Winter Green Pears Salad (Print Version)

Crisp winter greens paired with juicy pears, toasted nuts, and a tangy vinaigrette for a vibrant dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Greens

01 - 5 ounces mixed winter greens (kale, spinach, arugula, radicchio)

→ Fruit

02 - 2 ripe pears, thinly sliced

→ Cheese (optional)

03 - 2 ounces crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese

→ Nuts

04 - 1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pecans

→ Dressing

05 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 small shallot, finely minced
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Toast nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey or maple syrup, minced shallot, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
03 - In a large bowl, mix winter greens, sliced pears, and half of the toasted nuts.
04 - Drizzle vinaigrette over salad and toss gently to evenly coat.
05 - Transfer salad to a serving platter or individual bowls. Garnish with remaining nuts and crumbled cheese if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The pears bring this natural sweetness that makes you forget you're eating greens.
  • Toasted nuts add a crunch that keeps things interesting with every bite.
  • It comes together in under 20 minutes, which means dinner on busy nights actually happens.
  • The vinaigrette tastes like something from a restaurant but costs a fraction of the price.
02 -
  • Never dress the salad more than a few minutes before serving or the greens turn into sad mush and the nuts lose their crunch—this is the only timing thing that actually matters with this recipe.
  • The pear slices can brown slightly if exposed to air for too long, so slice them just before assembly rather than ahead of time, unless you toss them gently in a tiny bit of lemon juice.
03 -
  • Toast more nuts than you need and store extras in an airtight container—you'll find yourself snacking on them and grabbing them for salads all week.
  • The secret that changed everything for me was using a slightly heavier hand with the shallot, because it adds complexity that makes people ask what your secret ingredient is.

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