 2018 at 10:49 pm

        Thanks so much Jen.

        Reply
        • Phyllis

          November 30, 2022 at 4:22 pm

          Can you use Feta cheese in place of Gorgonzola/Blue Cheese?

        • Emily

          December 01, 2022 at 3:47 pm

          Not for the dressing but you can crumble some into the salad.

    7. Natalie

      January 06, 2018 at 7:22 pm

      This salad looks so delicious and perfect for dinner!5 stars

      Reply
    8. Ginny

      January 06, 2018 at 7:00 pm

      That's the most inviting winter salad I've ever seen.5 stars

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Ciao, we're Emily and Nathan. Our years living in Italy taught us how to cook authentic and delicious Italian food. We're here to help you put a beautiful meal on the table with tried and tested recipes you can trust. more about us!

    As seen in

    A collage of high profile online publication logos

    Popular Recipes

    • an overhead shot of a tiramisu in a dish with a slice out
      Tiramisu - Authentic Recipe!
    • Mushroom Ravioli With Parmesan Cream Sauce
    • Eggplant Parmigiana (Parmigiana di Melanzane)
    • Close up of an Italian beef ragu in a bowl
      Italian Beef Ragu - A Classic Recipe
    • An overhead shot of lobster ravioli in a bowl
      Lobster Ravioli with Vodka Cream Sauce
    • Italian tomato sauce in a saucepan with two slices of ciabatta bread
      Authentic Italian Tomato Sauce - Quick, Easy & Delicious

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us & Contact
    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • Accessibility Statement

    My Recipe Box

    • Sign up for email updates and save all your favourite recipes!

    Recipes

    • Pasta
    • Mains
    • Desserts

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    Copyright © 2022 Inside the Rustic Kitchen

    • 10
    100666 shares