pear — Blog — Amanda Warren

This pear and walnut salad with honey mustard dressing is an easy and delicious salad to make. This is my take on one of my Mom and I's favorite local hometown restaurants. We've ordered a similar salad to this for lunch together more times than I can count. This salad is the perfect way to get your daily dose of greens and vitamins while still satisfying your sweet tooth. The combination of crunchy caramelized walnuts, sweet pears, and tangy honey mustard dressing make this salad an impressive yet simple dish to prepare. Plus, the ingredients are all easy to find and affordable. So, if you're looking for a flavorful and nutritious salad, look no further than this pear and walnut salad with honey mustard dressing. You can add some grilled chicken or salmon to the salad to make it a more complete and filling meal. This pear and walnut salad with honey mustard dressing is a great way to enjoy the flavors of Fall. Being full of nutrition-packed ingredients and delicious flavor combinations, this meal is sure to become a regular in your rotation, especially on those days when you're feeling like you need a healthier option.

Can I Use a Different Cheese or Nuts?

Of course! You don’t have to use feta cheese as I did, so you can experiment with different cheeses to create your favorite unique flavor. Consider using a sharp cheddar for a tangy kick, or a creamy goat cheese for a salty flavor. You can also try blue cheese or gorgonzola for a pungent flavor, or brie for a buttery taste. Have fun with it and find the cheese that best suits your salad. To top it off, a honey mustard dressing is a great way to bring all the flavors together.

Another substitution choice for this salad is changing out the nut that you use for that amazing crunch. I personally love the mix of walnuts and pears, however, you can use pecans or hazelnuts here as well.

What Type of Pear is Best?

Anjou pears are the perfect choice for a pear and walnut salad. This variety of pear is sweet and juicy, adding a delicious sweetness to the dish. Bosc pears are also a good option, as their firm texture and honey-like flavor bring a great depth to the salad. Bartlett pears are great for salads, as their mild sweetness will be balanced out nicely by the tartness of the dressing. Comice pears are a great choice as well, as their buttery texture and sweet flavor will perfectly complement the honey mustard dressing. Lastly, Seckel pears are the ideal choice for a pear and walnut salad, as their sweet flavor and crisp texture will provide a great contrast to the crunchy walnuts. With such an array of pears to choose from, you're sure to create an amazing salad that everyone will love!

How to tell when pears are ripe?

First, look for pears that are slightly soft to the touch and avoid pears that are firm and have green tints. The best pears for this dish will have a rich yellow or golden color. To test for ripeness, tap the pear lightly with your finger and if it yields to pressure then it is ripe. Additionally, smell the pear near the stem; if it has a sweet, fragrant smell, it is ripe. Lastly, test for ripeness by gently pressing the neck of the pear with your thumb; if it yields slightly, the pear is ripe. With these tips, you can easily find the perfect pear to make your pear & walnut salad with honey mustard dressing.

Ingredients

10 ounces of mixed greens

1/2 cup caramelized walnuts

1/3 cup thinly sliced red onions

1 tomato sliced

1/2 cup feta cheese

2 thinly sliced pears

Dressing

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons raw honey

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup mayonnaise or extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse and pat dry all fruit and vegetables. Sliced pears thinly, onions into strips and tomatoes into thin wedges.

2. Add all dressing ingredients into a mixer or mason jar and shake until smooth. This dressing can be premade in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days ahead of time.

3. Now it's time to assemble the pear and walnut salad with honey mustard. Add half the onions, half the feta cheese, and half of the thinly sliced pears. Pour dressing over top and mix up! Dish out salad in a single layer onto plates and then layer the remainder of the pears and onions on top. Sprinkle feta cheese and add tomato wedges on the side and serve!

This salad is also a great way to get a healthy dose of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Pears are a great source of fiber, walnuts are high in antioxidants, and honey mustard dressing adds a nice touch of sweetness. Plus, the walnuts provide a nice crunchy texture to the salad. Whether you're having this as a shareable appetizer, a light lunch or a full-course dinner, this salad is a great way to add a variety of flavors and textures to your meal. It's sure to be a hit with everyone at the table! So why not give it a try and see for yourself just how delicious this Honey Mustard, Pear and Walnut Salad can be?

