Hearth Pear Greens Salad (Printable)

Warm roasted pears combine with fresh greens, toasted nuts, and tangy cheese for a vibrant dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Produce

01 - 2 ripe pears, cored and sliced
02 - 6 cups mixed baby greens (such as arugula, spinach, and baby kale)
03 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Cheese & Nuts

04 - 3.5 oz goat cheese or blue cheese, crumbled
05 - 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped

→ 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

→ Optional Garnish

11 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F.
02 - Arrange pear slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and roast for 15-18 minutes, turning once, until golden and tender. Allow to cool slightly.
03 - While pears roast, toast the walnuts or pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Remove from heat.
04 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
05 - In a large salad bowl, combine mixed greens and red onion. Drizzle with about half the dressing and toss gently.
06 - Arrange roasted pears, toasted nuts, and cheese over the greens. Sprinkle with dried cranberries if using.
07 - Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The warm roasted pears against crisp greens creates that perfect contrast that makes people immediately ask for seconds
  • It balances sweet tangy and creamy in every bite like it was designed by someone who really understands how flavors play together
02 -
  • Don't skip the parchment paper the natural sugars in pears caramelize and stick without it
  • Toast your nuts right before serving stale toasted nuts ruin everything
  • Dress the greens before adding toppings or the pear pieces get soggy
03 -
  • Room temperature pears roast more evenly than cold ones straight from the fridge
  • Let the toasted nuts cool completely before adding or they'll wilt the greens

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