Roasted Grape Salad

This roasted grape salad is full of wonderful flavors. It’s a great side dish for a dinner party or a holiday meal.

Roasting grapes brings out their natural sweetness for a delicious, juicy pop of flavor.

Tips for Using Roasting Grapes

Roasted grapes are such a delicious treat. They get super deliciously jammy on the inside and can be used in various ways.

This salad recipe is obviously a must-make, but you can roast up a double batch and use them on top of your breakfast yogurt, a bowl of vanilla ice cream, a crostini, a veggie side dish, or a fancy cheese plate.

I like to roast my grapes on top of a Silpat Non-Stick Baking Mat or Parchment Paper - it’s much easier to clean the pan.

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How to Choose the Best Grapes

When you buy grapes, check for the following things to make sure you are getting the ripest, best grapes possible:

• The grape texture should be firm and plump with no visible shriveling
• The grape stem should be green and firm, brown stems indicate they are older
• Choose grapes that are in season. Here’s a great guide on grapes varieties and their peak seasons.
• Do not wash your grapes before storing them in the refrigerator - it will lead to them molding. Wash them only before eating them.

Tips for Making this Roasted Grape Salad

The blue cheese adds a real kick and a pungent flavor, but if you aren’t a fan of blue cheese, you could use feta or another crumbly cheese of your choice. The arugula is still going to give you a peppery kick, so if you mellow the cheese, you will still have a flavorful salad. 

If you don’t like arugula, you can use another green in its place. I would suggest sticking with a baby green though, or a spring mix, as the grapes + cheese should remain the star of the show.

Feel free to toast the walnuts if you have time. If you dislike walnuts, you can substitute them for pepitas, pecans, or sunflower seeds.