Pear and Goat Cheese Salad with Apple Vinaigrette
This salad is just one more reason I'm obsessed with fall! It could be enough for 4 servings, but if you're like us, you'll be coming back for seconds.
Ingredients
- Vinaigrette:
- 1 peeled and cored apple
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar
- 2 TBSP honey
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup walnut oil
- Salad:
- 1 green Anjou pear
- 2 cups fresh butter lettuce
- 2 oz of goat cheese (about 1/2 of a small log)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup seedless red grapes
- 2 TBSP walnuts, chopped
Directions
- Step 1 Peel and core your apple and cut into small chunks. In a medium saucepan, place the apples, 1/4 cup water and cinnamon inside, cover and heat on medium for 15-20 minutes or until apples are tender.
- Step 2 Drain the water and add white vinegar to the saucepan. Simmer the apple and vinegar until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend with the honey, salt and pepper. Then slowly stream in the oil until fully blended.
- Step 3 Put the walnuts in a pan over low heat and toast lightly until golden and aromatic.
- Step 4 Slice your goat cheese into 4 equal slices, about 1/4 inch thick. Coat them lightly in brown sugar and then toast them with a brûlée torch.
- Step 5 Now begin assembling the salad. Cut the pear into small wedges about 1/4 inch wide. In a salad bowl, toss the greens with about half of the vinaigrette. Place the lettuce as the base to your salad on a plate and position the pear slices on the side. Sprinkle with more vinaigrette, then add the cheese, grapes and walnuts.
I know you’re all looking for an excuse to use up all of those apples. Well, folks, this is just the salad for it. The sweetness and tartness of the apples and pears, the crunch of the walnuts, and the silkiness of the caramelized goat cheese make this salad pretty epic. It’s definitely one that will become a fall staple in our house, no question!
For a salad, it’s a bit more labor intensive than some of our other recipes, but all of the little steps are worth it I promise. The vinaigrette may be a bit more chunky than you would expect, but in my opinion, this let’s you appreciate more of the essence of the apple. Brûlée-ing (is this a word?) the goat cheese was a little twist we wanted to add, because who doesn’t love playing with fire?! Just be careful not to burn the coating. We had one misfire, but we just flipped the burnt side down. On the plus side, it made the cheese even creamier! (Side note: if you don’t have a torch, I highly recommend getting one for so many reasons. For one, homemade s’mores will never be the same!)
All in all, lots of little steps add up to one super memorable salad. It’s practically a work of art!
I'm Amanda - a Mom, chef & blogger with a wholehearted approach to cooking and life. Things are always a little crazy around here with two toddlers underfoot, but nothing brings me greater joy than welcoming you into into my kitchen (and our home)! Learn more about me 