Spinach, Fennel, and Prosciutto Salad
I originally made this Spinach, Fennel, and Prosciutto Salad for a holiday meal but I love the combination of flavors and now do it all year long; simply use strawberries or raspberries instead of the pomegranate arils.
I don’t publish many salads on my blog but right now, like many of you I’m sure, I’m over the sweetfest that are the holidays. When it was time to select the type of dish I wanted to make for Progressive Eats Mediterranean Feast, I decided this gorgeous salad with prosciutto and pomegranate arils fit the bill perfectly.
Maybe my sub-conscious is still ready to party? Because it is so pretty with the combination of red and green but don’t limit it to one sesaon. I can’t say I’m well versed in the foods of the Mediterranean but if combining spinach, pomegranate, fennel and prosciutto in a salad does the trick, I need to do this more often.
It truly is an amazing combination of color, flavors and textures and really hit the spot for lunch although I could see it working just as well for dinner with some bread and wine served alongside.
I love the crunchy arils that are always available at the end of the year, just in time for the holiday season, but try strawberries or raspberries during the warm weather months; it’s too good to ignore for half a year!
Look for more salads in the coming months. I’m enjoying more time to exercise and watching the foods I eat more carefully as I’m finally able to focus on ME a bit now that my move is done, my house is in relative order and well, the yard work is non existent for the time being.
But for today, it’s all about a Mediterranean Feast. My blogging pals and I have put together such a delicious meal; it’s hard to not wish we could fly from city to city instead of blog to blog and really share this menu ‘in real life.’
I hope you’ll take some time to peruse each blog and add something unique yet scrumptious to your own repertoire. And try this salad. It’s lovely and light and so good I think I need to go have another for dinner. Like right now.
Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a progressive dinner party. This month’s theme is Mediterranean Food and is hosted by Megan Myers who blogs at Stetted. Try something new for the New Year; a mix of appetizers, salads, main dish and desserts all featuring recipes with a Mediterranean look and feel.
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.
Join Us for a Mediterranean Feast
Appetizers
Salad
- Spinach, Fennel, and Prosciutto Salad from Creative Culinary (You’re Here!)
Soup
Main Course
Bread
Veggies/Sides
- Spiced Chickpeas with Feta and Preserved Lemon from Healthy Delicious
- Greek Roasted Lemon Cauliflower and Potatoes with Feta Cheese from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
- Ricotta and Herb Stuffed Eggplant from Lana’s Cooking
Drinks
Dessert
- Vassilopitta (New Year Wish Cake) from girlichef
- Orange Chocolate Olive Oil Marble Cake from Life’s A Feast
PIN ‘Spinach, Prosciutto, Fennel, and Pomegranate Salad’
Spinach, Fennel, and Prosciutto Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups very thinly sliced fennel bulb
- 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 6 cups baby spinach about 4 ounces
- 1 cup thinly sliced green onions
- ¼ cup thinly sliced mint leaves
- 2 3- ounce packages thinly sliced prosciutto torn into strips
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- Toss fennel and 1 Tbsp olive oil in medium bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Combine the remainder of the olive oil with balsamic vinegar, honey and lemon juice and shake vigorously; season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Toss together the greens, green onions and mint and divide among plates.
- Top with fennel, then drape with prosciutto. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over.
- Drizzle outside edge of salad with dressing to serve.
This is wonderful! It’s perfect after the gluttony of the holidays, not to mention that’s one gorgeous salad. I can practically taste the saltiness of the prosciutto, the tartness of those beautiful pomegranate arils and that dressing sounds just lovely. Making this soon!
I was quite addicted Kate and happy to eat one of these every day until my prosciutto ran out!
I don’t usually like raw fennel but I bet this combination of flavors works really well. And you can’t go wrong with prosciutto, right? Happy new year!
I wasn’t sure I would either but the soaking it in salt and oil does soften it a bit and I liked that. Actually I just loved this salad!
This is quite the delicious menu. I love the beauty and the simplicity of your salad!
Thanks Betsy; the menu is amazing and so unique and that includes this salad…my new favorite for sure.
I love pomegranate in salads and I’m totally craving your salad right now. So gorgeous and delicious!
They are my favorite little jewels…and thanks; I LOVE it too! 😉
This salad was custom made for The Artist Barb! Anything with prosciutto will catch his attention, especially when it is combined with vegetables. Count this as a to-do on my menu planning soon LOL. Beautiful photos and love the pops of red! 🙂
I LOVE salads in the summer. It’s nearly 90 today and the humidity is high and I’m miserable. A salad like this would make my day and I’ve got a pomegranate sitting on the counter begging to be used. 🙂
Very sexy salad.
Happy New Year!
You better make it; you will so not be sorry!
Sexy salad! Yes salads are sexy when they photograph like this 😀 Cheers to you finally having some time for yourself!
I’ll take sexy…sounds about perfect for this jewel doesn’t it?
I love how bright and colorful this salad is. I’m hoping to eat better in the new year too.
Funny how our lives focus so much on food but sometimes how it’s all about everyone else when what I need is pushed away. I make treats that go to neighbors now that my kids are grown…I need to make treats I can eat that are healthy that I can share on the blog!
I love this flavor combination, Barb! The bright pomegranate with the rich buttery prosciutto and the almost minty fennel. What a nice change from heavy winter dishes. Like a palate cleanser for the heart that can’t wait for springtime.
It is a salad that represents me…I can’t wait for springtime. Enough with winter!
I love the vibrant colors in this salad, it’s so inviting! And hey, you can (p)omegranate me to death all you want – love them. 😉
Thanks Heather…and thanks. Here’s to you and pomegranates! 🙂