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.
Pear Salad, perfect Fall side 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 fall 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, like 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.
Which makes this salad a great make-ahead side salad while you prepare your main course.
Blue Cheese, Bleu Cheese or Gorgonzola Cheese?
Bleu cheese, or blue cheese is a category of cheese that contains the mold Penicillium. Gorgonzola is a specific type of blue cheese from Northern Italy.
Both are used extensively in cooking and are very popular with wine and food. Gorgonzola has a unique taste and appearance. Both blue cheese or gorgonzola will work beautifully for this salad. And are a perfect cheese pairing for pears. Both are sharp and salty with a strong smell.
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 for a choice for this pear and walnut salad.
The make-ahead vinaigrette for Pear and walnut salad
The cranberry vinaigrette for this pear 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
I hope you give this pear and walnut salad recipe a try. And if you do, please come back and let me know how you liked it and give the recipe a star rating.
Your feedback is valuable to me for developing future recipes. And if you have a favorite pear walnut salad recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.
I make this salad often and it’s a great side dish for our favorite Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin.
More impressive side salad recipes
- Southwestern Salad with Black Beans. with black beans and corn … and so much more. A beautiful combination of greens and vegetables with a feisty honey lime vinaigrette. Perfect side salad for your next Mexican meal.
- Avocado Hearts of Palm Salad. With butter leaf lettuce and walnuts. A beautiful presentation. A perfect side of any main course. Healthy, lemony, delicious.
- The Only Strawberry Spinach Salad You’ll Ever Need. Sweet, tangy, savory, a tingle of Worcestershire and a hint of paprika. A perfect side salad for any grilled entree.
And don’t miss my comprehensive article on the 9 Secrets To Making A Remarkable Tossed Salad. Just say no to sad salads forever.
And if you’re looking for more side dish recipe ideas, don’t miss my Salad category. You’ll find lots of great recipe ideas.
Pear and Walnut Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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 Tablespoons 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 Tablespoons vinaigrette.
Nutrition
Pear and walnut salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette …It’s What’s For A Fall Side Salad
Love adding fruits and nuts to a salad. Looks pretty!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I love fruit in salads.
I’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.
Thanks Barbara, and thanks for stopping by
Num. 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.
That salad looks fabulous! Fresh pears and bleu cheese is one of my favorite combos.
Me too Liz, who needs all that healthy salad stuff underneath! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by
what fun… good for you, I love all the party posts
Thanks for stopping by Dave
Sounds like a great party and fabulous food!
Thanks for stopping by Linda
This 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.
I can’t wait to try it on a sandwich I’m making tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by Joanne
Fun and fabulous! Looks like a good time and good food and good wine was had by all 🙂 And the salad…drool!
I love that salad. Thanks for stopping by GirliChef
I love it! It’s like an alternative version of waldorf salad! 🙂
Bee-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!
Any ol blue cheese will do, Maytag is just a good one. Thanks for stopping by Vic
I 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 🙂 It all looks very good!
Ha ha over the Maytag thing but LOL over sloppy Tom. As always, thanks for stopping by Chris.
If 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.
Hey 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.
Love the ingredients in this salad! Will give it a try. Looks like you had a wonderful dinner party.
Always a good time with good friends, good and wine. Thanks for stopping by
Maytag Blue cheese is the best in the world!
LOVE LOVE LOVE Maytag. As always, thanks for stopping by BD