Warm Spinach Basil Salad

This Warm Spinach Basil Salad brings together the classic flavours of pesto in a salad. The warm dressing, with no vinegar, brings out the individual flavours of the ingredients. Just toss, serve and enjoy.

This unique salad comes to mind when the basil is ready to harvest. Or more likely for me, displayed at the grocery store on giant racks in pots. Whether your basil came from the grocery store, the Farmer’s Market or your own garden; this salad is a must.

Ingredients

This is the perfect recipe to splurge on quality ingredients. Spend a little more for a nice olive oil, use real Parmesan cheese and treat yourself to pine nuts.

• spinach
• fresh basil leaves
• extra virgin olive oil
• garlic cloves
• pine nuts (or pumpkin seeds)
• prosciutto
• Parmesan cheese

See recipe card for exact amounts.

Organize For Success

When it comes to food of course we all know quality matters. I don't use the most expensive ingredients in my salad every day but some occasions call for the good stuff.

Gluten free cooks want to enjoy the dining experiences they often miss out on, and buying the finest ingredients to use at home in one strategy. Starting a Dinner Club to share the cost, the effort and the joy is another.

For this salad if your budget allows I recommend a good quality extra virgin olive oil and some real Parmesan cheese such as, Parmaggino Regianno or Grana Padano. Pine nuts and prosciutto are a must for the full Italian experience. These ingredients are all expensive making this salad a treat worth planning for. A weekend dinner with some fine Italian wine sounds perfect to me.

A Menu Showcasing Fresh Basil

What about having an entire meal showcasing the flavour of basil? I imagine starting off with an appetizer version of Bocconcini Cherry Tomato Skewers. As a second course serve this Warm Spinach Basil Salad then follow it with a main course of Chicken with Tapenade and Tomato Basil Sauce. This menu takes me back to outdoor meals anywhere in the mediterranean.

Some aficionados would include fresh basil in the dessert. A popular version is fresh strawberries drizzled with a premium balsamic vinegar and topped with finely shredded basil. If you served it to me I would definitely try it but I'm not sure about basil for dessert.

To end my casual summer menu I would prefer something like fresh berries topped with a luscious Lemon Curd or a simple Affogato.

Warm Spinach Basil Salad

This salad brings together the classic flavours of pesto; basil, garlic, pine nuts and Parmesan cheese, in a unique way.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad

Keyword: warm spinach basil salad

Servings: 6

Author: Cinde Little

Ingredients

• ▢ 6 cups baby spinach leaves
• ▢ 2 cups fresh basil leaves, cut in half if large
• ▢ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ▢ ½ cup pine nuts
• ▢ 4 oz prosciutto, cut in strips
• ▢ freshly ground pepper
• ▢ lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

• Combine spinach and basil together in a large bowl.
• Heat oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and pine nuts, sauté 1-2 minutes until the nuts begin to brown.
• Add the prosciutto and cook, stirring, for another minute.
• Pour warm dressing over spinach mixture and toss.
• Top with lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and black pepper.