Crisp Pear Salad (Printable Version)
Juicy pears combine with toasted nuts, leafy greens, and tangy cheese for a fresh, light dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Produce
01 - 2 ripe but firm pears, cored and thinly sliced
02 - 140 g mixed salad greens (arugula, baby spinach, or spring mix)
03 - 1 small shallot, thinly sliced
→ Cheese
04 - 60 g crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese
→ Nuts
05 - 35 g toasted and roughly chopped walnuts or pecans
→ Dressing
06 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 tsp honey
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How To Make:
01 - Toast the walnuts or pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
02 - Whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
03 - Combine mixed salad greens and sliced shallot in a large bowl. Drizzle with half of the prepared dressing and toss gently to coat.
04 - Add pear slices, toasted nuts, and crumbled cheese to the dressed greens. Drizzle with the remaining dressing.
05 - Toss the ingredients lightly to combine or arrange attractively on a platter. Serve immediately to preserve freshness.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It feels like sharing a secret with a friend how easily these simple ingredients come together into something so refreshing
- The combination of juicy pears and toasted nuts became an unexpected favorite that you won>t want to miss
02 -
- Don't skip toasting the nuts—this simple step transforms the whole salad with extra crunchy depth
- Using a mix of vinegars lets you tailor the tang to what you're craving and changed how I think about dressings
03 -
- Toast nuts just until fragrant to avoid bitterness, it's a subtle but crucial detail
- The secret is in balancing vinegar and honey so the dressing isn't too sharp or too sweet