I built my Pear and Blue Cheese Salad around peppery mixed greens, ripe pear slices, crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts, and I include one unexpected pantry swap that shifts the balance of flavors in a surprising way.
I love salads that keep you guessing, and this pear and blue cheese pairing does exactly that. Thin slices of pear meet crumbled blue cheese and somehow make a plate feel unexpected, kinda fancy but not precious.
I keep catching myself scrolling through Arugula Pear Gorgonzola Salad pins then thinking nah this one is simpler, more honest. If you ever hunt through Blue Cheese Salad Recipes for the right balance, you know what I mean.
It tastes like contradiction in a bowl, sweet and sharp at once, and it makes you want to take another bite before you decide why.
Ingredients
- Mixed baby greens: light leafy bunch, full of fiber and vitamins, mild bitter notes.
- Pears: juicy sweet, add natural sugar and crunch, give salad a soft texture.
- Blue cheese: salty creamy, offers protein and fat, punchy tang against sweet fruit.
- Walnuts: toasty crunch, rich in healthy fats and omega 3s, add earthy bite.
- Dried cranberries: chewy sweet tart, give color and a little extra sugar, optional.
- Olive oil: smooth mouthfeel heart healthy monounsaturated fats, carries dressing flavors.
- Red onion: sharp, slightly sweet adds crisp bite and pungent aromatics, use thin slices.
Ingredient Quantities
- 5 to 6 oz mixed baby greens (spring mix, baby spinach, arugula)
- 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced (Bosc or Anjou work great)
- 4 oz blue cheese, crumbled (gorgonzola or roquefort)
- 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 1/4 small red onion, very thinly sliced (about 2 tbsp)
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries, optional
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
How to Make this
1. Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to a plate to cool and roughly chop once cool.
2. Make the dressing: whisk together 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey or maple syrup, and a pinch of salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper; taste and adjust acidity or sweetness if needed.
3. Core and thinly slice the pears, then toss the slices gently with a teaspoon of the dressing or a little extra lemon or vinegar so they won’t brown while you finish the rest.
4. Very thinly slice the red onion; if you want it milder, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes then drain well.
5. In a large bowl add 5 to 6 oz mixed baby greens; pour about half the dressing over the greens and toss gently with tongs so the leaves get coated but aren’t soggy.
6. Transfer the dressed greens to a serving bowl or platter and arrange the pear slices over the top.
7. Scatter the crumbled 4 oz blue cheese, the toasted chopped walnuts, the sliced red onion and 1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries if using, evenly over the salad.
8. Drizzle any remaining dressing over everything if needed, season to taste with a little more salt and pepper, give one gentle toss or leave layered, and serve right away.
Equipment Needed
1. Dry skillet or small frying pan, for toasting the walnuts
2. Plate or small bowl, to transfer and cool the toasted nuts
3. Sharp knife (chef’s or paring) and cutting board, for pears and onion
4. Small bowl or jar plus a whisk or fork, to make the dressing
5. Measuring spoons (at least 1 tbsp and 1 tsp) and measuring tbsp, for oil, vinegar, mustard, honey
6. Large mixing bowl, to toss the greens with dressing
7. Tongs or salad servers, to gently toss and arrange the salad
8. Serving bowl or platter, to present the finished salad
FAQ
Mixed Baby Greens Pear Blue Cheese Salad Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Pears: swap with thinly sliced Honeycrisp or Gala apples for a crisper, tarter bite, or try ripe persimmon for a softer, sweeter note.
- Blue cheese: use crumbled goat cheese for a milder tang, or feta for a saltier crumbly option, or sharp aged cheddar if you want less funk.
- Walnuts: replace with toasted pecans for buttery sweetness, sliced almonds for a cleaner crunch, or chopped hazelnuts for a richer roast-y flavor.
- Dried cranberries/cherries: sub with pomegranate seeds for a bright juicy pop, or chopped dates/apricots for a chewier, caramel like sweetness.
Pro Tips
1. Toast the walnuts till they smell nutty and cool them completely before chopping, otherwise theyll go soft and oily; for a little extra wow toss them back in the pan with a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of sugar for 30 seconds then cool.
2. Toss pear slices in a bit of acid the second you cut them, dont wait, that simple step keeps them looking fresh and tasting bright; if youre prepping early lay them out in a single layer so they dont stick together.
3. Start with half the dressing and add more only if needed, the greens should glisten not swim, overdressing wilts the leaves and ruins the texture.
4. Blue cheese can overpower everything so crumble less or serve some on the side for picky eaters, and if the red onion is too sharp soak it briefly in cold water then drain well, it mellows the bite without killing the flavor.
Mixed Baby Greens Pear Blue Cheese Salad Recipe
I built my Pear and Blue Cheese Salad around peppery mixed greens, ripe pear slices, crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts, and I include one unexpected pantry swap that shifts the balance of flavors in a surprising way.
4
servings
426
kcal
Equipment: 1. Dry skillet or small frying pan, for toasting the walnuts
2. Plate or small bowl, to transfer and cool the toasted nuts
3. Sharp knife (chef’s or paring) and cutting board, for pears and onion
4. Small bowl or jar plus a whisk or fork, to make the dressing
5. Measuring spoons (at least 1 tbsp and 1 tsp) and measuring tbsp, for oil, vinegar, mustard, honey
6. Large mixing bowl, to toss the greens with dressing
7. Tongs or salad servers, to gently toss and arrange the salad
8. Serving bowl or platter, to present the finished salad
Ingredients
-
5 to 6 oz mixed baby greens (spring mix, baby spinach, arugula)
-
2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced (Bosc or Anjou work great)
-
4 oz blue cheese, crumbled (gorgonzola or roquefort)
-
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
-
1/4 small red onion, very thinly sliced (about 2 tbsp)
-
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries, optional
-
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-
1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
-
1 tsp Dijon mustard
-
1 tsp honey or maple syrup
-
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to a plate to cool and roughly chop once cool.
- Make the dressing: whisk together 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 1/2 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp honey or maple syrup, and a pinch of salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper; taste and adjust acidity or sweetness if needed.
- Core and thinly slice the pears, then toss the slices gently with a teaspoon of the dressing or a little extra lemon or vinegar so they won’t brown while you finish the rest.
- Very thinly slice the red onion; if you want it milder, soak the slices in cold water for 5 minutes then drain well.
- In a large bowl add 5 to 6 oz mixed baby greens; pour about half the dressing over the greens and toss gently with tongs so the leaves get coated but aren’t soggy.
- Transfer the dressed greens to a serving bowl or platter and arrange the pear slices over the top.
- Scatter the crumbled 4 oz blue cheese, the toasted chopped walnuts, the sliced red onion and 1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries if using, evenly over the salad.
- Drizzle any remaining dressing over everything if needed, season to taste with a little more salt and pepper, give one gentle toss or leave layered, and serve right away.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 213g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 426kcal
- Fat: 33.5g
- Saturated Fat: 8.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.05g
- Polyunsaturated: 9.5g
- Monounsaturated: 11.25g
- Cholesterol: 21mg
- Sodium: 375mg
- Potassium: 352mg
- Carbohydrates: 26.25g
- Fiber: 5.8g
- Sugar: 18g
- Protein: 9.75g
- Vitamin A: 875IU
- Vitamin C: 11mg
- Calcium: 196mg
- Iron: 1.9mg
