Description
A delicious and elegant Crisp Autumn Pear Salad: a vibrant seasonal side dish with sweet pears, creamy blue cheese, crunchy pistachios, and a zesty lemon-thyme dressing. Perfect for fall gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Salad Ingredients
- 1 large head frisée lettuce (about 10 cups), chopped
- 2 large ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup salted, roasted pistachios
- 6 large Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
- 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese
Instructions
- Make the Dressing: Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Prepare the Salad Base: Rinse and chop the frisée. Place it in a large salad bowl.
- Prep the Toppings: Core and slice the pears. Thinly slice the shallots. Pit and chop the dates.
- Assemble the Salad: Add the pears, shallots, dates, and pistachios to the frisée. Sprinkle the crumbled cheese over the top.
- Dress and Serve: Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently until evenly coated. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Frisée Prep: Use frisée for a sturdier, crunchier base. Ensure it’s thoroughly washed and dried; moisture will dilute the dressing.
- Dressing Make-Ahead: The dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Shake well before serving.
- Date Chopping: Chopping the dates finely ensures the sweetness is evenly distributed throughout the salad.
- Pear Quality: Use ripe but firm pears (like Anjou or Bosc). If they are too soft, they will become mushy when tossed.
- Nut Prep: Toasting the pistachios before chopping them will enhance their crunch and deepen their earthy flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Blending, Tossing
- Cuisine: American Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ~1 large salad portion
- Calories: ~290 kcal
- Sugar: ~26 g
- Sodium: ~145 mg
- Fat: ~14.8 g
- Saturated Fat: ~2.9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~11.9 g
- Trans Fat: ~0 g
- Carbohydrates: ~34 g
- Fiber: ~5.6 g
- Protein: ~3.9 g
- Cholesterol: ~4 mg
Keywords: Pear Salad, Autumn Salad, Frisée Salad, Blue Cheese Salad, Pistachio Salad, Seasonal Salad, Easy Salad, Elegant Salad, Thyme Dressing, Fall Recipe