Looking for a side dish that looks like it came from a high-end bistro but takes minutes to throw together? This pear, fig, and blue cheese salad is the answer
. It perfectly balances sweet, crisp fruit with tangy blue cheese and earthy, toasted walnuts. It is the perfect centerpiece for your next lunch or dinner gathering.
Ingredients
For the Salad:
Mixed Salad Greens: 150g (approx. 5-6 cups), such as arugula or baby spinach
Shallot: 1 small, very thinly sliced
Figs: 2 medium, quartered
Pears: 3 medium (Bosc or Anjou work best), ripe but firm and thinly sliced
Blue Cheese: 113g (4 oz), crumbled
Walnuts: 117g (approx. 1 cup), lightly toasted and roughly chopped
Pomegranate Arils: 82g (approx. 1/2 cup)
Fresh Thyme: For garnish
For the Dressing:
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: 60ml (4 tablespoons)
Champagne or White Wine Vinegar: 30ml (2 tablespoons)
Honey or Maple Syrup: 20g (1 tablespoon)
Dijon Mustard: 1 teaspoon
Sea Salt & Black Pepper: A pinch of each
Instructions
1. Toast the Walnuts: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the walnut halves for 3–4 minutes until fragrant. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn! Remove from the heat, let them cool, and give them a rough chop.
2. Assemble the Base: Arrange your mixed salad greens in a large serving bowl. Scatter the sliced shallots and quartered figs evenly across the top.
3. Layer the Flavors: Fan the pear slices at intervals throughout the bowl for that professional look. Generously crumble the blue cheese over the top and scatter with your toasted walnuts.
4. Add the Finishing Touches: Sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the salad for a pop of color, and finish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme.
5. Make the Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
6. Serve: Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad just before serving to keep everything crisp and fresh.
Pro Tip: If you are prepping this ahead of time, keep the dressing separate and add it right before you walk to the table. This keeps the greens from wilting!
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