Show-stopping Pear Salad Recipe featuring mixed greens, ripe pears, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, red onion, and gorgonzola, all tossed in a bright apple cider vinaigrette.
author’s note
Proof That “Just a Salad” Can Be The Star!
I’m lucky to have a neighbor with a yard full of fruit trees, and every year I get more stone fruit and pears than I can eat. This season I decided to turn the pears into a large, celebratory salad—and it quickly became a favorite. Juicy pears add sweetness and texture, while candied walnuts and dried cranberries provide crunch and balance. A tangy apple cider vinaigrette brings everything together.
This salad makes an excellent holiday side for turkey or ham, and it brightens heavier winter dishes like shepherd’s pie, pot roast, or baked pasta. It’s a simple way to keep a comforting meal feeling fresh and light.
Pear Salad Recipe Ingredients
- Mixed Greens: A mix of baby lettuces and tender greens works best.
- Pears: Select ripe but firm pears so they hold their shape.
- Red Onion: Thinly sliced so the onion doesn’t overpower the salad.
- Dried Cranberries: Sweetened cranberries balance the savory elements.
- Candied Walnuts: Make your own or buy ready-made candied walnuts.
- Gorgonzola Cheese: Crumbled; if you prefer, substitute feta or goat cheese.
- Dressing: An apple cider vinaigrette—shake well before using.
How To Make Pear Salad
- Candied Walnuts: Toss walnut halves in egg white, vanilla, and water, then coat with granulated and brown sugar mixed with cinnamon and salt. Spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake at a low temperature until caramelized, stirring occasionally. Cool and chop to use in the salad.
- Dressing: Combine apple cider vinegar, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon-style mustard, salt, and pepper in a jar and shake until emulsified. Adjust seasonings to taste and chill until ready to use.
- Assemble: In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, thinly sliced pears, thinly sliced red onion, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, and crumbled gorgonzola.
- Dress and Serve: Drizzle dressing over only the portion you’ll serve immediately, toss gently to coat, add a final sprinkle of cheese if desired, and serve right away.
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Swap candied walnuts for candied pecans.
- Use dried tart cherries instead of dried cranberries.
- Substitute Fuji or Honeycrisp apples for pears if you prefer apples.
- Try a lemon–poppy seed dressing instead of the apple cider vinaigrette for a brighter flavor.
Storage
- Best eaten fresh. If you need to save portions, store the greens, pears, onion, cranberries, walnuts, and cheese separately in airtight containers and combine just before serving.
- Dressing: Keep the vinaigrette in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for 2–3 days. If the olive oil solidifies in the cold, let the jar sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes and shake well before using.
More Delicious Salads:
Turkey
Turkey Bacon Avocado Salad
Salads
Sweet Potato Salad Recipe
Salads With Meat
Chicken Salad with Apples
Salads
Winter Fruit Salad
Pear Salad Recipe
Video
Equipment
-
Large sheet pan (15″ x 21″)
-
Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Ingredients
- 8 cups mixed greens (about 5.5 ounces)
- 2 large pears
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 3/4 cup candied walnuts
- 2/3 cup dried sweetened cranberries
- 1/3 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese
- 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
- 1 pound walnut halves and 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 white
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract + 1/2 tablespoon water
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 250°F. Line an extra-large sheet pan (or two pans) with parchment or a silicone mat. Whisk egg white, vanilla, and water until frothy in a large bowl. Toss walnuts with the egg white mixture to coat. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, stirring until the walnuts are well coated. Spread walnuts on the pan without overlapping and bake for about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes until caramelized. Let cool completely, then chop about 1 cup for the salad.
-
Make the dressing by combining all dressing ingredients in a jar, sealing, and shaking vigorously. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use and shake again before dressing the salad.
-
In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, thinly sliced pears, thinly sliced red onion, candied walnuts, and dried cranberries.
-
Only dress the portion you’ll eat that day—this salad doesn’t hold well once dressed. Toss gently to coat, sprinkle with gorgonzola to taste, toss once more, and serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Note 2: Dice or thinly slice the onion. To mellow raw onion, soak slices in cold water for at least 10 minutes, then drain before adding to the salad.
Note 3: The candied walnut recipe makes more than you need for the salad, which is great because the leftovers store well. Keep extra candied walnuts in an airtight container in the pantry for 2–3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Make Ahead/Storage: Store components separately and toss them together right before serving. I don’t recommend prepping the pears more than an hour ahead since they brown. The dressing can be made and refrigerated 2–3 days in advance. If the dressing solidifies in the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes and shake before using.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.