Pear Salad with Creamy Walnut Vinaigrette Recipe
A refreshing and elegant pear salad featuring crisp arugula, tender pear slices, crunchy walnuts, and tangy blue cheese, all tossed in a rich and creamy walnut vinaigrette. This salad is perfect for a light lunch or as a sophisticated starter to any meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad
- 2–3 ripe but firm pears
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 4 cups arugula or other baby lettuce
- 4 Tbsp walnuts
- 4–8 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese
Dressing
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3 Tbsp walnuts
- 3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup walnut oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: Place the mustard, 3 tablespoons of walnuts, and white wine vinegar into a small food processor. Process for about one minute, then slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of walnut oil while the machine runs. Continue processing until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Season the vinaigrette with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Slice the pears: Using a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer, cut the pears into 1/4 inch slices. Immediately sprinkle the slices with the juice of half a lemon to prevent browning. Ensure all pear surfaces are coated with the juice.
- Assemble the salad: Evenly divide 4 cups of arugula onto four salad plates. Neatly stack and fan out the pear slices on top of the arugula. Scatter 4 tablespoons of walnuts and 4 to 8 tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese evenly over the salads.
- Finish and serve: Drizzle the creamy walnut vinaigrette over each salad and season with freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
Notes
- Use firm pears like Bosc or Anjou for best slicing and texture.
- Walnut oil imparts a rich, nutty flavor; you can substitute with extra virgin olive oil if unavailable, but it will alter the taste.
- Adjust blue cheese quantity according to your preference for stronger or milder flavor.
- To save time, prepare the dressing ahead of time and refrigerate, but add salad ingredients just before serving.
- For a crunchier texture, lightly toast the walnuts before adding them to the salad and dressing.
Keywords: pear salad, walnut vinaigrette, blue cheese salad, arugula salad, healthy salad, creamy dressing, easy salad recipe
