Pear Salad with Walnuts and Honey-Mustard Dressing

This easy autumn pear salad combines combined greens, juicy pears, creamy blue cheese, and toasted walnuts with honey-mustard dressing. A go-to aspect for holidays, entertaining, or on a regular basis.

Restaurant-High quality Pear Salad at House

I am a salad lover by means of and thru, and plenty of of you comply with me for contemporary, seasonal, restaurant-quality salads – so I am at all times creating new concepts that work year-round. This pear salad checks each field: crisp pears, toasted walnuts, creamy blue cheese, and juicy pomegranate, all tossed in a Champagne honey-mustard French dressing. Use any greens you want – combined, arugula, or spinach – as a result of it is tremendous versatile and tremendous straightforward, the form of on a regular basis wholesome salad you’ll be able to throw collectively quick. It additionally makes an excellent addition to your vacation menu for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Should you’re constructing your vacation unfold, do not miss these 3 reader favorites: Apple Spinach Salad, Fall-Colours Cinnamon-Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Brussels Sprouts Salad, and my Christmas Salad that goes viral yearly. And for much more concepts, take a look at my 30 Finest Thanksgiving Salads.

The Components, Substitutions, & Variations

• Combined greens: I like a mixture of arugula and child spinach for each peppery and delicate flavors. You’ll be able to substitute with child kale, spring combine, or shaved endive.
• Pears: I like to make use of Bosc or Anjou pears – they need to be ripe but agency. You’ll be able to su with Asian pear or use apples.
• Figs: Recent figs add seasonal sweetness and jammy texture. Out of season, I take advantage of dried figs (slice them skinny and soak in heat water for five minutes) or swap with grapes, persimmons, or contemporary or dried cherries. You can too sub with dried (soaked) cranberries.
• Blue cheese: Creamy blue or gorgonzola is a basic pairing with pear salad; change to goat cheese or feta for a milder model. If you need a milder taste, use goat cheese or feta.
• Walnuts: Traditional with pears and blue cheese. I toast them for additional crunch. Sub: pecans, hazelnuts, or pistachios. You’ll be able to even use candied nuts.
• Pomegranate arils: They add that burst of vacation coloration and candy tang and appear to be ruby jewels; substitute with dried cranberries or purple currants. 
• Champagne vinegar: It is a lighter and delicate form of vinegar, and truly good for Thanksgiving and Christmas. However you’ll be able to at all times use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar as a substitute. You’ll be able to even use freshly squeezed lemon juice as a substitute.
• Honey or maple syrup: Both works-it simply is determined by what you favor.
• Shallot: You’ll be able to substitute with very skinny purple onion, or chives if you would like a softer onion taste.
• Recent thyme: I take advantage of that so as to add some earthy taste and beautify the salad. You’ll be able to substitute with torn mint, contemporary basil, or rosemary (very finely chopped). Or, merely skip it. It is not a key ingredient right here.
• Observe: This picture conveniently exhibits all of the elements you want:

The best way to Make Pear Salad (Step-By-Step Images)

• Make salad dressing: Whisk olive oil, Champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar), Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, salt, and pepper till emulsified. (Or shake in a jar for 20-30 seconds for a thicker, clingy French dressing.)

• Toast the walnuts: Heat a dry skillet over medium warmth and toast walnuts 3-4 minutes till aromatic; cool, then roughly chop. (Stir usually; pull them as quickly as they odor nutty-nuts burn quick. Alway toast additional simply in case and retailer hermetic.)

• Assemble the salad: For a high-end presentation I like to recommend you layer the salad and do not toss it as this could disturb the fanned pears.
• Let me stroll you thru and present you in photographs methods to layer the salad to make a pleasant, holiday-worthy presentation: Add combined greens to a big serving bowl (or into a number of smaller particular person salad bowls), then scatter on sliced shallots and quartered figs. Fan within the pear slices, crumble over blue cheese, and add toasted walnuts, pomegranate arils, and thyme. (Slice pears simply earlier than serving or toss with slightly lemon to forestall browning. If shallots are sharp, soak 5 minutes in chilly water and pat dry.) See these 4 photographs for reference:

Suggestions for Success

• Select agency however ripe pears, Bosc and Anjou maintain their form fantastically as soon as sliced, whereas very comfortable varieties like Comice can collapse and bruise when tossed.
• The best way to forestall pears from browning: If making ready upfront you’ll be able to thinly slice the pears then toss them in slightly lemon juice which can forestall them from browning.
• Use both Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar: As it is a salad good for serving at a festive time of yr (like Thanksgiving and Christmas) I used a champagne vinegar, however white wine vinegar works completely effectively too. You’ll be able to even use freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice as a substitute.
• For a high-end presentation I like to recommend you layer the salad and do not toss it as this could disturb the fanned pears. Add the pears on prime of the greens, then crumble cheese by hand, scatter walnuts and pomegranate arils excessive.
• Toasting the walnuts wakes up the oils, giving the salad deep, heat, buttery taste. Do not skip this step.

Serving Concepts for Pear Salad

• Traditional Thanksgiving Pairings: Serve alongside turkey or roast duck, gravy, Italian sausage stuffing, and my more healthy inexperienced beans for a whole feast.
• Vacation Vegetarian Mains: Serve this pear salad alongside my in style vegetarian important programs like butternut squash spinach lasagna or butternut squash black bean enchilada casserole. For extra concepts, see my Meatless Thanksgiving Menu.
• Soup + Salad Lunch: Pair with my creamy butternut squash sausage orzo soup or with hen tortellini soup. For extra concepts, see extra of my soup recipes.
• Facet Salad for Roast: This pear salad pairs fantastically with braised quick ribs, my pork tenderloin, alongside my pan-seared steak (with the most effective marinade ever), apple cider braised pork shoulder, roast hen, or glazed ham.

Storage & Make-Forward Suggestions

• Storage: Hold pear salad parts separate as much as 2 days: greens in a sealed container with a paper towel, French dressing in a jar, nuts in a dry container, fruit prepped (pears tossed with lemon).
• Make-ahead: You’ll be able to toast/chop walnuts as much as 3 days forward. Whisk dressing as much as 5 days upfront. Seed pomegranate as much as 3 days upfront or bought seeded pomegranate arils. Slice shallot 1 day forward. Slice pears as much as 6 hours forward and toss with 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

Extra Fall Salads

• Apple Spinach Salad with Pecans and Maple-Lime Dressing
• Roasted Candy Potato Salad with Spinach, Pumpkin Seeds, and Apples
• Creamy Broccoli Cashew Salad with Apples and Pears
• Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries
• Arugula Salad with Pears, Apples, and Dried Cranberries
• Cranberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese
• Beet & Spinach Salad with Mandarins and Honey-Mustard Lemon Dressing