Harvest Pear Salad
User Reviews
5
Harvest Pear Salad
Description
The Harvest Pear Salad features a blend of spring mix greens topped with fresh pear slices, dried cranberries, crumbled feta cheese, and pecans coated in a pumpkin spice sugar mixture. The pumpkin spiced pecans are prepared by melting sugar and pumpkin pie spice over pecans until well coated and cool, adding a sweet and mildly spiced crunch. The cranberry vinaigrette incorporates cooked fresh cranberries, orange juice, sugar, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt, resulting in a thick, creamy dressing with a bright, fruity flavor.
The salad brings together juicy, crisp, sweet, and tangy elements alongside savory feta and crunchy spiced nuts. The textures range from tender greens to crisp pears and crunchy pecans. The dressing's balance of sweetened cranberry and acid from vinegar complements the other ingredients and enhances the autumnal profile.
Serve this salad alongside roasted meats or as a stand-alone light meal. Preparing the dressing and spiced pecans in advance allows the flavors to develop fully, though assembling the salad last-minute keeps the greens crisp. The dressing can be thinned with water if desired. Variations can include different cheeses or fruits according to preference or availability.
Ingredients
- 1 bag spring mix salad bagged
- 3 fresh pear sliced
- pecans see instructions below, pumpkin spiced
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
For pumpkin spiced pecans
- 1 cup pecans whole
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
For dressing
- 1 cup cranberries fresh
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the dressing:
- Combine cranberries, orange juice, and sugar in a medium-sized sauce pan. Cook on medium high heat, stirring constantly, until all the cranberries pop. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Pour cranberry mixture into a blender and add olive oil, vinegar, and salt. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the pumpkin spiced pecans:
- Mix sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl until blended well. Add pecans and sugar mixture to a skillet.
- Cook over medium until sugar is melted - stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn the sugar. It will seem like the sugar is just clumping, but keep stirring - it will melt and coat the nuts. As soon as sugar is melted onto the pecans, pour pecans onto aluminum foil to cool.
For the salad:
- Layer all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Serve with Cranberry Vinaigrette Dressing.
Notes
- The cranberry vinaigrette thickens as it cools; thin with water one tablespoon at a time if a looser consistency is preferred.
- Prepare the spiced pecans ahead to give them time to cool thoroughly before adding to the salad.
- Assemble the salad just before serving to prevent the greens from becoming soggy.
- Feel free to customize the salad by using alternative cheeses or seasonal fruits based on preference.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 330 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 330kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 32g | 11% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 7mg | 2% |
| Sodium | 487mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 142mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 27g | 54% |
| Vitamin A | 300IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 57mg | 6% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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