Other Salad Recipes You Will Love:

How to Make the Perfect Pear and Pomegranate Arugula Salad

Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Apples, Goat Cheese & Candied Pecans

The Perfect Summer Meal: Grilled Chicken, Mexican Street Corn & Cucumber Salad

A Refreshing and Delicious Melon Burrata Salad Recipe

Today we are happily inviting the coziness of the Fall season into your kitchen with our exquisite Caramel Pear Galette recipe. This delightful dessert combines the gentle sweetness of pears, the rich decadence of caramel, and the rustic charm of a free-formed crust in a symphony of flavors that encapsulate the essence of Autumn. Baking a galette may sound and seem complex, but our step-by-step guide will demonstrate just how easy it is to conjure up this impressive treat. This galette is perfect for indulging on a chilly evening or impressing guests at any gathering. So get ready to embark on this delicious journey together.

Combining ripe pears, a flaky pastry crust, and a simple caramel sauce, this classic French dessert is sure to please any crowd. The caramel sauce adds a rich sweetness to the tartness of the pears, for a perfectly balanced flavor. This galette recipe is also incredibly simple to assemble, requiring no special baking skills or equipment. Enjoy the galette on its own or pair it with a sweet scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an added indulgence. This simple and delicious dessert is sure to become a favorite in your home. Try this Caramel Pear Galette recipe today for a classic French dessert that is sure to please everyone.

What is a galette?

When it comes to French pastries, a Caramel Pear Galette is a classic dessert that will leave your guests wanting more and more. A galette is an unleavened dough that is folded over the filling and is similar to a tart, though the dough is usually thicker and not as flaky. Galettes are versatile and can be made with a variety of fillings, but the Caramel Pear Galette stands out for its delicious combination of poached pears, caramel, sugar, and spices.

This dessert is surprisingly easy to make and perfect for any celebratory occasion. The crust is made with a simple pastry dough that contains butter, flour, salt, and water. The pears are poached in a mixture of caramel, sugar, and spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg. The pears are then placed onto the pastry dough and the edges are folded up and over the pears. Finally, the Caramel Pear Galette is brushed with melted butter and baked until golden and bubbly.

The Caramel Pear Galette is a delicious and easy-to-make dessert that will leave your guests satisfied and wanting more. Whether you’re looking for something quick and tasty to bring to a party, or you’re in the mood for a classic French dessert, the Caramel Pear Galette is sure to please.

Ingredients

1 store-bought pie crust

2 tablespoons Caramel Sauce

3-4 Pears, cores removed, sliced into 1/8” slices

3 tablespoons White Sugar

2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 tablespoons Nutmeg

4 tablespoons Cold Butter, cut into small cubes

1 teaspoon melted butter for edges

Turbinado or granulated Sugar, for sprinkling on the crust (optional)

Caramel Topping

1 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove dough from the freezer and let come to room temperature. In a small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

2. Sprinkle all-purpose flour and roll out the dough, place on parchment paper and cookie sheet. Spread a layer of caramel along with the bottom of the galette dough, leaving a 2-inch border around the edges. Then place the sliced pears in a single, even, and relatively compact layer on top of the apple butter. Sprinkle the pears with the sugar mixture, then top with the cubed cold butter.

3. Gently fold the bare edge of the dough over the filling, overlapping the dough as necessary. Press gently to seal the edges.

4. In a small dish melt the butter and brush across the edges of the galette, then sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

5. Place the Rustic Spiced Pear Galette into the oven, and bake for 35 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and extra caramel sauce on top or on the side.

Caramel Sauce

Put 1 cup granulated sugar in a saucepan and heat it over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, constantly stirring. The sugar will start melting and form clumps, which will turn into amber/brown liquid.
When the sugar is completely melted, add 6 tbsp cubed butter and stir. At this point, the mixture will start to bubble. Stir for a couple of minutes until the butter is melted. First, it will look like the sugar and butter are separated, there is nothing wrong with that.
Gradually add ½ cup heavy cream and stir. It will bubble again.
Stir for another minute, then remove from the heat and add vanilla. You can also add salt at this time if you wish.