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This Smoky Pear Salad With Blue Cheese Crumbles is a perfect example of a dinner salad that is filling and not heavy.
The sweet pears are a fresh addition to this salad and their sweetness compliments the creamy, salty taste of the blue cheese. The smoky almonds are a lovely surprise of crunch and heat.
Simply slice 3 pears and add them to a large bowl. Add in a one pound bag or about 8-9 cups of your favorite lettuce ( I love a mixture of arugula and spring mix), a cup of crumbled blue cheese, thinly sliced red onions and chopped smoked almonds. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing which consists of olive oil, rice vinegar, a little orange juice, salt, pepper and a touch of sugar or sweetener. Easy, right?
I’ve been experimenting a lot with using different types of pears. I usually just use Bartlett pears when I make this salad but recently, I’ve been using asian pears which are a bit more crunchy. It’s fun to experiment and add a mixture of both.
If you’re thinking about serving a wine to go along with this Pear Salad, we would recommend a light, crisp Sauvignon Blanc.
Smoky Pear Salad With Blue Cheese Crumbles
Ingredients
- 3 unpeeled pears (bartlett, asian or a combination), cored and thinly sliced
- 1 pound bag spring mix or gourmet lettuce mix
- 1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup smoked almonds, chopped
- 4 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar or sugar substitute (I like to use 1/2 stevia packet)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, gently toss the pears, lettuce, blue cheese, red onions and almonds together.
- In a small separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice, white wine vinegar, sugar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Pour over the salad and gently toss again.
