Roasted Pear Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette

Or, it would also be delicious served with weeknight meals, accompanying main dishes like roasted chicken, chicken cacciatore, or meatless baked ziti.

Salads like this one that feature fresh fruit are my favorite. For more fresh fruit salads, try this strawberry goat cheese salad, or this peach caprese salad with blueberries.

Supplies Needed for This Recipe

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Paring knife
• Small and Large Bowls
• Large spoon
• Whisk

Roasted Pear Salad Ingredients

Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Salad Ingredients

• Pears: You’ll want to use pears that are still mostly unripe. Fully ripened pears won’t work as well as they will bake up too mushy. Any type of pear should work but Anjou, Bartlett or Bosc pears are all a great choice.
• Olive oil: I like to use high-quality extra-virgin olive oil for that full-bodied olive oil flavor.
• Maple syrup: A touch of maple syrup accentuates the natural sweetness of pears and offsets the lemon juice and Dijon mustard vinaigrette dressing.
• Spring mix: Spring mix usually contains a blend of leafy greens like arugula, baby spinach, and various types of lettuces.
• Shallot: Shallots are basically just mild onions, kind of like a mix between yellow and red onion.
• Goat Cheese: There are different types of goat cheese, and you can pick the one you prefer. I like a milder-tasting goat cheese.
• Glazed pecans: Glazed pecans are simple pecans that have been roasted and sweetened with a sugar or honey coating. You could also used glazed walnuts if preferred.
• Dried cranberries: The final touch to this delicious salad is dried cranberries, a tangy yet sweet addition that makes this salad so good.

Dressing Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Dijon mustard
• Maple syrup
• Salt (This is my favorite sea salt!)
• Pepper

How to Make Roasted Pear Salad With Lemon Vinaigrette

1. Preheat the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Cut the pears into slices and place in a bowl. Drizzle olive oil and maple syrup onto the pears and mix to coat.

3. Place the pear slices onto the baking sheet in a single layer and bake.

4. Meanwhile, make the dressing by adding all ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until combined.

5. Allow the pears to slightly cool before assembling the salad.

6. Assemble the salad by combining spring mix, sliced shallots, goat cheese, pecans, and cranberries. Arrange the roasted pears on top of the salad. Drizzle lemon vinaigrette on top of the salad and serve.

Roasted Pear Salad Tips

For this recipe, you don’t use fully ripe pears. Since the pears will become soft after roasting, ripe pears will be too mushy.

I recommend baking the pears right before you’re ready to eat so they are still warm and delicious when they’re served.

Seal leftovers in an airtight container and use within a couple of days.

How to Serve

Start your meal with this salad, use it as a side dish, or eat it as part of a refreshing lunch.

And although this salad has enough sweetness that you might not want dessert, it would go well with a peaches and cream parfait!

More Side Dish Recipes

• Peach Caprese Salad With Blueberries
• Easy Mashed Potatoes
• Green Bean Casserole
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce
• Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole

If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you!