Pear and Walnut Salad
Sliced pear, toasted walnuts and blue cheese on mixed leaves with a honey and cider vinegar dressing.
The Method for Pear and Walnut Salad
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Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes and cool. Toss the pear slices in the lemon juice.
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Shake the oil, vinegar, honey, mustard and salt in a jar.
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Toss the leaves with half the dressing and divide between four plates.
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Top with the pear, walnuts and blue cheese and drizzle with the remaining dressing.
Things to Watch For
- Choose ripe but firm pears.
- Brush the pear with lemon juice.
- Taste the dressing before using.
- Toast the walnuts lightly.
About This Recipe
It is an autumn salad that works as a starter or a light lunch: crisp, juicy pear, bitter leaves, sharp blue cheese and the toasted crunch of walnuts. It needs no cooking, other than toasting the nuts.
Choose pears that are ripe but still firm, so that they slice cleanly and keep their shape. A soft pear turns to mush when tossed. Slice them just before serving, or brush the slices with lemon juice, since pear browns quickly.
Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes, until they smell warm and nutty, and let them cool.
Shake the dressing in a jar: olive oil, cider vinegar, honey, mustard and a pinch of salt. It should taste slightly too sharp on its own, since the pear and cheese will soften it. Toss the leaves with the dressing and arrange on plates with the pear, walnuts and crumbled blue cheese. A few slices of red onion add bite.
On the Table Alongside
Crusty bread · Roast pork · Grilled chicken · Dry white wine
Leftovers
Best made just before serving.
Questions People Ask
How long does Pear and Walnut Salad take to make?
About 13 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 3 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 4.
What are the key tips for making Pear and Walnut Salad?
Choose ripe but firm pears. Brush the pear with lemon juice. Taste the dressing before using. Toast the walnuts lightly.
What should I serve with Pear and Walnut Salad?
Crusty bread; Roast pork; Grilled chicken; Dry white wine.
Is Pear and Walnut Salad suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Pear and Walnut Salad?
About 395 kcal per serving, with 8 g protein, 21 g carbohydrate and 31 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
What's in a Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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