Pear Gorgonzola Salad (Print-Friendly)

Sweet pears paired with tangy Gorgonzola, crisp greens, toasted walnuts, and honey-balsamic dressing. Ready in 15 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or spring mix)
02 - 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
03 - 3.5 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
04 - 0.5 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
05 - 0.25 cup dried cranberries

→ Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon honey
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
02 - In a large salad bowl, toss the mixed greens lightly with half of the prepared dressing.
03 - Arrange the pear slices, Gorgonzola crumbles, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries over the dressed greens.
04 - Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad just before serving.
05 - Transfer to serving plates and serve immediately while greens are crisp.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you can set the table, but tastes like you planned it for days.
  • The contrast between sweet pears, sharp Gorgonzola, and crunchy walnuts keeps every bite interesting.
  • You can adjust the dressing to your mood, more honey when you need comfort, more vinegar when you want brightness.
  • It works as a light dinner on warm evenings or a sophisticated starter when you want to impress without the pressure.
02 -
  • Do not dress the salad more than five minutes before serving or the greens will wilt and the walnuts will lose their crunch.
  • If your pears are underripe and hard, they will taste bland and waxy, wait a day or two until they give slightly to pressure.
  • Toast the walnuts over medium heat and watch them closely, they go from perfect to burnt in about thirty seconds.
03 -
  • Make the dressing in a jar with a tight lid and shake it vigorously instead of whisking, it emulsifies better and you can store leftovers right in the jar.
  • If you are serving this at a dinner party, prep everything in advance but assemble it at the last possible moment so it looks and tastes fresh.
  • Use a vegetable peeler to shave the Gorgonzola into thin ribbons instead of crumbles for a more elegant presentation.
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