Winter Pear Salad
This winter pear salad is the bright, crunchy palate-cleanser your December dinner party didn’t know it needed, but will absolutely love.
Every cozy, indulgent winter menu needs a little pop of brightness, and this winter pear salad brings exactly that. It’s fresh, crisp, and full of texture…the kind of salad that doesn’t feel like a formality, but something to cut through some heaviness.
Juicy pear slices get mixed with a combo of romaine and spring greens, candied pecans, dried cranberries, and crumbles of gorgonzola for that perfect sweet-savory balance.
And the vinaigrette? A shallot-forward, lemony, red-wine blend that feels vibrant but still winter-appropriate.
Recipe
Prep time: 20 minutes
Serves 8
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
1 shallot, peeled and finely minced
1 clove garlic, grated (or finely minced)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
Juice from ½ lemon
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup EVOO
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Salad
1 head romaine lettuce
4 cups spring mix
⅔ cup candied pecans
½ cup dried cranberries
4oz crumbled gorgonzola or bleu cheese
1 large pear, core & stem removed & thinly sliced
Directions
Vinaigrette
Add all of the ingredients to a bowl or mason jar and whisk vigorously or shake until combined. Store in the fridge. Pull it out about an hour before dressing your salad and re-mix before dressing.
Salad
Clean and chop the 1 head of romaine into ½” ribbons or pieces then toss with the 4 cups spring mix.
Dress the salad with the vinaigrette (start with a small amount and add more as needed) and toss to coat.
Add the ⅔ cup candied pecans, ½ cup dried cranberries, and 4oz crumbled gorgonzola and very gently toss to combine.
Add a few more sprinkles of those same items (to make it look pretty), then fan out slices of the pear all over the top before serving.
Notes
Slice the pear right before adding it to the salad or else it will brown.
Use fuji or honeycrisp apples in place of pears.
Use feta or shaved parmesan in place of gorgonzola if that’s not your taste preference.
We want to keep this easy, so just buy candied pecans from the store!
