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Pear and Goat Cheese Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette pouring out of a white pitcher
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5 from 2 votes

Pear and Goat Cheese Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette

Pear and Goat Cheese Salad is perfect for fall and winter months. Crisp, fresh greens are topped with slices of juicy, sweet pears, crumbles of tangy goat cheese, candied walnuts and dried cranberries. It's finished off with a walnut vinaigrette that's super quick to prepare with only 3 ingredients!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish, Side salads
Cuisine: French
Keyword: Pear and Goat Cheese Salad, Walnut Vinaigrette Salad
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 321kcal
Author: Lee Clayton Roper

Ingredients

Walnut Vinaigrette

  • 1/2 cup walnut oil
  • 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Candied Walnuts

  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
  • Kosher salt to taste

Pear and Goat Cheese Salad

  • 7 to 8 cups Boston bibb lettuce or baby mixed greens
  • 4 small ripe pears cored, thinly sliced – see Note
  • 1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
  • 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 medium red onion cut in half and thinly sliced

Instructions

Walnut Vinaigrette

  • In a small jar with a lid, whisk together walnut oil, balsamic vinegar and mustard until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Cover and set aside.

Candied Walnuts

  • In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sugar, then the walnut pieces. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and quickly transfer nuts onto waxed or parchment paper, separating the walnuts as much as possible. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.
  • Set aside to cool.

Pear and Goat Cheese Salad

  • Tear lettuce leaves into bite-size pieces and divide evenly among 8 individual salad plates.
  • Arrange pear slices decoratively on top.
  • Sprinkle with goat cheese, cranberries and walnuts.
  • Drizzle some dressing on top, passing the rest on the side.

Notes

Make ahead: Vinaigrette can be made up to 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using. Candied walnuts can also be made up to 3 days ahead, covered and kept at room temperature.
Type of pears to use: I recommend using d'Anjou pears. Bartlett or Comice will also work well.

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 93mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 1649IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg