Crispy Prosciutto and Pomegranate Salad

This Crispy Prosciutto and Pomegranate Salad recipe is a light and crisp salad that can be enjoyed as a main dish topped with chicken or shrimp, or even as a side salad.

With crisp apples, sweet pomegranate arils, feta cheese, and a delicious champagne vinaigrette, this salad will become your favorite easy salad recipe. It makes a beautiful addition to any holiday table.

Prosciutto and Pomegranate Salad Recipe

I love a good light salad that’s packed with superfoods. This recipe will keep you going throughout the day without making you feel too heavy and full. You can pair it with Pork Chops, Filet Mignon, Air Fryer Chicken, or enjoy it as your main course. 

Did you know pomegranates are a superfood? They’re packed full of nutrients like antioxidants, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium. 

It’s pomegranate season, and we are definitely celebrating it. Try this Citrus Avocado Salad, Creamy Labne Dip, or Baked Brie and Apple Flatbread for more delicious pomegranate flavors. 

This beautiful salad would be a great side to put on your holiday table at any dinner parties, special occasions and any other night of the week.

Champagne Vinaigrette

The best way to describe a champagne vinaigrette is fresh, elegant, and versatile. It’s more mild and fruity than other white wine vinegar based dressings.

Champagne vinaigrette pairs wonderfully with various salads containing fruit or nuts. You could also use it as a marinade. It’s far better than store bought vinaigrette and super simple to make. 

If you’re wanting to use it on something other than a green salad, I love it on Roasted Broccolini, Air Fryer Asparagus, or even Air Fryer Cauliflower. 

How to Remove Sweet Pomegranate Seeds

Everyone thinks it is super hard to get the seeds, or arils, out of a pomegranate. There are two main ways to get pomegranate arils out. 

Option #1: Slice the pomegranate in half and whack the back with a wooden spoon. Using this method, you will cut your unique fruit, spread it apart, and whack it with a wooden spoon, and I mean whack it.

If the seeds aren’t coming out, it’s probably because you’re not hitting it hard enough. 

Option #2: Submerge in water. In this method, you will cut the blossom end and score the outside of the fruit into six sessions. Be sure to cut them from top to bottom, not side to side.

Then you will pull apart the fruit using your thumbs. Finally, you will submerge your pomegranate into a large bowl of cold water and bend the rind backward. This will help release them, and your juicy pomegranate seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Super easy. 

Just a heads up, pomegranate juice does stain!

Ingredients you will need

Prosciutto: this flavorful sweet, and salty meat brings so much flavor and texture to this salad. Prosciutto can be found in the deli section of your local grocery store. 

Baby arugula: the peppery flavor of baby arugula adds a little spice to this salad. It’s used as the base and gives this salad a perfect crunch. 

Butter lettuce: the slight sweetness of butter lettuce pairs perfectly with the champagne vinaigrette. This lettuce gets its name because the texture feels like it is melting in your mouth. 

Feta cheese: another component that has a smooth, buttery flavor. Feta cheese gives this salad a rich and slightly salty taste that pairs perfectly with the peppery baby arugula and fresh fruit.

You can substitute feta with goat cheese or blue cheese if you prefer.

Pomegranate arils: I love to add a pop of color to my salads, and fresh pomegranate seeds do that perfectly. The sweetness of the arils combined with the champagne vinaigrette? Delicious. 

Apples: diced apples give this salad a delicious crunch. You can use any kind of apple that you’d like, but I would stay away from Granny Smith since they’re a little on the sour side.

I like to use a honeycrisp apple or fuji apple. You can also add pear as a substitute for apple, or you could use both! 

Candied walnuts: another ingredient that brings the crunch! Candied walnuts bring a certain sweetness to this recipe. I don’t recommend substituting for a different nut.

If you like red onion, I think they would be tasty in this salad!

*For a detailed list of instructions, ingredients and measurements, please reference the recipe card down below.

How to make Champagne Vinaigrette 

Garlic: minced garlic gives this homemade dressing a delicious flavor. Adding garlic completely changes the vinaigrette’s taste, making it that much better. 

Champagne vinegar: this main ingredient is what brings the flavor to this vinaigrette. The fresh taste of the vinegar pairs perfectly with this salad recipe. 

Extra virgin olive oil: what is a vinaigrette without olive oil? Full of healthy fats, olive oil will help the body absorb all the nutrients in the salad.

Be sure to use plain olive oil and not one that is flavored! Also, be sure to use extra virgin olive oil and not vegetable or canola. It has the most robust flavor. 

Dijon mustard: not to be confused with yellow mustard, dijon mustard has a tangy, robust flavor with a hint of spice. It helps emulsify all the ingredients in the champagne vinaigrette.

Honey: brings sweetness to this recipe that enhances the vinegar flavor. It also makes it more of a salad dressing consistency rather than a liquid. 

Lemon juice: champagne vinaigrette dressing needs a little bit of acid to bring the flavors together. I recommend using fresh lemon and then squeezing the juice out rather than pre-made lemon juice. 

How to Make this Pomegranate Salad

1. Bake the prosciutto Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with tin foil. Lay the prosciutto on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes or until crispy. 

2. Make the vinaigrette. While the prosciutto is baking, combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until fully emulsified. You can also use a food processor for this.

3. Mix in the vinaigrette. Place the arugula and butter lettuce in a large mixing bowl and add half the vinaigrette. Toss until all of the lettuce is fully coated.

4. Toss and serve. Add the feta cheese, pomegranate arils, apple, and candied walnuts to the bowl and toss. Serve your gorgeous pomegranate salad with chicken, salmon, or as is. Add more vinaigrette if needed.

Can I make this salad ahead of time?

While I love meal prepping salads, I don’t recommend making this salad with pomegranate seeds in advance. The ingredients in this simple salad are better when freshly prepared.

If you put it together ahead of time, it will get super soggy. However, you can prepare the prosciutto, crumble the feta cheese, and make the vinaigrette ahead of time.

Prepping those ingredients first and storing in an airtight container will make throwing this prosciutto salad together a breeze!

What goes well with pomegranates?

The sweet flavor of the arils pairs perfectly with plenty of foods, especially salads. They pair deliciously with fruits like strawberries, pears, and really anything that is citrus.

Add them to dishes with spices like cinnamon and clove or other sweet ingredients like honey or maple syrup. Lastly, they also pair well with most meats and seafood.

What to serve with this salad

• Oven Baked Chicken Tenders
• Bang Bang Shrimp Pasta
• Creamy Garlic Tuscan Salmon
• Salmon Cakes
• Chimichurri Steak

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