Pear Salad Recipe

5 from 2 votes

This Pear Salad is a total crowd-pleaser! Juicy pears, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, red onion, and gorgonzola come together on mixed greens, all tossed in a zesty apple cider vinaigrette.

Prep Time25

Candied Walnut Time2

Total Time2 25

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pear salad, Pear Salad Recipe

Servings: as a side

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $7.31

Equipment

Large sheet pan (15" x 21")
Parchment paper or silicone baking mat

Ingredients

Salad

8 cups mixed greens 5.5 ounces, baby lettuce and baby greens
2 large pears see note 1
1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion see note 2
3/4 cup candied walnuts
2/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Dressing

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Candied Walnuts (or store-bought) See Note 3

1 pound walnut halves and walnut pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg whites discard egg yolk or reserve for another recipe
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract plus 1/2 tablespoon water

US - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 250°F. Line an extra large sheet pan (or 2 sheet pans) with parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat) and set aside. In a very large bowl, whisk egg whites, vanilla, and water together until frothy. Toss walnuts in the egg white mixture until well coated. On top of everything, add granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir gently until all walnuts are well coated. Spread coated walnuts on a baking sheet. Walnuts shouldn’t overlap. Bake 1 hour, flipping and stirring walnuts every 15 minutes. Allow walnuts to stand for 30 minutes to an hour to fully cool and solidify. Coarsely chop about 1 cup for this salad.
Add all dressing ingredients to a mason jar, seal, and vigorously shake to combine. Taste and adjust to preference on seasonings (salt and pepper). Refrigerate until ready to eat and shake once more before dressing the salad.
Add mixed greens, thinly sliced pears, thinly sliced red onion, candied walnuts, and dried cranberries to a large salad bowl.
Drizzle the dressing only on what will be enjoyed the same day. (Once dressed, this salad doesn’t sit well.) Toss salad to coat in dressing. Add the gorgonzola cheese (add more to personal preference). Toss once more and serve salad immediately.

Video

Notes

Note 1: To check the ripeness of a pear, gently press the area around the stem of the pear with a gentle squeeze. If it gives a little, it’s ready to go!

Note 2: You can dice the onion or thinly slice. To take away the "bite" of the red onion, submerge the sliced or chopped onions in a bowl of cold or ice water. Let sit at least ten minutes, stirring 2–3 times, then drain and use in the salad.

Note 3: This recipe for candied walnuts will yield more than you need. Sugaring the walnuts works best with this volume; leftovers store nicely! Store leftover candied walnuts in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months or in the pantry for 2–3 weeks.

Make Ahead/Storage: Store ingredients separately and toss together right before serving. I don’t recommend preparing pears more than an hour ahead of time (they will brown). The dressing can be made (and stored) 2–3 days in advance. If the dressing hardens or clumps, this is totally normal—it’s just the olive oil solidifying at cold temperatures. Let the dressing stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes, then shake before adding.

Nutrition