Summer Dinner Fave – Oak Leaf Lettuce Salad

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Use one of the season’s best, Red Grapes, for this fresh salad.

Oak Leaf Lettuce Salad photos: melinda for we heart this

Today I want to share with you my go-to summer salad recipe. Now, I am the last person in my circle of friends, that people would think of asking to bring a dish to a potluck. But since I’ve added this recipe to my collection, I get requests for this salad all the time! It has saved my reputation in the kitchen, so I know you’ll enjoy it, too. I’ve made this one at least 20 times, so I’ll throw in a few tips I’ve picked up as well. This yummy salad originates from a restaurant in Royal Oak, Michigan called Pronto where I attended a cooking class.

Oak Leaf Lettuce Salad with Cabrales and Red Grapes

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar*
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil**
• 1 teaspoon honey (I use real, raw honey for the superior taste)
• ½ teaspoon salt (I use kosher salt, again for the better taste)
• 1 pound red and green oak leaf lettuce***
• 6 ounces Cabrales cheese****
• 1 ½ cups seedless red grapes, halved
• Freshly ground pepper

Tips
* Sherry vinegar can be hard to find; I have used red wine vinegar in a pinch, but sherry vinegar is better for this recipe.
** A tip picked up in a cooking class: always use extra virgin oil in salads for the taste, but for cooking use regular (ie: cheaper) olive oil because the taste is wasted when you apply heat.
*** I usually get a young spring mix – I’ve never used the whole 1 pound tub though, as the recipe calls for for a heavier dressing coverage.
**** I’ve only found this specific cheese once – I usually use just 5 oz tubs of bleu cheese. I prefer bleu cheese to the milder flavor of the Cabrales. I’ve also used a gorgonzola cheese in this recipe – yum.

Directions

whisking the vinegar with the shallots, honey and salt inside a large bowl1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pine nuts in a metal pie plate and bake for 7-8 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Transfer the pine nuts to a plate to let cool.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with the shallots, honey and salt. Slowly whisk in the EV olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.

3. Add the lettuce, cheese, grapes and toss to coat. Season the salad with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the pine nuts and serve.
Serves 8 people.

Per my cooking class, you could add some more flavor by adding 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard to the dressing, I’ve never done it, but if you’re a Dijon fan, it sounds like a good addition.

The dressing can be made ahead of time and it lasts 7-14 days in the fridge. Oh, and it’s also excellent over salmon. This is such an easy and delicious recipe – I hope you enjoy it and it becomes one of your staples, too!

Author

  • Mel

    Mel is a Mom, an avid makeup junkie and a junior high science teacher. Beauty and brains; just what we want in a we heart this author!

11 Comments

  1. This salad looks so good. I love salads in the summertime. Definitely printing this up and making it soon.

  2. Why do I never think of grapes when making a salad?! They’re so yummy in them, refreshing and sweet. Thanks for the recipe @melinda (PS Nice pics) and Pronto – I am totally trying it with some farmers market scores this weekend. I may even be able to find the Cabrales cheese at a few cheese places I know. I’ll keep you updated!

    Failing that, how about feta (one of my current obsessions) over the blue or gorgonzola options? Opinions ladies?

  3. Now THIS is a salad! My mouth is watering just reading the ingredients! I love shallots in a salad and they are never used enough for my taste. Thank you, @melinda for a great addition to my summer recipes!

  4. It’s been so hot this summer, I’ve been eating a lot of nice, cool salads. This one looks like the perfect combination of tastes and textures. Thanks, @melinda. This recipe is a keeper!

  5. Oh man, I need to stop logging on to the site right after breakfast- any time a recipe is posted I always get hungry again!! This looks really great @Melinda , thanks for sharing!

  6. Thanks for sharing. I am always looking for new salad recipes. I am trying to make better food choices right now. I am kind of stuck in a rut of eating the same old stuff.

  7. Yummmieeeeeee! I love this @melinda! I make fresh salads everyday with our dinner. Can’t wait to try this one out! I have to use pinenuts that are not from China (or that region) I get pinemouth. (Look it up and you will be amazed how many people are affected by this condition and it really is not fun to have). I love pinenuts in dishes other than salads too.. Thanks for this great salad recipe!

  8. Yep, @melinda that is what they said about shallots!  I also get a lot of requests for this salad recipe, it’s one of the best ones our cooking class shared with us.  Something about the combination of the cheese with the pine nuts and grapes…it is delicious!  I have never heard of “Pinemouth” but now I’m totally freaked out and will be checking to make sure they are not from China when I buy them!! : )

  9. I wish I was eating this today instead of my lame turkey sandwich! Thanks for sharing @melinda!

  10. Thanks, girls! If you try it, I think you’ll love it – it really is delicious and so quick and easy. The most time consuming part is cutting up the grapes-and you really don’t even have to do that! @tyna – I bet it would be awesome with feta – different, but still totally delicious. I think I may have to try that out next time!

  11. Love Shallots too, but fear shallotmouth now.

    I agree with @tyna, I never think of grapes in a salad either, but now that it’s in my mind, I can’t wait to try this!

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