Pear Walnut Blue Cheese Salad. Crisp pear slices, toasted walnuts and crumbled blue cheese over greens with a light cider-maple vinaigrette. The formula and timing below are working estimates for a future kitchen trial, not a claim that a batch has been made.
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A crisp, tangy winter side
Firm pears, toasted walnuts and small blue-cheese crumbles make a contrasting green salad for a holiday dinner. It is distinct from the prior day's roasted beet and orange salad, with different fruit, nuts and dairy.
Six side portions are provisional; actual pear sizes and greens volume need a kitchen check.
Choose the components
Firm-ripe pears hold thin slices better than very soft fruit. Dry the greens thoroughly so the dressing clings rather than running off. Let toasted walnuts cool before they touch leaves.
Walnuts and blue cheese are declared allergens. This is not a dairy-free or nut-free salad, even if the dressing itself contains neither.
Ingredients for 6 side portions
| Ingredient | Amount | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Walnuts, roughly chopped | 1/2 cup | Toast and cool. |
| Mixed tender salad greens | 4 cups | Wash and dry. |
| Firm-ripe pears | 2 medium pears | Core and thinly slice. |
| Blue cheese, crumbled | 4 ounces | Scatter at assembly. |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | 3 tablespoons | Dressing. |
| Apple cider vinegar | 1 tablespoon | Dressing. |
| Pure maple syrup | 1 teaspoon | Dressing. |
| Dijon mustard | 1 teaspoon | Dressing. |
| Fine salt | 1/4 teaspoon | Dressing. |
| Freshly ground black pepper | 1/8 teaspoon | Dressing. |
Step-by-step method
- Toast 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat approximately five minutes until fragrant; cool. Wash and thoroughly dry 4 cups mixed tender greens. Core and thinly slice two firm-ripe pears.
- Whisk 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1 tsp Dijon, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.
- Toss greens lightly with part of the dressing, then arrange pear slices, cooled walnuts and 4 oz crumbled blue cheese on top. Drizzle the remaining dressing just before serving.
- Divide into six side portions. Record pear firmness, dressed-green quality, cheese distribution and actual yield in a kitchen trial.
Whisk a light dressing
Cider vinegar and Dijon give acidity, with one teaspoon maple syrup to round it out. Three tablespoons olive oil dress four cups greens lightly; do not pour in a heavy unmeasured sweetness.
Good Food has a pear-and-blue-cheese salad with chicory. This working version uses tender greens, walnuts and its own cider-maple ratio.
Assemble at serving
Toss greens with some dressing first, then arrange pears, walnuts and cheese where they are visible. Drizzle the remainder sparingly.
Slicing pears and dressing greens far in advance can change color and texture. Record the first batch's holding quality before offering a make-ahead schedule.
Plating and storage
Serve as six side portions beside a main, not as a nutrition-defined complete meal. The photo should show the pears and cheese rather than hiding them under dressing.
Exact storage for the dressed salad has not been established. Keep components separate if testing whether a later assembly is practical.
Pear salad questions
Are the walnuts toasted?
Yes. Toast briefly in a dry skillet, then cool before assembling.
Is blue cheese in the dressing?
No. Crumble four ounces over the greens and pears.
Can I substitute goat cheese?
That changes the named recipe’s flavor and label; test and describe a variation separately.
Further reading and related Chefly recipes: Good Food's pear and blue-cheese salad. These are relevant references and other dishes, not evidence that this proposed formula was tested.
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Pear Walnut Blue Cheese Salad. Category: Sides. 6 side portions. Prep approximately 15 minutes; cooking approximately 5 minutes; additional cooling/chilling approximately 0 minutes; total approximately 20 minutes excluding preheat. Not kitchen-tested; nutrition not calculated.
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Walnuts, roughly chopped; 4 cups Mixed tender salad greens; 2 medium pears Firm-ripe pears; 4 ounces Blue cheese, crumbled; 3 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon Pure maple syrup; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/4 teaspoon Fine salt; 1/8 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper.
Instructions: Toast 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat approximately five minutes until fragrant; cool. Wash and thoroughly dry 4 cups mixed tender greens. Core and thinly slice two firm-ripe pears. Whisk 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1 tsp Dijon, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Toss greens lightly with part of the dressing, then arrange pear slices, cooled walnuts and 4 oz crumbled blue cheese on top. Drizzle the remaining dressing just before serving. Divide into six side portions. Record pear firmness, dressed-green quality, cheese distribution and actual yield in a kitchen trial.
Allergens: Walnut tree nuts; Milk; Check blue cheese, mustard and packaged greens for cross-contact. Review packaged ingredients and cross-contact before serving.
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Pear Walnut Blue Cheese Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Six side portions of pear, walnut and blue cheese green salad.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Walnuts, roughly chopped
- 4 cups Mixed tender salad greens
- 2 medium pears Firm-ripe pears
- 4 ounces Blue cheese, crumbled
- 3 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon Fine salt
- 1/8 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toast 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium-low heat approximately five minutes until fragrant; cool. Wash and thoroughly dry 4 cups mixed tender greens. Core and thinly slice two firm-ripe pears.
- Whisk 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp maple syrup, 1 tsp Dijon, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.
- Toss greens lightly with part of the dressing, then arrange pear slices, cooled walnuts and 4 oz crumbled blue cheese on top. Drizzle the remaining dressing just before serving.
- Divide into six side portions. Record pear firmness, dressed-green quality, cheese distribution and actual yield in a kitchen trial.
Notes
Recipe-development draft; not kitchen-tested. Timing and yield are estimates. Nutrition has not been calculated.
Untested estimate: five minutes to toast walnuts and fifteen minutes to prep and assemble.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sides
Nutrition
- Serving Size: One sixth of the salad, pending measured bowl yield