Prosciutto Salad
This Prosciutto Salad recipe features a symphony of tastes and textures from fresh lettuce greens, succulent figs, pleasantly salty prosciutto, toasted walnuts, and creamy Gorgonzola. Paired with fig balsamic dressing, it’s perfect as an appetizer, side, or entree salad.
It’s been over a decade since we celebrated our anniversary at Wahoo! Grill in Decatur, GA, and I’ve been craving the prosciutto salad I ordered that night ever since. That said, I crafted my own version without knowing the restaurant’s official recipe, and it’s pretty close to perfect!
Instead of searing the prosciutto until crispy, this salad showcases prosciutto cold cuts on a bed of tender greens with juicy fresh figs, crunchy nuts, and decadent cheese. However, the star of this salad is the homemade fig balsamic dressing. It’s easy to make with simple ingredients and just so da*n good!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Well-balanced flavor. The sweet figs and salty prosciutto create a heavenly blend of tantalizing tastes.
- Textural contrast. You get an irresistible blend of crispy prosciutto, creamy gorgonzola, and crunchy toasted walnuts in every bite.
- THE DRESSING! The fig balsamic dressing adds a touch of gourmet goodness to impress guests and yourself!
- Adaptable. You can enjoy it as a side or entree salad and easily modify the ingredients to make it your own.
- Restaurant-quality. This simple yet impressive salad recipe is perfect for elegant dinner events and everyday meals.
Ingredients you’ll need
For the salad:
- Lettuce blend. This salad is best with a gourmet blend of arugula, spinach, and spring mix, but you can use other types of lettuce and leafy greens based on preference.
- Fresh figs. Figs add a soft, tender texture and a sweet, berry-like flavor. They are typically available during their peak season in late summer and early fall. Select slightly firm figs with a sweet aroma, indicating the ideal ripeness. If you can’t find fresh figs, dried figs are also great.
- Prosciutto. It provides a pleasantly savory, salty, meaty element contrasting the fresh greens, fruit, and veggies.
- Gorgonzola. It adds a rich, creamy, tangy dimension to complement the delicate fresh greens.
- Walnuts. Toasted walnuts provide a nutty crunch and a source of healthy fats, antioxidants, and protein. Almonds or pecans are also great here.
For the dressing:
- Shallot. Substitute finely minced red or white onions if you don’t have shallots.
- Olive oil. It provides a smooth, rich dressing base.
- Balsamic vinegar. Good quality balsamic vinegar provides a pleasantly sweet and tangy acidic element.
- Fig preserves. This adds a sweet and fruity depth of flavor to balance out the acidity. You can substitute apricot, raspberry, or grape preserves for a similar fruity sweetness.
- Salt and pepper. To taste.
How to make prosciutto salad
Step 1: Sauté shallots. Sauté the minced shallot with olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until soft and fragrant. Feel free to throw in the prosciutto here if you want it crispy.
Step 2: Mix salad dressing. Transfer the shallots to a jar, add the remaining dressing ingredients, secure the lid, and shake vigorously until combined.
Step 3: Assemble and serve. Place the greens in a large salad serving bowl (or divide between 4 bowls), and top with figs, prosciutto, gorgonzola, and toasted walnuts. Serve the dressing on the side, and enjoy!
Recipe tips
- Consider crisping the prosciutto. I like leaving it sliced for a more tender texture, but you can also sauté the prosciutto until it becomes crispy (like the original version!).
- Toast the walnuts. To toast the walnuts, simply place them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Chill and dress just before serving. Keep the salad ingredients and dressing refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble. Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving (or serve it on the side) to keep the greens from wilting.
Variations
- Boost the protein. To make this salad more filling and satisfying, add hard-cooked egg, grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon for extra protein. For a plant-based protein source, add cooked quinoa or chickpeas.
- Switch up the cheese. If you’d like to substitute Gorgonzola, go with burrata, blue cheese, feta, parmesan, mozzarella, or goat cheese.
- Fruit options. Instead of making this salad with figs, try incorporating sliced avocado, apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, cantaloupe or honeydew.
- Dressing. Besides fig balsamic dressing, this salad pairs well with creamy balsamic dressing, Greek salad dressing, and maple balsamic vinaigrette.
Storing
Transfer leftover prosciutto salad to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Keep in mind that the texture of the prosciutto and greens may change (especially if tossed in dressing).
FAQ
Consider serving this salad alongside other dishes with prosciutto like this Tarragon Chicken, this Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken and Mushrooms, or this Creamy Prosciutto Mushroom Chicken. It also complements pasta dishes like this Pesto Lasagna and this Spaghetti Arrabbiata.
For a lighter option, serve it with fresh bread or dinner rolls and a hearty bowl of soup like Creamy Tortellini Soup or Tomato Basil Bisque.
Instead of making this salad with prosciutto, try thinly sliced leftover holiday ham or turkey for a similar salty and savory touch. Or, try crispy bacon or pancetta for a slightly different texture and flavor profile.
More satisfying salad recipes
- Warm Steak and Cabbage Salad
- Loaded Mexican Chicken Salad
- Salmon Salad with Fresh Blueberry Vinaigrette
- Grilled Chicken Salad with Roasted Asparagus
If you love this prosciutto salad with figs, I would be so grateful if you could leave a 5-star 🌟 rating in the recipe card below. I love reading your comments and feedback!
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Prosciutto Salad
Ingredients
- For the Salad:
- 4 cups gourmet lettuce blend arugula, spinach and spring mix
- 6 fresh figs rinsed and sliced in half
- 3 oz prosciutto ham chopped into bite size pieces
- 1/4 cup gorgonzola cheese
- 1/4 cup walnuts toasted *see notes
- For the Dressing:
- 1 large shallot minced
- 2 tbsp fig preserves
- 4 1/3 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar
- dash salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan over medium heat, sauté the minced shallot in the 1/3 tbsp olive oil until soft, about 3 minutes.
- Spoon the shallots into a small mason or glass jar and add remaining 4 tbsp EVOO and all other dressing ingredients.
- Screw on lid and shake vigorously until well mixed.
- Place the greens in a large salad serving bowl (or divide between 4 bowls), and top with figs, prosciutto, gorgonzola, and toasted walnuts.
- Serve with dressing and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Consider crisping the prosciutto. I like leaving it sliced for a more tender texture, but you can also sauté the prosciutto until it becomes crispy (like the original version!). You can add it to the skillet with the shallots.
- Toast the walnuts. To toast the walnuts, simply place them in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until fragrant and lightly browned.
- Chill and dress just before serving. Keep the salad ingredients and dressing refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble. Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving (or serve it on the side) to keep the greens from wilting.
- Be sure to use a lighter mild-tasting olive oil that is fruity and balanced so it doesn’t overpower the dressing for best flavor.
Nutrition
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