Pear Salad with Walnuts and Gorgonzola
A fresh fall salad with pears, gorgonzola cheese, and candied walnuts with a balsamic vinaigrette.
Equipment
- Sheet pan
- Blender
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Salad
- 6 cups romaine lettuce torn
- 2 pears thinly sliced
- ½ cup gorgonzola crumbles
Candied Walnuts
- 1 cup walnuts
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted, melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon vanilla
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Making the candied walnuts
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, 177°C, or gas mark 4.
- Spray the sheet pan with non-stick spray. Combine the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. In a bowl mix the butter mixture with the walnuts until evenly coated. Pour onto the greased sheet pan and bake for 5-7 minutes or until the walnuts become fragrant.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Making the dressing
- While the walnuts are cooling in a blender combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Blend on high until everything is combined and the garlic has been blended.
Assembling the salad
- In a mixing bowl toss the lettuce with about ¼-⅓ cup of the balsamic dressing and layer the lettuce then pears, walnuts, and gorgonzola. Add additional dressing to the lettuce if more is needed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 498kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 9gFat: 43gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 16gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 331mgPotassium: 469mgFiber: 6gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 6455IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 146mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition Disclaimer*
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