Winter Pear Salad with Roasted Pear Vinaigrette
Servings: 4
Bring the wow factor to your holiday table with this crisp winter pear salad. A roasted pear vinaigrette goes over mixed greens, fresh pears, pomegranate, maple-toasted walnuts and crumbled cashew cheese. Every component can be made ahead.
Ingredients
- 2 pears cored and thinly sliced
- ¼ red onion thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup pomegranate arils
- 6 cup mixed greens
- ⅓ cup crumbled vegan blue cheese Miyoko’s is a great brand
Roasted Pear Vinaigrette
- 1 pear peeled, cored, and cut in half
- 1 tsp coconut oil, unrefined
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic clove minced
- 1 tbsp shallot finely chopped
- 2 tsp raw honey
- sea salt, unrefined to taste
- black pepper, ground ground, to taste
Toasted Walnuts
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, unrefined
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 425 °F. Place the pear halves cut-side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with some of the coconut oil. Roast until soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, or chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Place the roasted pear, olive oil, orange juice, vinegar, garlic, shallot, honey, salt and pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt.
Toasted Walnuts
- While the pear cools, toss the walnuts with the maple syrup and the remaining coconut oil and spread on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven until golden and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely. Let cool on the pan.
- Thinly slice the fresh pears and toss with a squeeze of orange juice to prevent browning.
- Arrange the mixed greens on a platter or in a large bowl. Top with the sliced pears, red onion, toasted walnuts, vegan blue cheese and pomegranate arils.
- Drizzle with the vinaigrette just before serving, toss gently and serve immediately.
Notes
- Greens Swap: Use any leafy greens you like. A mix adds the most depth.
- Lower Sugar: For a vegan salad, use pure maple syrup in place of the honey. For no added sugar, skip the honey and toast the walnuts with just the coconut oil.
- Shallot Swap: Swap the shallot for a little finely chopped white onion.
- Storing: The vinaigrette keeps up to 3 days in an airtight jar in the fridge; shake well before using. Store the salad components separately, since dressed leftovers keep only about 24 hours.
Nutrition
Serving: 2cups, Calories: 574kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 47g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Sodium: 93mg, Potassium: 468mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 730IU, Vitamin C: 25mg, Calcium: 74mg, Iron: 2mg
