In this delicious salad, the pecans are left raw and they are not caramelized, to save on added calories found in the the sugar that would normally be used for candying them.
Yes, the Roquefort is a full-fat cheese, so indulge sparingly or substitute with a semi-soft blue goat cheese with a lower fat count. You don’t want to negate all of the healthy effects of eating a tasty salad by adding too much saturated fat, but unsaturated fats from nuts and healthy oils like olive oil do actually help the body to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K).
For more information on healthy oils, check out this article.
This salad is wonderful with a crusty whole grain roll, and some grilled chicken breast for a healthy and satisfying meal. Prepare and serve in your favorite wooden salad bowl for an awesome presentation.
Want more salads topped with creamy, dreamy cheese? You’ll love the following:
- Pear and Arugula Salad with Fried Goat Cheese
- Beet and Orange Salad with Goat Cheese
- Winter Lettuce Salad with Roasted Peppers and Feta
- 1 ounce clamshell of mixed baby greens 5size
- 3 in-season pears cored and sliced
- 5 ounces Roquefort cheese crumbled
- 1 large avocado peeled, pitted and diced
- 1/2 thinly sliced green onions
- 1/2 cup pecan pieces
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar
- Pinch of stevia
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard creamy or grainy
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 teaspoon parsley minced
- 1/2 teaspoon tarragon minced
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
- In a jar with a tightly sealed lid, add the oil, vinegar, stevia, mustard, parsley, tarragon salt, and pepper. Shake well until emulsified and chill for one hour before serving.
- In a large salad bowl, layer the baby greens, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Top with pecans and drizzle with the dressing, serving with the remaining dressing on the side.
If you must caramelize the pecans, here are the steps. In a small skillet over medium heat, stir ¼ cup of brown sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until the sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer the pecans onto waxed paper and allow to cool, then break into pieces.
I’d highly suggest using freshly ground pepper as outlined in the recipe. It provided a much more peppery presence than that of pre-ground canned (and no – adding more for the can just doesn’t cut it).
About Lorna Kring
Recently retired as a costume specialist in the TV and film industry, Lorna now enjoys blogging on contemporary lifestyle themes. A bit daft about the garden, she’s particularly obsessed with organic tomatoes and herbs, and delights in breaking bread with family and friends.
That looks mouth watering for a salad bowl, which is by the way filled with detailed ingredients. Today I had a healthy, delicious plate of salad myself, but this one here is just on a whole other level. It’s a perfect recipe for me that focuses on a great mix of some of my favorite foods.
Glad you enjoy the recipe T – adding some of your favorite ingredients to a salad is a great way to ensure getting a healthy serving of greens each day.
This looks beautiful, and I would make it for a special occasion. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to caramelize the pecans, but I’m glad you included those instructions, since I’ve never tried that before. I love the combination of rich and healthy ingredients in this, it sounds and looks delicious.
There’s no doubt that caramelized pecans are delicious, but I do try to limit my intake of sugars… and you’re right Diane, this salad does have some wonderful flavor combinations.
I need to go make a salad right now. This made my mouth water. I have the cheese and some pears, but I don’t have the proper greens. I think I”m going to “fake” it with some Romaine, until I get some other choices. This is just too good to pass up.
Roquefort goes so well with certain fruits. I know it’s going to be wonderful with pears. Yum.
Fake it ’til you make it Zyni! Romaine is an excellent substitution for baby greens, and the Roquefort is a great flavor pairing with pears… hope you enjoy it.
Oh my. I love roquefort in a salad. Or with apples. This mix of fresh, sweet and — how can I even describe the strong savoury taste of blue cheese! looks heavenly. There’s even avocado in there! To be honest, I’ve never seen a salad that I wanted so strongly right away. Mmmmm.
In my books, Roquefort goes well with pretty much anything! And the lightness of the salad greens and pears really helps to balance out its richness.
Mmm, I’ve been craving something like this with pears lately. This combination looks so delicious. I love a salad and I eat plenty of them, but this puts most of mine to shame, haha. It’s definitely going on my to-eat list!
I eat salads all the time too, but it’s usually one of those, “let’s throw whatever I have in the fridge into a bowl with some lettuce” kind of salads. It’s great for using up whatever leftover produce I might have, but not so great in finding that perfect flavor combination.
To be honest Leopard, my usual lunch-time salads don’t look like this either, but it does make for a nice treat every now and then.
This is definitely a salad I love. No need to substitute the roquefort for anything. Adding more cheese might be a good idea however! But I honestly think that the combination of pecans and roquefort is just as good as nothing else really! It’s something simple and easy (if I don’t caramelise the pecans of course) to put together.
It is a wonderfully simple and easy salad Cazala26, and the Roquefort, pecans and pears are a delicious combination. And I usually get pretty generous with the Roquefort too!
Wow by the name I thought this was a fancy difficult dish reserved for the best restaurants! Just made it for lunch, my partner and I both loved it! I cheated and candied the nuts =)
Also don’t discount high-fat cheese! Most of it is god fat, you need fat it’s an important nutrient. Good fat like good protein keep you sated longer. However I am also very active so I need those precious calories to keep me going.
So glad you enjoyed the salad jony. Personally, I go with the full fat Roquefort but it’s nice to have options for those counting calories.
Pears & stinky cheeses of any kind simply just go together. The texture of a pear is perfect for salads too. Sometimes I find the apple too crunchy & the size in slices ridiculous. If you throw an apple in a salad please cut it into chunks that help me enjoy a piece with every bite & not have to sit there crunching on a wedge for an hour. Thanks for not putting me through that, Pears.
Too right Joan, and the stinkier the cheese, the better! Apples have their place, but there’s something about the smooth texture and flavor of a pear that just works with blue cheese; one of my favorite combos for a salad.
Years ago I got a job at Nordstrom and for lunch we ate in the cafe. I ordered a mixed green salad with pear, nuts, and cheese and loved it. I’ve tried to duplicate it (you’d think it be easy, right? Just make a salad) but to no avail. This recipe looks extremely delicious and I think it might just be the thing I need to satisfy this years long craving for my favorite salad to date! Awesome!
Ah, but it’s that elusive combination of certain ingredients that’s so important… hope this one works for you! Or at least satisfies the craving a bit.
This looks so yummy! I have been wanting to use pear in a salad lately and this just might do the trick. Just one quick question, what’s roquefort cheese? Is it like a bleu cheese in flavor or something else entirely?
It is yummy TomiLee! Yes, Roquefort is a bleu cheese that’s not overly sharp – and be can substitued with Gorgonzola, Blue Stilton, or any bleu that you like. Enjoy!
My mouth was watering looking at that photo! I love salads, and in particular anything a bit unusual. I’ve never eaten pears with cheese, but I’d definitely give this a try. If I don’t like the combination of sweet and savoury, I can always substitute the pears for the chicken. Delicious!
Hope you enjoyed your salad ukfg!