fall / salads / gluten free

A few weeks ago, I made this in pizza form… since then, I haven’t been able to get the ingredient combination out of my mind. I knew it was destined to become a really great salad, so here we have it – a late summer/early fall salad with figs, arugula, balsamic, pistachios and a few dollops of pistachio pesto.

Instead of ricotta, I tore creamy pieces of burrata and added some diced avocado. (Just skip the cheese if you’re vegan – this is indulgent enough without it). For me, this salad hits every note a good well-rounded salad should – sweet, salty, creamy & crunchy, with a nice peppery bite from the arugula.

Today, I’ll keep this post short and sweet – but check out this fun interview I did last week on Get the Gloss.

fig & arugula salad w/ pistachio pesto

  PrintAuthor: Jeanine DonofrioIngredients

• two big handfuls of arugula
• 8-10 figs, sliced into halves or quarters
• ½ avocado, cubed
• (optional) 1 ball of burrata, torn
• a few splashes of balsamic (or reduced balsamic, see notes)
• drizzle of olive oil
• sea salt & pepper

pistachio pesto: (this makes extra)

• ⅓ cup toasted pistachios (reserve a few for the salad)
• 1 small bunch of basil (or 1 big handful)
• juice of ½ a small lemon
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper
• ¼ - ⅓ cup olive oil

Instructions

Make your pesto by pulsing the toasted pistachios in a food processor. Then add basil, lemon, salt & pepper. Pulse again, then add the olive oil and pulse one last time. Add more olive oil if you prefer a smoother pesto. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Arrange the arugula, sliced figs, avocado, and burrata on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Dollop pesto (as much as you like), and drizzle the balsamic vinegar. Crush extra pistachios and sprinkle them on top. Try to distribute the ingredients evenly, or gently toss to be sure each serving gets a bit of each ingredient.

Notesreduce balsamic: add at least ¼ cup balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan. Gently heat until it lightly bubbles, stir frequently until it reduces into a thicker syrup.

vegan option: omit the cheese

Nutrition Information Serving size: serves about 3 as a side3.4.3177

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