Pear And Gorgonzola Salad With Candied Pecans Recipe
A refreshing and elegant Pear and Gorgonzola Salad featuring field greens, ripe pears, tangy Gorgonzola cheese, and crunchy candied pecans, all tossed with a homemade white balsamic dressing infused with thyme and a hint of citrus.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-cook with stove-top caramelizing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 6 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
- Pinch of salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar or honey
- 1–2 teaspoons lime or lemon juice
Candied Pecans
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
- Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Salad
- 8 cups field greens (washed and dried)
- 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese (crumbled)
- 1 pear (ripe, washed and quartered into thin slices)
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, chopped thyme, sugar or honey, and lime or lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to allow flavors to meld.
- Prepare Candied Pecans: Heat the sugar and pecans in a medium pan over medium heat. Stir and shake the pan frequently as the sugar begins to melt and coat the pecans evenly. If using, add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a subtle spicy kick. Continue cooking until the sugar turns a light caramel color.
- Cool Pecans: Turn off the heat and immediately spread the pecans onto a cookie sheet to cool. Once cooled, break apart any clusters. Set aside.
- Assemble the Salad: Divide the field greens evenly among 4 plates. Arrange the thinly sliced pear quarters on top of the greens. Sprinkle evenly with crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and candied pecans.
- Dress and Serve: Drizzle the prepared dressing over each salad just before serving for a bright, balanced flavor.
Notes
- Use ripe pears for the best sweetness and texture contrast with the cheese.
- You can substitute arugula for field greens for a peppery flavor.
- Adjust the amount of lime or lemon juice in the dressing to your taste for acidity.
- For a nut-free version, omit pecans and add toasted seeds or extra cheese.
- Prepare candied pecans in advance and store in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
Keywords: pear salad, gorgonzola salad, candied pecans, field greens salad, easy dinner salad, autumn salad
