Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Pomegranate Walnut Dressing
- 50 g walnuts, shelled and raw
- 45 ml pomegranate juice, unsweetened
- 15 ml pomegranate molasses
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic, peeled
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Salad Base
- 300 g romaine lettuce, washed and dried thoroughly
- 80 g pomegranate seeds, fresh arils
- 30 g red onion
- 15 g fresh cilantro, washed and dried
- 10 g fresh mint, washed and dried
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 199 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 205 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 7 g
- Potassium
- 361 mg
- Calcium
- 57 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 37 mg
- Phosphorus
- 82 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 345 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 7 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 98 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 131 mcg
- Water
- 110 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning, until the nuts are fragrant and slightly darkened. Remove from heat and let cool.
Transfer the cooled walnuts to a food processor. Add the pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, extra virgin olive oil, garlic clove, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Blend continuously until the mixture is entirely smooth and creamy.
Thinly slice the red onion. Place the slices into a small bowl filled with ice water and let them sit for 10 minutes. This process mellows their harsh, raw bite.
Remove the red onions from the ice water. Drain them thoroughly and pat completely dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.
Thoroughly wash and dry the romaine lettuce, then chop it into bite-sized pieces. Roughly chop the fresh cilantro and fresh mint leaves.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, dried red onion slices, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, and half of the pomegranate seeds.
Pour the prepared pomegranate walnut dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss gently but thoroughly to ensure every leaf is lightly coated in the dressing.
Transfer the dressed salad to a serving platter. Scatter the remaining pomegranate seeds over the top for a vibrant garnish, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Pomegranate molasses can vary greatly in sweetness depending on the brand. Taste your finished dressing and whisk in a tiny pinch of sugar if it tastes overwhelmingly tart.
- Toasting the walnuts is essential because it releases their natural oils, softening their texture for blending and deepening their earthy flavor to balance the sharp pomegranate.
- Ensuring your salad greens are completely dry before assembling will prevent the dressing from becoming watered down and slipping off the leaves.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store the dressing in an airtight container completely separate from the greens to prevent wilting.
Troubleshooting
Dressing is too thick or pasty
Cause: Walnuts absorbed too much liquid or the emulsion is too tight
Fix: Whisk in cold water, one teaspoon at a time, until the desired pourable consistency is reached
Prevention: Ensure accurate measurement of walnuts by weight and do not over-blend
Salad greens wilted heavily before serving
Cause: Salad was dressed too far in advance
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Store the heavy dressing separately and toss only immediately before consumption
Cultural Context
Shab-e Yalda is the ancient Iranian festival celebrating the winter solstice, marking the longest night of the year and the triumph of light over darkness. Red foods like pomegranates are central to the celebration, symbolizing the crimson hues of dawn and the enduring glow of life. This salad brings those traditional flavors into a crisp, refreshing modern dish perfect for winter gatherings.
