Insalata Pizzeria Recipe

Prepare spinach

Rinse baby spinach thoroughly in cold water, spin dry in a salad spinner or pat dry with clean kitchen towels. Transfer to a large salad bowl and refrigerate briefly while preparing other components so leaves stay crisp.

Prepare pear

Wash the pear, core it, and thinly slice (about 1/8-inch thick). If you prefer, toss slices immediately with a light squeeze of lemon juice (about 1 tsp) to prevent browning.

Prepare pomegranate

If using fresh pomegranate, cut it open and remove arils. To do this: cut off crown, score the skin into sections, then break apart and tap arils out into a bowl over a sieve to catch juice. Measure 1 cup arils.

Toast walnuts

Heat a small dry skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts and toast, stirring frequently, 3–4 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove to a plate to cool slightly, then roughly chop.

Assemble salad

Add sliced pear, pomegranate arils, and toasted walnuts to the bowl with baby spinach. Crumble the goat cheese evenly over the top but reserve a small amount to finish the salad after tossing if you prefer larger crumbles on top.

In a small bowl or jar, combine red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Whisk or shake until the honey and mustard are fully incorporated.

Slowly whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil in a steady stream (or add to jar and shake vigorously) until the dressing emulsifies and thickens slightly.

Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Taste and adjust: add a touch more honey if you want sweeter, or a pinch more vinegar if you prefer brighter acidity.

Just before serving, drizzle about half the dressing over the salad and gently toss with salad tongs to coat leaves and distribute pears and pomegranate arils. Add more dressing as needed (you may not need all of it).

Transfer salad to a serving platter or keep in the large bowl. Scatter remaining goat cheese crumbles on top for visual contrast, and finish with a final grind of black pepper.

Serve immediately so spinach stays crisp. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated up to 5 days; toss walnuts separately to retain crunch if storing leftovers.