Pear Walnut Salad Recipe | Happy healthy eating

This is sweet and yummy Pear Walnut Salad An easy 20-minute side for the holidays or year round with parmesan cheese. Tossed with herbed balsamic vinaigrette, this will be the star of your upcoming gathering, add protein and make it a meal!

Why You'll Love This Pear and Walnut Salad

If you're on salad duty during the holiday season, this fancy-yet-easy Pear Walnut Salad with Tangy Vinaigrette is perfect for you.

• quickly This fresh salad side only takes 20 minutes to make.
• versatile Add juicy turkey, leftover asparagus, or use a store-bought vinaigrette. There is room for creativity!
• Great for the holidays. Walnuts, dried cherries and fresh pears are a heavenly flavor combination for a Thanksgiving or Christmas salad.
• Beginner-friendly. Anyone can nail this whisked vinaigrette and toss salad effortlessly.

Recipe ingredients

Buttery walnuts and red onions add plenty of crunch to this festive pear walnut salad. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.

For the salad

• Spring mix – Feel free to use your favorite vegetables.
• Pears – They can be peeled or unpeeled.
• dried cherries- Dried cranberries also work.
• walnut- Pecans, almonds and pistachios are a good swap.
• Parmesan – You can also use feta or goat cheese.
• red onion- Thinly sliced ​​shallots are a great alternative.

For the vinaigrette

• garlic – Fresh garlic is best.
• Dijon Mustard – Stone-ground mustard also works.
• Dried Rosemary- Dried thyme is also fine.
• Balsamic Vinegar- Cut the amount in half if you use it Balsamic reduction.
• olive oil- You can add avocado oil.
• salt and pepper- Kosher salt and freshly-cracked black pepper are best.

Tips for buying fresh pears

A pear's color varies depending on the variety, but here are some things to keep in mind to select the best fresh pears:

• smooth skin Run your fingers over the peel and make sure it is completely smooth. You don't want it to feel bumpy, rough, or even wrinkled.
• There are no wounds. The pear should not have any pits or soft spots. If you see a dark spot that is slightly dented, this is usually a bad sign.
• Check maturity. Press the pear gently with your fingers. It should yield a little bit, but not mush or completely hard.

How to Make Pear Walnut Salad

Once you've whisked the garlic vinaigrette, simply toss the salad ingredients together. So! Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.

• Make the vinaigrette. Whisk all vinaigrette ingredients in a bowl until completely smooth. Oil and vinegar should not be separated. Keep the mixture aside.
• Prepare the salad. Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl and toss until well combined.
• serve Drizzle with vinaigrette to taste or serve on the side. Serve and enjoy!

Tips and variations

This sweet pear walnut salad with a delicious balsamic vinaigrette is great for using up leftover fruit, vegetables, and juicy chicken.

• Make it fruitier. Adding 1/2-1 cup of chopped peaches, apples, and blueberries can make this recipe even more fruity.
• Use leftovers. mix something up Garlic Parmesan Brussels Sprouts, Air Fryer Asparagusor Air Fryer Green Beans Reduce food waste in salads.
• Increase palatability. Add sliced ​​prosciutto, salami or crumbled bacon for extra flavor. 1 cup should be enough.
• Swap the dressing. If you're in a hurry, use your favorite store-bought balsamic vinaigrette.
• Process it. Skip whisking and add all vinaigrette ingredients to blender. Process until completely smooth. You can also use an immersion blender for this.
• Add protein. Salad topping with grilled chicken or turkey, Garlic Herb Crock Pot Chicken, Roasted Chicken with Lemon Garlic Butter This is a great way to make a hearty salad.
• hold on Do not drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette until just before serving to prevent the greens from absorbing moisture and becoming soft.
• More greens. For more greens, toss 1-2 cups chopped kale, 1 cup baby spinach, and 1/4 cup chopped green onions into the salad.

Serving advice

This refreshing Pear Walnut Salad is an easy salad for your holiday dinner. I love serving it with me Thank you Türkiye, Maple Smoked Türkiyeor Garlic Herb Turkey Breast. If you like steak, try mine Grilled filet mignon, New York Strip Steak with Balsamic Reductionor Ribeye with herb butter. Other side ideas include mine Mashed cauliflower And Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Proper storage

Place salad and vinaigrette in separate bowls. The salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and the vinaigrette for up to 7 days. Stir the vinaigrette before serving to combine all the ingredients again.

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