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Pear Salad with Glazed Walnuts

Teresa Ambra
Pear Salad with Glazed Walnuts is absolutely breathtaking. This exotic salad includes red onion rings, lemon peel, feta or goat cheese, candied walnuts and pear slices with a luscious lemony vinaigrette. This spectacular salad is perfect for company or holidays like Easter, Mother's Day or Father's Day. It's elegant, beautiful and one of the best tasting salads we've ever eaten. Gluten free.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Salads and Salad Dressings
Cuisine American
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

PEAR SALAD WITH GLAZED WALNUTS:

  • 16 oz. container spring mix
  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 6 heaping tablespoons sugar
  • 2 large red pears cored but unpeeled
  • 1 large lemon
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 thin slices red onion separated into rings, or about 1/3 to 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
  • 1 1/2 cups feta cheese or goat cheese

SWEET LEMON VINAIGRETTE:

  • 1 large lemon (juice only)
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 4 tsp. dijon mustard

Instructions
 

PEAR SALAD WITH GLAZED WALNUTS:

  • Heat skillet over high heat for 3 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to medium and add walnuts and sugar and stir constantly to glaze.
  • The sugar will melt and become golden in about 2 minutes.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Separate and spread walnuts on a cookie sheet to cool. Set aside.
  • Place spring mix in a very large salad bowl.
  • Place diced red onion over top.
  • Grate peel from lemon and sprinkle over salad.
  • Squeeze juice from that lemon and combine with 2 cups water.
  • Core pears but do not peel.
  • Place pear slices in lemon water for 5 minutes.
  • Drain pears, dry slightly with paper towels and spread over top of the salad.
  • Sprinkle salad with feta cheese (or goat cheese) and then candied walnuts.
  • Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.
  • To serve: toss with lemon vinaigrette.

SWEET LEMON VINAIGRETTE:

  • Squeeze juice from lemon into blender.
  • Add avocado oil, honey and Dijon mustard.
  • Puree in blender until emulsified.
  • Pour dressing into a salad cruet or decanter.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Shake vigorously before pouring over top of salad.

Notes

NOTE: This salad must be eaten the same day you make it. It is preferable to refrigerate the salad no longer than an hour before serving. That way the pears do not brown too much.
NOTE:The original recipe used olive oil and water in the salad dressing. I changed the oil to avocado oil since the olive oil was too strong. I also eliminated the water totally and found the Lemon Vinaigrette much more tasty this way.
NOTE: You can substitute pecans for the walnuts in the recipe, if desired.
Recipe adapted from H-E-B recipes.
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Keyword feta cheese, gluten free, lemon, pears, salad, side dish, walnuts
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