Have you ever grilled grapes? The results are amazing! this Grape Salad Recipe Creamy, smoky maple Dijon dressing combines savory and sweet ingredients.
I love grapes! I often freeze them for a sweet snack. Although, recently, I ordered a fried cauliflower dish, which came with grilled red grapes. Skeptical, I tried them, and their smell exploded in my mouth. So, I decided to grill grapes for my version of a grape salad. Although I include a variety of vegetables, my grape salad recipe highlights grilled grapes that I fell in love with.
Jump:
When cooked, the grapes transform into little balls of deep fruit flavor. Grape skins, slightly heated, lock in the flavor, so when you bite into the grapes, your mouth explodes with flavor.
The flavor is almost indescribable, so I chose other salad ingredients to bring a savory element to compliment the sweetness of the grapes and other fruits I chose. My grape salad recipe is a sweet and savory salad with a smoky maple Dijon dressing.
How to prepare/grill grapes
- Believe it or not, grapes are easily threaded onto grilling skewers. Therefore, for grilling grapes, it is best to keep them at room temperature before grilling or frying.
- If the grapes are too cold, they will explode in the grill or oven, which is what I did the first time, lol!
- Thread the grapes onto your grilling skewers when they come to room temperature. One of my favorite grilling tools is my firewireA flexible grilling skewer.
- But any grilling skewers will work. Remember, however, that if you use wooden skewers, always soak them in water for a few hours, so that the food comes off easily.
Despite popular belief, you don’t need oil to roast or grill grapes or any vegetable. Cooking without oil deepens the authentic flavor of fruits and vegetables.
- Preheat grill to medium heat (400 degrees).
- When the grill is hot, skewer all the grapes.
- Turn off the grill and cook for 4 minutes; Flip the skewers after every 2 minutes.
- Remove from grill and allow to cool slightly before removing grapes from skewers.
And if you don’t have a grill or the weather isn’t suitable for grilling, don’t worry, you can roast grapes in the oven.
Oven roasted grapes
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper
- Place grapes on baking sheet
- Cook for 15 minutes, until the grapes begin to blister
Grape Salad Ingredients
Although the grapes highlight this grape salad, I wanted to add extra flavor for a delicious entree salad.
To add a savory element to my grape salad, I chose a combination of savory ingredients.
- Arugula: Unlike its milder salad green counterpart, arugula’s flavor is described as peppery, spicy and slightly nutty, which makes sense considering it’s in the same family as mustard greens.
- Romaine Lettuce: Romaine lettuce is crisp, juicy, and lightly crunched. Slightly bitter taste.
- Cauliflower: The roasted cauliflower in this grape salad is delicious and flavorful. This is the “meaty” component of the salad.
- Pickled Red Onion: Pickled red onions are tangy, sweet and mild.
- Roasted Grapes: Fried grapes taste like little balls of jam! They are fabulous and burst in your face.
- Cucumber: I used English cucumbers because they have fewer seeds and are less watery, so the salad isn’t weighed down or soggy.
- Pomegranate seeds: Pomegranate arils taste like cranberries – fairly tart with a bit of sweetness underneath.
- Garlic Powder: Garlic powder is used to season cauliflower before roasting.
- raw pecans (optional): Raw pecan pieces are toasted in a pan and added to salads for a crunchy topping. This element, however, is optional.
Substitute grape salad ingredients
- Dandelion greens have a similar texture to arugula but have a slightly milder flavor.
- Replace romaine lettuce with red leaf lettuce or spinach.
- Broccoli is a great alternative to cauliflower in any recipe.
- Instead of pickled red onion, add slices of raw red onion.
- Roast grapes in the oven instead of grilling them. Choose green or black grapes, red grapes are not available.
- Persian cucumber recipe is similar to English cucumber.
- Raspberries, cranberries, red currants, raisins and cherries can all taste and texture like pomegranate seeds, but with a unique flavor twist.
- Choose any spices you like for roasting cauliflower.
dressing ingredients
What goes well with savory and sweet? How about a creamy, smoky maple Dijon dressing? One of my favorite ways to bring out the flavor of fresh vegetables and fruits is to serve them with a delicious oil-free dressing.
- Raw cashews: raw cashews Pour the cream into the dressing. Soak the cashews overnight, unless you have a high-speed blender.
