This Pear and Blue Cheese Salad is a delicious little side salad that is a great transition from summer into cooler temperatures–you could serve it at, say, a Labor Day potluck with grilled goodies or you could serve it alongside your favorite roast beef or pork. You could also add strips of grilled chicken to make and serve larger portions as a dinner salad. It’s a versatile recipe to have in your arsenal!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
Dressing
- Red wine vinegar
- Granulated sugar
- Course-grain mustard – Such as Creole mustard.
- Fresh garlic
- Kosher salt
- Onion – White onions can sometimes be quite strong. Yellow onion or other sweet variety may be the best choice.
- Olive oil
- Black pepper
Salad
- Romaine lettuce
- Fresh pears
- Avocado
- Granulated sugar
- Chopped pecans
- Blue cheese – Gorgonzola, Roquefort, or anything labeled “Blue Cheese” will work great here.
- Dried cherries – Optional.
How to Make a Pear & Blue Cheese Salad with Candied Pecans
Dressing
- In the jar of your blender, combine some red wine vinegar, granulated sugar, mustard, garlic, kosher salt, and onion. Blend until smooth.
- With the blender running, slowly add the Olive oil in a steady stream until completely blended. Add black pepper to taste and refrigerate until ready to dress your salad.
Salad
- Prep your candied nuts: Toss your chopped pecans in a skillet with some sugar and stir constantly over medium heat until the sugar melts and coats the nuts then spread the nuts out to cool on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
- Assemble salads: While the nuts are cooling, toss the chopped lettuce, diced pears, and avocado. Add the crumbled blue cheese and candied nuts.
- Dress: Drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss gently to combine then serve immediately. This will serve about 4-6 as a main dish and 8-10 as a side dish.
Storing and Other Tips
- Assembled salads are best eaten fresh! If you have leftovers or want to plan ahead, store salad components in the refrigerator (except nuts) and build your salads as needed.
- Store your finished dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- This recipe will serve about 4-6 as a main dish and 8-10 as a side dish.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Like most salads, this one is best eaten fresh. You can certainly make your dressing a day ahead of time and candy the pecans to help assembly go more smoothly!
I really don’t like blue cheese. Could I use something else?
Feta would be a great substitution here!
Could I use other fruits?
You could absolutely use sliced apples in this salad.
Pear & Blue Cheese Salad with Candied Pecans
Candied walnuts, pears, avocado, and crumbled blue cheese come together in this versatile salad. Great as either a side or as a main dish if served with grilled chicken.
Servings side salads
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 head Romaine lettuce 2 two heads of Romaine hearts
- 3 pears seeded and diced
- 1 avocado pitted and diced
- ¼ cup white sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 4-5 ounces crumbled Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese
- dried cherries optional
Dressing
- 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon course-grain mustard such as creole mustard
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup roughly chopped onion
- ⅔ cup olive oil
Instructions
Dressing
- Combine the vinegar, minced onion, sugar, mustard, garlic, and salt in the jar of your blender and blend until smooth. With the blender running, add the olive oil in a steady stream until combined. Season with black pepper to taste and refrigerate.
Salad
- Spray a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a small non-stick skillet (if possible), stir the nuts and sugar constantly over medium heat until the sugar melts and the nuts are evenly coated in the sugar syrup. Spread the nuts over the prepared sheet of foil or parchment and let them cool completely.
- While the nuts are cooling, toss together the chopped lettuce and diced pears and avocado. Add the crumbled cheese and candied nuts, and dried cherries if using, then drizzle the dressing over the salad as desired and toss gently to combine. If serving as a meal, you can add grilled chicken. Makes 4-6 main dish servings or 8-10 side dish servings.
Notes
- Note: This dressing recipe has been edited from the original version posted due to reader feedback.
- Nutrition information reflects the salad only, without dressing.
- Assembled salads are best eaten fresh! If you have leftovers or want to plan ahead, store salad components in the refrigerator (except nuts) and build your salads as needed.
- Store your finished dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
Nutrition
Calories: 199kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 165mg, Potassium: 264mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 165IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 89mg, Iron: 0.5mg
Calories: 199kcal
Cost: $7
Did You Make This Recipe?Snap a picture, and hashtag it #ourbestbites. We love to see your creations on our Instagram @ourbestbites!
Questions & Reviews
This combo sounds delicious! Will definitely be adding it to my “must-make” list!
Yes, we can still be friends. Just thought I’d let you know, to ease your mind. Wouldn’t want you worrying about it all day.
My husband LOVES blue cheese. I’m definitely going to make this salad. Great post!
Sounds yummy. I had one similar to this at a local sandwich shop, but it also included bacon. Super yummy.
Sounds great! I always love me a good salad, and this looks divine! Do you have any additional suggestions for candying the pecans? I have other salad recipes that call for this, and mine just never turn out right. They’re either burned, or the sugar is still crystalized.
Jessica, my initial guess is that the temperature might be a little too high. Even though it might take longer, you might want to turn it down to medium-low and see if that helps.
There’s also this little tutorial–that might work better for you, too! 🙂
https://fit-over50.news/2008/08/how-to-caramelize-nuts/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
This definitely speaks fall to me. I’m a lover of blue cheese, so I’d definitely go back for seconds!!
Looks wonderful! Not a fan of any sort of blue cheese. Suggestions for a substitute?
I would probably recommend feta–I think it would be awesome here! 🙂
I’ve always used goat cheese in the apple pecan salad and it worked really well, I bet it would be good in this one too.
This does look like a perfect transition salad! Sounds wonderful!
This salad sounds lovely! Yum!
oh yum!!!! i have a bag full of pecans i brought home from california that i was just contemplating last night and we love adore worship avocados and gorgonzola! i’m going to make it tonight! thanks!