Autumn Pear & Blue Cheese Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
This Autumn Pear & Blue Cheese Salad combines sweet, thinly sliced pears with creamy blue cheese, savory smoked turkey, and crunchy toasted walnuts. Dressed with a glossy maple vinaigrette, it creates a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tangy flavors, ideal for weeknight dinners, lunch bowls, or as an elegant starter for any seasonal meal.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 2 medium ripe pears thinly sliced
- 50 g blue cheese crumbled, room temperature for easier crumbling
- 50 g toasted walnuts
- 50 g smoked turkey slices or thinly sliced cured turkey
- 2 cups mixed salad greens or arugula
Maple Vinaigrette
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- to taste salt and black pepper
Instructions
Make the Maple Vinaigrette
- Start by preparing the maple vinaigrette. Combine apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard in a bowl.
- Slowly whisk in extra virgin olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Assemble the Salad
- Place mixed salad greens in a large bowl and toss lightly with a couple of spoonfuls of vinaigrette, reserving some for finishing.
- Arrange dressed greens on plates. Fan pear slices over the top and add torn smoked turkey slices.
- Crumble blue cheese over the salad and sprinkle toasted walnuts on top.
- Drizzle remaining vinaigrette over the finished salad and grind black pepper on top.
Notes
- Slice pears just before serving to prevent browning. Toss with a little lemon juice if sliced earlier.
- Toast walnuts in a dry skillet until fragrant and cooled before adding to the salad.