- Water: Water is used to thin the dressing and acts as an emulsifier.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup Adds sweetness without adding refined sugar.
- Dijon mustard: Dijon mustard is tangy and acts as an emulsifier for dressings.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar imparts a strong flavor and acidity to salad dressings.
- Liquid smoke: I used hickory-flavored liquid smoke.
Substitution of dressing ingredients
- For a nut-free option, choose silken tofu or white beans.
- Or, try using raw almonds, macadamias or hazelnuts.
- Replace the maple syrup in the dressing with agave nectar or date syrup.
- Stone-ground mustard is a natural alternative to Dijon mustard.
- Substitute apple cider vinegar in rice or champagne vinegar recipes.
- Try a different flavor of liquid smoke. Or, if you don’t have liquid smoke, add a little smoked paprika instead.
Recipe FAQS
Once the grapes start to soften, rinse them. Put them in a freezer bag, and snack on them. They also make excellent fruit ice cubes!
Bake, grill or fry them. You can eat grapes raw or frozen. Add them to cakes, cookies, salads, breads or smoothies!
When grapes grow in warmer regions, they ripen and become sweeter quickly. The same is true when heating grapes in the oven or grill.
advice
- Allow the grilled grapes and roasted cauliflower to cool completely before adding to the other salad ingredients.
- Cauliflower and grapes can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- When using pickled red onions, I recommend placing them on paper towels to remove excess moisture from the brine before adding to the salad.
- Do not add the toasted pecans until ready to serve. Adding to salads in advance in the refrigerator will make them soggy.
- Instead, keep toasted almonds in a dry, sealed container in the pantry or counter.
- Do not dress the salad before serving.
- Salad dressing will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Fire up the barbecue this summer and grill some grapes for this delicious grape salad recipe!
More delicious vegan salad recipes
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📖 Recipe
Grape salad
Have you ever grilled grapes? The results are amazing! This grape salad combines savory and sweet with grilled grapes, roasted cauliflower, pomegranate seeds, cucumber, pickled onions, and toasted pecans dressed in a creamy, smoky, maple Dijon dressing.
instructions
Roasted Cauliflower
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
Place a single layer of cauliflower on a baking sheet.
Season with garlic powder and fresh pepper to taste
Bake for 30 minutes; Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Grilled Grapes
Preheat grill to medium heat (400 degrees).
Using a barbecue skewer or stick, thread grapes through the centers.
Once the grill is hot, add the grapefruit slices.
Turn off the grill and cook for 4 minutes; Flip the skewers after every 2 minutes.
Remove grapes from grill and cool slightly before removing grapes from skewers.
Allow the grapes to cool completely before adding to the salad.
And if you don’t have a grill or the weather isn’t suitable for grilling, don’t worry, you can roast grapes in the oven.
Oven roasted grapes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Place grapes on baking sheet.
Cook for 15 minutes, until the grapes begin to blister.
Toasting pecans
Place raw pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat.
Toss and stir the nuts every few minutes until the pecans are toasted.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Maple Dijon Dressing
Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender.
Blend until smooth.
Chill until ready to serve.
The dressing lasts 5 days in the refrigerator.
Assemble the salad
Chop and combine the arugula and romaine lettuce on a plate or in a separate bowl.
Add pomegranate seeds and cucumber.
Place pickled onions on paper towels to drain excess liquid before adding to salad.
Add the cooled grapes and roasted cauliflower
Top with toasted pecans (optional).
Toss with the dressing and serve with the dressing on the side
Comment
- Allow the grilled grapes and roasted cauliflower to cool completely before adding to the other salad ingredients.
- Cauliflower and grapes can be prepared in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- When using pickled red onions, I recommend placing them on paper towels to remove excess moisture from the brine before adding to the salad.
- Do not add the toasted pecans until ready to serve. Adding to salads in advance in the refrigerator will make them soggy.
- Instead, keep toasted almonds in a dry, sealed container in the pantry or counter.
- Do not dress the salad before serving.
- Salad dressing will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
nutrition
Calories: 262kcalSugars: 33gProtein: 5gFat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fats: 1gSodium: 218mgPotassium: 779mgFiber: 6gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 2722IUVitamin C: 60mgCalcium: 98mgIron: 2mg
Oh! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher and vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is completely plant-based vegan. I truly believe that what we eat and how we live determines our health and the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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