Pear Salad with Blue Cheese and Rocket Recipe
A refreshing and sophisticated Pear Salad featuring juicy ripe pears, toasted walnuts, peppery rocket (arugula), and creamy blue cheese, all brought together with a tangy honey-Dijon vinaigrette. This perfect balance of sweet, savory, and crunchy elements makes an elegant starter or side dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 1 1/2 – 2 pears, any type, juicy and ripe (or nashi pears or sweet apples)
- 3/4 cup walnuts, whole (substitute almonds or pecans if desired)
- 120g / 4 oz rocket (arugula) lettuce
- 120g / 4 oz blue cheese (roquefort, gorgonzola, stilton, or other creamy blue cheese), crumbled into chunks
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: Combine Dijon mustard, honey, cider vinegar, vegetable or olive oil, salt, and black pepper in a jar with a lid. Shake well until the dressing is fully emulsified and smooth.
- Slice the Pears: Halve the pears and scoop out the cores. Place the cut side down on a cutting board and slice into thin 3mm (0.12 inch) slices, ensuring even thickness for balanced texture.
- Toast the Walnuts: Spread walnuts evenly on a baking tray and toast in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 8 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove and allow to cool slightly. Leave some walnuts whole and break some into halves by hand for textural variety.
- Toss the Rocket: In a large bowl, add the rocket leaves and toss with 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing to lightly coat the greens.
- Assemble the Salad: On a serving platter, pile one-third of the dressed rocket. Scatter one-third of the pear slices, toasted walnuts, and crumbled blue cheese over the greens. Repeat this layering process two more times, creating three layered sections. Just before serving, drizzle the remaining dressing evenly over the assembled salad to enhance flavor.
Notes
- You can substitute the type of pears with nashi pears or sweet apples depending on availability and preference.
- For the walnuts, almonds or pecans can be used as an alternative if desired.
- Blue cheese choices like Roquefort, Gorgonzola, or Stilton work well because of their creamy textures and distinctive flavors.
- Toasting the walnuts enhances their nutty aroma and adds crunch to the salad.
- Serve immediately after dressing to keep the rocket fresh and crisp.
Keywords: pear salad, blue cheese salad, walnut salad, arugula, rocket, honey mustard dressing, light salad, vegetarian salad
