Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Pear and blue cheese are a classic combo that has been around for a long time. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to serve everything pear as these late fall and early winter months are when pears are in season. Their delicious sweetness matches perfectly with the crunch of the nuts and the savory flavor of the blue cheese to make a salad everyone will rave about this holiday season.

This recipe is Gluten-Free.

How to make Pear and Blue Cheese Salad

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews)
• 1 bunch watercress
• 1 bunch arugula
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Belgian endive
• 2 ripe pears
• 1/2 cup (loosely packed, crumbled) mild blue cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the nuts on a sheet pan in a single layer.
2. Bake for about 7 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the nuts are toasted and fragrant. Let the nuts cool, and then coarsely chop.
3. Trim the stems of the watercress and arugula. Wash and dry the leaves.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the vinegar and mustard together in a large salad bowl. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and some pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil.
5. Halve the endive lengthwise, cut out the core, then thinly slice crosswise and add all the lettuce to the bowl.
6. Quarter and core the unpeeled pears and thinly slice. Add these to the salad. Scatter the cheese and nuts over the salad, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
7. Toss the salad gently to evenly dress all the greens and serve!

How to Keep Salad Fresh

Salads are always best served fresh, and it can be hard to preserve salad and keep it fresh if you have leftovers. However, there are a few things that you can do to make your salad last. If you can, prep all your ingredients and make the salad dressing, but store ingredients separately because the salad and nuts will become soggy when stored together. If you know how much salad you need/want to eat for each meal, combine only the amount of salad ingredients you need for that portion right before you eat so the other uneaten ingredients stay fresh and not soggy. If you do make the entire salad and want to store it all together, consider adding some paper towels to your airtight container to absorb some of the moisture. Finally, always store lettuce and produce in the fridge to keep it cold and fresher longer. Enjoy your delicious salad!