Simple Gorgonzola Salad with Pine Nuts

I’m fairly generous with the Gorgonzola here. I want to taste it in the dressing, especially against the sharp pickled onion. The toasted pine nuts are small, but you’d miss them: a little warm, nutty crunch among all those soft leaves and creamy cheese. This is very much my kind of salad.

Put the onion in its quick pickle first. It can sit while you toast the nuts and whisk the dressing, with the greens waiting until you’re ready to eat.

Total

35 minutes

Serves

Instructions

1
Pickle the onion
Put the red onion in a small bowl. Stir together the red wine vinegar, warm water, sugar, and salt, then pour it over the onion. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes while you make the rest of the salad.
2
Toast the pine nuts
Add the pine nuts to a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan often, until they smell nutty and have browned in spots. Move them to a plate immediately so they do not keep cooking in the hot pan.
3
Make the vinaigrette
Whisk the olive oil, white wine vinegar, gorgonzola, Dijon, honey, herbs, salt, and black pepper. Press some of the cheese against the side of the bowl as you whisk. The dressing should be creamy but still have a few small pieces of gorgonzola in it.
4
Toss the salad
Drain the pickled onion. Put the greens, tomatoes, onion, gorgonzola, and most of the pine nuts in a large bowl. Add about two-thirds of the dressing and toss. Add more only if the leaves need it, then finish with the remaining pine nuts and a small pinch of salt.

Simple Gorgonzola Salad with Pine Nuts