Autumn has always been my favorite season. The excitement of football is back, the weather is cooling down, and the trees are changing color. But most importantly we get to cook recipes using the best ingredients this season has to offer. In fact, we already started this transition with our last recipe, butternut squash risotto. So if you haven’t checked that one out already, I highly recommend you do. But since that dish was pretty rich and heavy today I want to make something a bit on the light side of things. And there’s nothing better I have in mind than this delicious autumn pear salad.
What’s in this Autumn Pear Salad
This salad is pretty simple, consisting of four main ingredients.
- Salad greens
- Candied pecans
- Dried cranberries
- And of course, sliced pears
All of which is tossed in a dressing made out of apple cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup/honey, dijon mustard, and poppy seeds. It’s a combination that’s both sweet & tangy but not overpowering which allows the pears to really shine through.
Tips, Tricks & Suggestions
- Today I will be using anjou pears because they are great when eaten raw. That being said just about any variety of pear will work in this salad so feel free to go with your favorite kind.
- If you are serving this salad to guests make sure to cut your pears at the last minute. Because once they are cut they will oxidize and turn brown rather quickly.
- Save yourself some time by making the candied pecans the day before. Or make a bigger batch so you can enjoy this salad throughout the season. Once cooled they can be stored in a jar and left in your fridge for a month.
- This salad is also great with our balsamic vinegarette, or honey mustard dressing if you want something different
Autumn Pear Salad Recipe
Total time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For the candied pecans:
1 Tablespoon of butter
¼ Cup of granulated sugar
1 Cup of pecan halves
For the dressing:
¼ Cup of apple cider vinegar
⅓ Cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon of honey or maple syrup
1 Tablspoon of dijon mustard
½ Teaspoon of salt
¼ Teaspoon of black pepper
¼ Teaspoon of poppy seeds
Remaining ingredients for the salad:
5 oz. or about 6 cups of mixed salad greens
2 Pears, sliced thin with the stem and seeds removed
⅓ Cup of dried sweetened cranberries
Instructions
- Make the candied pecans: Add the butter and sugar to a non-stick skillet/pan. Place over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has slightly dissolved. Toss in the pecans and stir so that they are coated in the butter and sugar mixture. Continue to cook and stir for another 2 to 5 minutes or until the sugar has completely melted and has turned into a glassy coating that covers the pecans.
Immediately transfer the candied pecans to a sheet of parchment paper. Quickly use a couple of spoons to separate each pecan as much as possible or else they can form large clumps as they cool.
- Allow the candied pecans to cool completely, roughly 10 to 20 minutes.
- Make the dressing: Add all of the ingredients for the salad dressing into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk these ingredients for about a minute, or until they are thoroughly incorporated.
- Assemble the salad: Get out a large mixing bowl and add the salad greens, pears, cranberries, and candied pecans to it.
Pour some of the salad dressing into the bowl and toss everything until coated. Taste and add more dressing if you prefer.
- Serve and enjoy!
Autumn Pear Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the candied pecans:
- 1 Tablespoon of butter
- ¼ Cup of granulated sugar
- 1 Cup of pecan halves
For the dressing:
- ¼ Cup of apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ Cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon of honey or maple syrup
- 1 Tablspoon of dijon mustard
- ½ Teaspoon of salt
- ¼ Teaspoon of black pepper
- ¼ Teaspoon of poppy seeds
Remaining ingredients for the salad:
- 5 oz. or about 6 cups of mixed salad greens
- 2 Pears sliced thin with the stem and seeds removed
- ⅓ Cup of dried sweetened cranberries
Instructions
- Make the candied pecans: Add the butter and sugar to a non-stick skillet/pan. Place over medium heat and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has slightly dissolved. Toss in the pecans and stir so that they are coated in the butter and sugar mixture. Continue to cook and stir for another 2 to 5 minutes or until the sugar has completely melted and has turned into a glassy coating that covers the pecans. Immediately transfer the candied pecans to a sheet of parchment paper. Quickly use a couple of spoons to separate each pecan as much as possible or else they can form large clumps as they cool.
- Allow the candied pecans to cool completely, roughly 10 to 20 minutes.
- Make the dressing: Add all of the ingredients for the salad dressing into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk these ingredients for about a minute, or until they are thoroughly incorporated.
- Assemble the salad: Get out a large mixing bowl and add the salad greens, pears, cranberries, and candied pecans to it. Pour some of the salad dressing into the bowl and toss everything until coated. Taste and add more dressing if you prefer.
- Serve and enjoy!
