Baby Spinach Salad With Pears, Red Onions, Cranberries, and Toasted Hazelnuts Recipe

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Jennifer Segal

Tender greens, juicy pears, crimson cranberries and toasted hazelnuts make a festive salad to start all those special holiday meals. Be sure to soak the onions in water as directed—it takes away the unpleasant raw onion taste.

Recipe adapted from The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan

Recipe Details

Baby Spinach Salad With Pears, Red Onions, Cranberries, and Toasted Hazelnuts Recipe

Total 20 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard

  • 2 teaspoons sugar

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad:

  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions

  • 1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries

  • 8 cups lightly packed fresh baby spinach leaves, stemmed if needed

  • 2 firm but ripe pears (do not peel), quartered lengthwise, cored and cut into long, thin slices

  • 2/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Directions

  1. To make the dressing, in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, and sugar. Cover tightly and shake to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

  2. Place the onions in a medium bowl and cover with water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain well and pat dry on paper towels.

  3. To assemble the salad, place the spinach, onions, and pears in a large bowl. Give the dressing a last-minute shake and pour, little by little, over the salad until greens are adequately dressed. Toss to coat evenly, then taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper. Arrange the salad in a large serving bowl and scatter the cranberries and hazelnuts over the top. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
359 Calories
27g Fat
30g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 359
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 27g 35%
Saturated Fat 3g 16%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 151mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 5g 18%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 15mg 77%
Calcium 71mg 5%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 445mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)