This Pear Walnut Blue Cheese Salad is a fresh and delicious mixed green salad with candied walnuts, freshly sliced pear, a homemade salad dressing, and topped with a crumble of blue cheese. Try it soon!

If you're craving more delicious salad recipes, be sure to try making a loaded Ranch BLT Salad or a hearty Greek Chicken Salad. Both of these tasty salads are filling enough to enjoy for lunch or dinner as a main dish.

Overhead view of platter with finished salad on it on white surface.

Salads can usually end up one of two ways. It's either boring with iceberg lettuce and a couple of grape tomatoes that officially make it a salad and not just a pile of lettuce or it's full of intense flavor, texture, and lots of good stuff. Of course, I prefer the latter kind of salad instead and this pear walnut blue cheese salad is indeed that kind of tasty salad.

First priority is eating a salad that is full of intense flavor. Plus buttery candied crunchy walnuts combined with sweet juicy sliced fresh pears, tangy dried cranberries, and topped with a crumble of blue cheese...I'm in.

Let's get started!

Why You'll Love This Salad?

The base and texture of this salad is a bag of your favorite mixed salad greens or spring mix. I'm choosing to use a mixture of baby spinach, arugula, and radicchio. I love the combination of these three together and it makes me feel like I am eating a healthier salad that's loaded with tasty greens and various textures.

But no, no, no it does not just stop there because this salad is also tossed with a homemade salad dressing that's super easy to make, light, and not overpowering. All you need to make this salad dressing is the juice of a lemon, some lemon zest, olive oil, a clove of garlic, salt, and Dijon mustard.

Add all of those ingredients into a blender or food processor and process everything together until it comes out creamy and smooth. This is a simple flavorful salad dressing that only takes minutes to make and can also be used on any salad that you plan to make in the future.

So much flavor is packed into this salad that it could never be boring and is totally delicious. Try it!

Ingredient Notes

Overhead view of ingredients needed to make salad in separate bowls on white surface.

Mixed Salad Greens - Select your favorite mix of salad greens for this recipe. I prefer to use a mix of spinach, arugula, and radicchio. Try adding in some romaine lettuce or butter lettuce if you prefer.
Fresh pears - Grab two fresh pears for this pear salad. Any that you prefer will work, but I love using Green Anjou or Bartlett.
Candied Walnuts - You may be tempted to use premade candied walnuts, but it literally takes minutes to make your own using raw walnuts, butter, and sugar.
Dried Cranberries - Adds a tangy component and more texture to the salad and blends well with the other flavors.
Blue Cheese Crumbles - Pairs amazingly well with the walnut and pear flavors. Just a small amount sprinkled on top is enough. Use Danish blue cheese if available. Feel free to substitute goat cheese crumbles if you prefer.
Lemon, Juice, and Zest - Adds acid and citrus flavor to the tart and tangy dressing.
Olive Oil - The base of the homemade salad dressing. Extra virgin olive oil is perfect!
Garlic - Minced garlic is added to the salad dressing for a pungent earthly flavor.
Dijon Mustard - For a tangy flavor punch to the salad dressing.
Salt - Brings out the other ingredient flavors in the dressing. Try sea salt or any that you prefer or have on hand.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities and instructions.

Instructions

Using a medium skillet on medium-high heat, add in the butter. Once it begins to melt add in the sugar, water, and walnuts to make the candied walnuts. This step is optional, you could use premade, but this quick version is so much better.

Stir continuously for about 5 minutes and transfer the candied walnuts to a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single even layer and allow them to cool and harden.

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Overhead view of parchment lined baking sheet with candied walnuts on it.

Using a blender or food processor, add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and salt. Next, blend or pulse until the salad dressing is completely smooth.

Jar with dressing ingredients combined in it by the lid on white surface.

Clean and dry a package of mixed salad greens. Place the prepared greens into a large bowl and begin to assemble the whole salad.

Mixed salad greens added to large glass mixing bowl.

Clean and slice the pears and add on top of the salad greens. Add in the candied walnuts and dried cranberries.

Large glass mixing bowl with salad greens, pear slices, and candied walnuts in it.

Drizzle or pour on as much of the salad dressing as you would prefer and toss the salad until everything comes together. Top with the blue cheese crumbles and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Finished salad in large glass mixing bowl topped with blue cheese crumbles.

Storage Tips

Store any leftover salad mix separate from the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. There may be extra salad dressing left, just store it in the refrigerator as well in an airtight container or jar with a lid for up to 7 days.

Close up front view of finished salad on platter with serving spoon in it.

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Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ideas for this Pear Walnut Blue Cheese Salad? Please share them in the comments below!

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