Roasted Pear Salad
A Pear and Walnut Salad Recipe with Gruyere Cheese
Juicy pears are roasted until caramelized then tossed with greens, walnuts and cheese in this tasty pear salad recipe.
One of the tastiest ways to enjoy pears, especially when they are in season, is this pear walnut salad recipe. Use any kind of pears you like -- firm Bosc pears, softer sweeter seckel pears or juicy round comice pears are all good choices. The firmer pears become sweeter in the roasting process. Just make sure you turn them halfway through cooking, as the Bosc pears have a tendency to dry out if overcooked.
Gruyere cheese lends a distinctive and nutty bite to this salad, but it can also be quite expensive. A fine substitute for the Gruyere cheese would be a nice swiss cheese or even a Jarlsberg cheese.
If you want a sweeter contrast of flavors, try glazed walnuts in this pear salad recipe. You can find packaged glazed walnuts in the produce section of most large grocery stores. Emerald is one brand that makes pre-glazed walnuts.
Although this pear salad recipe has a fair bit of fat, most of it is heart-healthy fat from the walnuts. In fact, this salad has very little cholesterol and is a fabulous source of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, fiber and protein.
Pear and Walnut Salad Recipe
For the Salad:
- 3 pears (any variety), peeled and thinly-sliced
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
- 8 to 10 cups shredded romaine lettuce
- 2 oz. Gruyere cheese, cut into small (1/4-inch) chunks
For the Dressing:
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 shallot, diced finely
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss pear slices with the tablespoon of olive oil and kosher salt. Spread out in an even layer on a sturdy baking sheet or cast iron roasting pan, such as a Mario Batali pizza pan. Roast 7 minutes. Turn over. Roast another 5 to 7 minutes until soft. Remove from oven to cool.
- Meanwhile toast walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to cool. Combine lettuce, pear slices, toasted walnuts and Gruyere cheese in a large salad bowl. Toss to mix.
- Make dressing: Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together vigorously. Pour over salad.
- Makes approximately 6 servings.
Per serving (including dressing): 281 calories, 21 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 21 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 6 g protein, 95% vitamin A, 39% vitamin C, 15% calcium, 8% iron
For more delicious and healthy salad recipes, see also: carrot raisin salad, bok choy salad, broccoli salad, Fuji apple walnut chicken salad and ranch bacon pasta salad.
