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Colorful Pecan and Feta Romaine Salad with Balsamic and Poppyseed Dressings Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 114 reviews

A vibrant and flavorful mixed salad combining crisp romaine lettuce, colorful peppers, red onion, tangy feta cheese, toasted pecans, and sweet craisins and pepitas. This salad is perfectly complemented by a unique blend of balsamic and poppyseed dressings, offering a harmonious balance of sweet, tangy, and nutty flavors for a refreshing, crowd-pleasing dish.

Ingredients

Scale

Salad Ingredients

  • 8 cups romaine lettuce, torn or chopped
  • 1 yellow pepper, chopped into 1/4” pieces
  • 1/2 orange pepper, chopped into 1/4” pieces
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced
  • 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • 1/2 cup craisins
  • 1/4 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Balsamic Dressing

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp honey dijon mustard (substitute regular dijon mustard if unavailable)
  • Pinch of salt & pepper

Poppyseed Dressing

  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp poppy seeds
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 tbsp finely grated sweet onion
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Salad: Place all salad ingredients—romaine lettuce, yellow and orange peppers, red onion, feta cheese, toasted pecans, craisins, and pepitas—into a large bowl and toss well to combine evenly.
  2. Make the Balsamic Dressing: Combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, honey dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a glass jar. Secure the lid tightly and shake vigorously until the dressing is well emulsified.
  3. Make the Poppyseed Dressing: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together white wine vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, salt, dry mustard, mayonnaise, lemon zest, grated sweet onion, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil until smooth and fully combined. Transfer to a glass jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
  4. Combine the Dressings: Mix equal parts (1 cup each) of the balsamic and poppyseed dressings in a bowl and whisk until well blended to create the final dressing for the salad.
  5. Dress the Salad: Drizzle the combined dressing over the prepared salad and toss gently to coat all ingredients. Serve immediately, with additional dressing on the side for topping the salad as desired.

Notes

  • Toast pecans before chopping to enhance their flavor and crunch.
  • Adjust the amount of maple syrup and honey in dressings to suit your preferred sweetness level.
  • The combined dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
  • Use regular dijon mustard if honey dijon mustard is unavailable.
  • For a nuttier twist, substitute pepitas with toasted sunflower seeds.
  • Romaine lettuce can be substituted with other crunchy greens such as iceberg or a spring mix.

Keywords: romaine lettuce salad, feta salad, pecan salad, craisin salad, poppyseed dressing, balsamic dressing, healthy salad, vegetarian salad

Find it online: https://tastygenius.com/colorful-pecan-and-feta-romaine-salad-with-balsamic-and-poppyseed-dressings-recipe/