This is a recipe for Pear and Walnut Salad with Blue Cheese and Cranberry Vinaigrette. A super easy salad to put together, beautiful in appearance and laced with incredible flavors. This pear walnut salad is perfect for any fall entree, and for the Holidays. Especially good with pork tenderloin.
A few weeks ago, we were invited to our friends Tom and Kathy’s house for a dinner party. Kathy was serving pork tenderloin and asked that I bring a green salad. I can’t think of a better Fall salad combination that pears and walnuts. Add some blue cheese, and a cranberry vinaigrette and you’ve got a perfect side.
Very festive for this time of year, and absolutely delicious and the blue cheese pear combo is a killer in this.
If you can find red pears, liked’Anjou pears, your salad will be even that more impressive presentation. But obviously you can use any pear you’d like.
The recipe calls for tossing the pears in orange juice. Not only for a little additional flavor, but this will keep the pears from turning color if you’re assembling 30 minutes or so ahead.
Please purchase a good quality blue cheese for this salad. We’re big fans of Iowa based Maytag Blue Cheese, from Maytag Family Farms. and a Danish Blue Cheese is also a good choice. Your cheese monger should be able to steer you in right direction. And there’s nothing to stop you from using a Gorgonzola for this pear and walnut salad.
The vinaigrette for Pear and walnut Salad
The cranberry vinaigrette for this salad is outstanding. It’s easy to make using canned cranberry sauce, which blends well with balsamic vinegar, orange juice and sugar. It’s a wow.
Making the vinaigrette ahead makes this an incredibly easy salad to assemble right before dinner. As a matter of fact, I took the ingredients to Kathy’s house and assembled on the spot. Just give the cranberry vinaigrette a good shake and you’re ready to serve.
Recipe for Pear and Walnut Salad with Blue Cheese and Cranberry Vinaigrette
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I make this salad often and it’s a great side dish for our favorite Pork Tenderloin with Peach Basil Gastrique.
This is a recipe for Pear and Walnut Salad with Blue Cheese and Cranberry Vinaigrette. A super easy salad to put together, beautiful in appearance and laced with incredible flavors. This pear walnut salad is perfect for any fall entree, and for the Holidays. Especially good with pork tenderloin.
- Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup cranberry sauce canned
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Salad
- 2 heads Bibb lettuce
- 2 pears sliced
- 2 Tablespoons orange juice
- 1 cup red onion sliced
- 1/3 cup blue cheese crumbled
- 2 Tablespoons walnuts chopped
- To prepare vinaigrette, place first 7 ingredients in medium bowl, stir well with whisk.
To prepare the salad, divide the lettuce leaves evenly among 6 salad plates. Toss pear with 2 T. orange juice. Divide pear and onion evenly among leaves. Top each serving with about 1 Tablespoon cheese and 1 teaspoon walnuts. Drizzle each serving with about 2 1/2 T. vinaigrette.
Pear and walnut salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette …It’s What’s For A Salad
buffalo dick says
December 6, 2009 at 2:13 pmMaytag Blue cheese is the best in the world!
leaannbrown says
December 6, 2009 at 2:31 pmLOVE LOVE LOVE Maytag. As always, thanks for stopping by BD
Penny says
December 6, 2009 at 2:38 pmLove the ingredients in this salad! Will give it a try. Looks like you had a wonderful dinner party.
leaannbrown says
December 7, 2009 at 12:39 pmAlways a good time with good friends, good and wine. Thanks for stopping by
Chilebrown says
December 6, 2009 at 2:56 pmIf you love Maytag, you may want to try Pt.Reyes Farmstead Cheese co. Blue Cheese. If you can find it give it a try. It is a little more creamier than Maytag. It is a Westcoast favorite.
leaannbrown says
December 7, 2009 at 12:43 pmHey thanks for that Cheese Tip Chilebrown. My Whole Foods might just have it. Most certainly will look. It seems like I’ve even seen a logo for that Cheese.
Chris says
December 6, 2009 at 3:11 pmI like Maytag blue cheese, but General Electric’s gouda is to die for! (ha ha ha ha ha ha….sorry)
Looks like a very fun night even if Tom was so sloppy drunk he couldn’t poor wine š It all looks very good!
leaannbrown says
December 7, 2009 at 12:42 pmHa ha over the Maytag thing but LOL over sloppy Tom. As always, thanks for stopping by Chris.
Vickie says
December 6, 2009 at 5:47 pmBee-yoo-tee-ful salad! I’m pretty sure that if I went into my little grocery, they would scratch their heads at a request for a particular type of bleu cheese. I’ll be trying the salad, though, even if I have to settle for another type. The tenderloin made my mouth water . . . very nice post!
leaannbrown says
December 7, 2009 at 12:38 pmAny ol blue cheese will do, Maytag is just a good one. Thanks for stopping by Vic
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
December 6, 2009 at 8:37 pmI love it! It’s like an alternative version of waldorf salad! š
girlichef says
December 6, 2009 at 3:27 pmFun and fabulous! Looks like a good time and good food and good wine was had by all š And the salad…drool!
leaannbrown says
December 7, 2009 at 12:41 pmI love that salad. Thanks for stopping by GirliChef
Joanne says
December 6, 2009 at 4:05 pmThis looks like such a fun get-together! I love all the cranberry you guys ate. Cranberry sauce has to be one of my most favorite condiments ever.
Your cranberry vinaigrette sounds fantastic, especially with the blue cheese. I love blue cheese.
leaannbrown says
December 7, 2009 at 12:40 pmI can’t wait to try it on a sandwich I’m making tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by Joanne
Linda says
December 7, 2009 at 2:04 amSounds like a great party and fabulous food!
leaannbrown says
December 7, 2009 at 12:30 pmThanks for stopping by Linda
My Year on the Grill says
December 7, 2009 at 4:00 amwhat fun… good for you, I love all the party posts
leaannbrown says
December 7, 2009 at 12:30 pmThanks for stopping by Dave
Zia Liz says
December 6, 2009 at 11:53 pmThat salad looks fabulous! Fresh pears and bleu cheese is one of my favorite combos.
leaannbrown says
December 7, 2009 at 12:31 pmMe too Liz, who needs all that healthy salad stuff underneath! š Thanks for stopping by
dan says
December 7, 2009 at 2:08 pmNum. Missed you all. Can someone bring those crab cakes over this Saturday?
Tom is happy, Tom spills the wine, then Tom gets happier…life is good with Tom.
Barbara says
December 8, 2009 at 12:09 amI’ve had blue cheese with pears and walnuts but next time I will try Maytag. It’s my sister’s favorite cheese. What I really liked was the idea of cranberry sauce in the vinaigrette. Just a touch of sweetness.
Had a similar salad at lunch in a restaurant recently, but they also added some chicken so we got our protein.
Love your dinner party story- you all had such fun! And isn’t that the cutest dog? No wonder you snuck her a few bites.
leaannbrown says
December 8, 2009 at 2:05 amThanks Barbara, and thanks for stopping by
orchidgirl1979 says
December 16, 2009 at 3:54 pmLove adding fruits and nuts to a salad. Looks pretty!
leaannbrown says
December 17, 2009 at 1:41 amThanks so much for stopping by. I love fruit in salads.