Charred Pear Greens Salad (Printable)

A fresh salad featuring caramelized pears, mixed greens, toasted nuts, and a bright vinaigrette.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Produce

01 - 2 ripe pears, halved, cored, and sliced
02 - 5 oz mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, frisée, etc.)
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Nuts & Cheese

04 - 1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pecans
05 - 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta

→ Dressing

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

→ For Charring

11 - 1 tsp olive oil (for pears)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
02 - Brush pear slices lightly with 1 tsp olive oil. Grill each side for 2 to 3 minutes until charred and caramelized. Remove and set aside.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Combine mixed greens and sliced red onion in a large salad bowl. Toss gently with half the dressing.
05 - Arrange charred pears over the dressed greens. Sprinkle toasted nuts and crumbled cheese evenly on top.
06 - Drizzle remaining dressing over the salad and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Sweet meets savory in a way that feels almost fancy but takes barely longer than assembling a regular salad.
  • The charred edges on the pears give you that caramelized depth you usually only get from long braises.
  • It's the kind of salad that actually fills you up without making you feel heavy.
  • You can make it start to finish in the time it takes to get someone to sit down at the table.
02 -
  • Charring happens fast—turn away for even a minute and you'll have burnt instead of caramelized, which tastes acrid instead of deep and sweet.
  • Don't dress the pears themselves; keep them separate until the last moment or they'll absorb the vinegar and lose their sweetness.
  • Room-temperature salad leaves mixed with warm charred pears is intentional and delicious, but if you prefer everything cold, you can chill the components and serve them together.
03 -
  • Toast your own nuts in a dry skillet for 3 to 4 minutes if you have time—the flavor difference is subtle but real, and it only takes a moment.
  • If pears aren't in season, use firm apples or even fresh figs; adjust the cooking time slightly based on how quickly the fruit caramelizes.

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