Pear Gorgonzola Salad Honey Balsamic (Print Version)

Sweet pears and tangy Gorgonzola with crisp greens, toasted walnuts, and honey-balsamic dressing

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, or spring mix)
02 - 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
03 - 3.5 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
04 - 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
05 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries

→ Dressing

06 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 tbsp honey
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
02 - In a large salad bowl, toss the mixed greens lightly with half of the prepared dressing to coat evenly.
03 - Arrange the pear slices, Gorgonzola crumbles, toasted walnuts, and dried cranberries over the dressed greens in an appealing presentation.
04 - Drizzle the remaining dressing over the salad components just before serving.
05 - Transfer to serving plates and serve immediately while greens are crisp and fresh.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It takes 15 minutes start to finish, which means you can make dinner without feeling like you're stuck in the kitchen.
  • The contrast of sweet pears and tangy cheese feels fancy enough to serve to guests but tastes like something you'd eat alone on a Tuesday night.
  • Everything stays fresh and crisp, no wilting greens or sad leftovers the next day.
02 -
  • If you dress the whole salad more than five minutes before serving, the greens will wilt and get sad, so wait until the last moment to add that second drizzle of dressing.
  • The quality of your pear matters more than anything else in this recipe, a mediocre pear will make the whole thing taste ordinary no matter how good your cheese is.
03 -
  • Slice your pears right before serving so they don't oxidize and turn brown, a squeeze of lemon juice helps too if you're prepping ahead.
  • Keep the second half of your dressing separate until the absolute last moment, this single habit changes everything about how fresh the salad tastes.
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