awesome maple-balsamic blue cheese pear salad

Name: Awesome Maple-Balsamic Blue Cheese Pear Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ## DRESSING:; 1/2 cup(s) olive oil; 2 tablespoon(s) white balsamic vinegar (or white wine, or red wine vinegar); 3 tablespoon(s) real maple syrup; 1 teaspoon(s) Dijon mustard; 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper + pinch of salt; ## SALAD:; 5 cup(s) mixed salad greens (of your choice); 1 package(s) baby spinach; 2 - red pears, cored and thinly sliced; 1/2 - red onion, peeled and thinly sliced; 1 cup(s) crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola; 1 cup(s) candied walnuts (*recipe below); 1/4 cup(s) dried cranberries; 1 or 2 pinch(es) salt; ## CANDIED PECANS (*OR USE WALNUTS); 1 tablespoon(s) butter (not oleo); 1 cup(s) pecan or walnut halves; 1/4 cup(s) white sugar; 1 pinch(es) optional: cayenne pepper or smoked paprika

(4 RATINGS)

398 Pinches 4 Photos

Sher Bird

Bellevue, WA

Updated on Mar 22, 2016

This is an AWESOME, fabulous salad! The dressing is made with real maple syrup, and the salad is dressed with candied pecans, blue cheese, pear slices, and some dried cranberries. The ingredients might sound strange for a salad, but they work wonderfully together - It is SOOO good! I hope you like it as much as my family. Especially great in the fall and for the fall-winter holidays.

Rate

Blue Ribbon Recipe

I really love the dressing for this salad. You have a hint of sweetness from the maple syrup balanced out by the acidity from the white balsamic. There are so many textures in this salad your taste buds will be so happy. Crunch from the candied pecans, sweetness from the pears, chewy dried cranberries and creamy blue cheese. This is so good!

— The Test Kitchen

prep time 10 Min

cook time 5 Min

method Stove Top

yield 5-6 serving(s)

Ingredients

DRESSING:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or white wine, or red wine vinegar)
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper + pinch of salt
SALAD:
5 cups mixed salad greens (of your choice)
1 package baby spinach
2 - red pears, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 - red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola
1 cup candied walnuts (*recipe below)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 or 2 pinches salt
CANDIED PECANS (*OR USE WALNUTS)
1 tablespoon butter (not oleo)
1 cup pecan or walnut halves
1/4 cup white sugar
1 pinch optional: cayenne pepper or smoked paprika

How To Make awesome maple-balsamic blue cheese pear salad

Step 1

TO MAKE CANDIED NUTS: Melt butter in medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add nuts and sugar. Stir constantly until sugar melts and coats nuts. If desired, add pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Step 2

Place salad greens and spinach, red onion slices, and pear slices into a salad serving bowl. Spread crumbled blue cheese all over, then candied nuts and dried cranberries.
Step 3

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients until well blended. Pour 2/3 of the dressing over salad in the serving bowl. Toss well to coat salad evenlly. Taste, then if needed-- add some of remaining dressing.
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