Pear Salad

Pear Salad sides This pear salad is made with greens of your choice tossed and topped with fresh, crisp slices or chopped pears, toasted or candied walnuts, pomegranate arils or cranberries, gorgonzola cheese or feta, shallots, and finally drizzled with a quick and easy vinaigrette. salads with fruit Pear Salad pears, salads

This pear salad is a delicious fresh pear salad recipe that is perfect for fall, winter and a great all year-round salad and perfect for entertaining too. Fresh salad greens of your choice tossed and topped with fresh, crisp sliced or chopped pears, toasted or candied walnuts, pomegranate arils or cranberries, gorgonzola cheese or feta, shallots, and finally drizzled with a quick and easy vinaigrette. The sweetness of the pears goes so well with the salty tangy sharpness of the gorgonzola/blue cheese, along with the fresh greens and delicious dressing - a classic pairing that we love and hope you do too!

Pear Salad

Pear Salad Recipe Ingredients

  • LETTUCE GREENS: You can literally use whatever salad mixed greens you like - use Romaine lettuce, spring mix, red leaf lettuce, baby spinach or baby kale, arugula or do a blend of a few.
  • PEARS: I love to use any variety of pears like Bartlett pears, Anjou pears, Bosch pears or any type of pears you like or have on hand. I like my pears thinly sliced but feel free to chop them into chunks – whatever your personal preference is. Fresh pears are best although if you don’t have any fresh pears canned pears can be used in a pinch, drained and sliced or chopped.
  • LEMON JUICE: Just a couple of squeezes is all you need to keep the pears looking fresh and help prevent them from browning too quickly.
  • WALNUTS: Plain toasted walnuts go so well with this salad combination. Feel free to use candied or caramelized walnuts or use any nut you prefer like chopped almonds, chopped pecans or chopped hazelnuts.
  • POMEGRANATE ARILS/SEEDS: I love the fresh pop of tart and sweet flavor these add to the salad but you can swap them out for dried cranberries or any other dried fruit like dried cherries or even raisins or raisins
  • PUMPKIN SEEDS: Pumpkin seeds add the perfect crunch to the salad - but can be substituted with sunflower seeds, sliced almonds or other chopped nuts. I like to use toasted pepitas or pumpkin seeds but that is optional.
  • SHALLOT: I think it’s a must to add to the salad but you can substitute with red onion if you prefer or even green onions
  • BLUE CHEESE: I love the flavour of blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese with pears. It’s creamy, full flavoured, salty and earthy. But if those cheeses aren’t your fav I recommend using crumbled feta cheese, goat cheese grated parmesan cheese or even grated cheddar cheese
  • Optional Add Ins: Feel free to add extra veggies like red bell pepper, cucumbers, chopped celery, sliced avocado or even broccoli. You can even add in some protein to the salad like adding some chickpeas, or leftover roasted or grilled chicken. Feel Free to add toasted or caramelized pecans or candied walnuts. Another great add in is cooked crumbled bacon.
  • For the Dressing or Vinaigrette: You will need extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, garlic (fresh and grated or granulated), and salt and pepper to taste. This combination makes for a delicious dressing. Ofcourse you can swap out the white wine vinegar for balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, the maple syrup for honey and dijon mustard for prepared mustard too - switch things up according to taste

Pear Salad

How to Make This Delicious Pear and Walnut Salad (full instructions in recipe card) :

  1. Make Salad Dressing: Whisk all the Dressing ingredients together in a bowl or shake in a jar. We want to make the dressing first so it has time to chill and the flavors to marry
  2. Prepare All Salad Ingredients: Toast and chop nuts, slice shallots, wash dry and slice pears in half, remove seeds and slice pear halves into thin slices or chopped into cubes/chunks. Squeeze a little lemon juice over them and toss to coat.
  3. Assemble: Toss Salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Drizzle and toss salad with dressing if you are eating it right away or serve salad with dressing on the side.

Pear Salad

Pear Salad Storage & Make Ahead

  • STORAGE: Undressed salad can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days
  • MAKE AHEAD: You can make the the dressing, up to a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Pear Salad

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Recipe

Servings: 4-6
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

For The Dressing

  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
  • 1 clove garlic pressed or very finely minced or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For The Salad

  • 3 medium pears stems and seeds removed then thinly sliced (peeling is optional)
  • Squeeze of lemon juice (to stop apples from browning)
  • 6 cups salad mix leaves or any greens
  • 1 shallot peeled and minced
  • ½ cup walnuts plain roasted or candied
  • ½ cup pomegranate seeds sweetened dried cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese/blue cheese or feta cheese

Directions

  1. Prepare Pears: Wash, dry, slice in half, remove seeds and slice or chop pears. Drizzle with lemon juice and toss (stops pears from browning).
  2. Make Dressing: Place Dressing ingredients in a small bowl or in a jar and shake or whisk well. Adjust to taste - more oil to make it creamier, maple syrup for sweet, vinegar for tart.
  3. Assemble Salad: Place salad greens in a large bowl with half the pear slices and all the onion. Drizzle with half the dressing then toss. Scatter over the pomegranate arils, shallots, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, remaining pear slices and blue cheese. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Serve immediately

Recipe Note

  • Make Quick Candied Walnuts: Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. In a medium non-stick skillet, add the butter and sugar (1 tablespoon unsalted butter, ¼ cup granulated sugar) and heat over medium heat until the butter is melted, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the walnuts, salt, and cayenne pepper, if using (1 cup unsalted walnut halves or pieces, Pinch of salt, pinch of cayenne). Stir well to coat walnuts. Continue to cook and stir frequently over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sugar is fully melted. Immediately remove the skillet from the heat to prevent the sugar from burning. Spread the candied walnuts onto the prepared pan in a single layer, making sure they are not in clumps. Cool for 10 minutes or until the candy hardens.sweetness of pear with the tangy sharpness of gorgonzola, along with arugula, walnuts, and a delicious vinaigrette – a classic pairing.

Pear Salad