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Pear Salad Topped with Candied Pecans, Goat Cheese, & a Fig Balsamic-Basil Olive Oil Vinaigrette

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This Pear Salad topped with sweet Candied Pecans,  creamy Goat Cheese, & drizzled with a flavorful Fig Balsamic-Basil Olive Oil Vinaigrette is rich in flavor and won’t disappoint in taste.  It’s a super versatile and the ingredients can be changed to what you have on hand or whatever your taste preference is. Which makes this a super quick and convenient salad to throw together for last minute dinners or parties. 

Pear Salad Topped with Candied Pecans, Goat Cheese, & a Fig Balsamic-Basil Olive Oil Vinaigrette

Pears, in season, are magical in salads and can truly transform them to something deliciously sweet, elegant, and refined.  They take you away to a five star restaurant and allows your dining experience, even in your own kitchen, magical!

Then, if you are lucky enough to love near an AMAZING business like Redstone Olive Oil, (Don’t fret if you don’t because they have a online store on their website and it’s beautifully put together!) your pear salad can be elevated to amazing and beyond!  They have a wide variety of flavored oils, vinegar’s, and spices.  This is my kind of “candy” store!!! We recently were able to work with Redstone at a recent retreat for bloggers (so much fun and will be posting more details soon!) 🙂

Pear Salad Topped with Candied Pecans, Goat Cheese, & a Fig Balsamic-Basil Olive Oil Vinaigrette

What We Used…

In our Pear Salad we candied some pecans, used a creamy, sweet deliciousness of a goat cheese from Trader Joe’s with honey blended throughout it, and then topped with a fantastic balsamic vinaigrette made with Redstone’s Black Mission Fig Balsamic Vinegar and Organic Basil Infused Olive Oil.  If you are in a pinch and don’t have these flavored oils and vinegar’s on hand though, don’t fret!  We have the option in the recipe for using a regular olive oil and balsamic vinegar as well.  The dressing is quick to throw together with just a few simple ingredients blended in your blender.

Pear Salad Topped with Candied Pecans, Goat Cheese, & a Fig Balsamic-Basil Olive Oil Vinaigrette

So Versatile….

Our Pear Salad is also very versatile!!!  If you aren’t a lover of goat cheese …which, I am not usually, but this Chèvre with Honey from Trader Joe’s gets me somehow! 🙂 This can easily be swapped with shaved Parmesan, Gorgonzola, or even something fun such as a Blueberry Stilton Cheese. We used that on this salad at our event we catered.  So go with what works for those amazing taste buds of yours!

The same thing goes for pecans.  IF…by some reason…you don’t like sugared pecans…haha, or you are allergic to them, you can always substitute candied walnuts.  Costco also has some delicious honeyed organic cashews right now.  Now you COULD buy candied nuts at a store and pay lots of $$$ for a tiny bag of them.  OR, if you have two extra minutes you can do it yourself!  Then make sure to keep some in the pantry for another day (If you don’t eat them first!).

We have an easy tutorial HERE that you can check out to do candy nuts yourself.  You’ll love the results!

This Pear Salad pairs well with our yummy Apple and Cheddar Soup for a easy soup and salad lunch or dinner combo.  Happy Eating! 🙂

Pear Salad Topped with Candied Pecans, Goat Cheese, & a Fig Balsamic-Basil Olive Oil Vinaigrette

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Pear Salad Topped with Candied Pecans, Goat Cheese, & a Fig Balsamic-Basil Olive Oil Vinaigrette

This Pear Salad topped with sweet Candied Pecans,  creamy Goat Cheese, & drizzled with a flavorful Fig Balsamic-Basil Olive Oil Vinaigrette is rich in flavor and won’t disappoint in taste.  It’s a super versatile and the ingredients can be changed to what you have on hand or whatever your taste preference is.

  • Author:
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8
  • Category: Salad

Ingredients

  • Spring Salad Mix (We plan about 1 cup of salad/person so about 6-8 cups depending on how many you are feeding)
  • 2-3 pears, peeled (optional), cored, & thinly sliced
  • Chèvre with Honey (from Trader Joe’s…or use another goat cheese or cheese you prefer) for topping
  • Candied Pecans for topping- (or candy them yourself using our simple recipe)

Balsamic Dressing Recipe:

  • 1/3 cup Black Mission Fig Balsamic Vinegar (or regular if you are in a pinch)
  • 1/2 cup Basil Infused Organic Olive Oil  (or Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
  • 1-2 tsp Organic Raw Honey…if possible!
  • 1 tsp. Sea Salt
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp. fresh black pepper

Blend dressing ingredients in your blender for a minute or two until well blended.  Lightly pour over salad before serving.  You can always add more if necessary, but who likes a soggy salad?! 🙂

Instructions

  1. Put proportioned about of spring mix on each plate. (optional: could serve family style as well in a big bowl)
  2. Top with sliced pears, candied pecans, and goat cheese
  3. Drizzle dressing on top and prepare to be amazed!

Notes

  • Remember, this salad can be so versatile.  So, change out the cheese or nuts to something that works for you!