Jeweled Pear and Blue Cheese Spinach Salad

Welcome to the ultimate guide for a truly sensational salad experience! In the crisp embrace of fall and the chill of winter, when the vibrant bounty of summer gardens feels like a distant memory, this Spinach Pear Salad with Cranberries and Blue Cheese emerges as a culinary beacon. Forget your longing for ripe garden tomatoes; this exquisite salad, featuring a delightful Poppy Seed Dressing, promises a burst of fresh flavors that are both incredibly delicious and undeniably memorable. It’s not just a dish; it’s an experience, transforming seasonal ingredients into a harmonious symphony of sweet, tangy, savory, and crunchy notes.

This exceptional Fall Spinach Salad Recipe masterfully highlights the best of autumn’s harvest. Crisp pears, tart dried cranberries, creamy blue cheese, and toasted almonds come together on a bed of tender spinach, all brought to life by a bright and zesty poppy seed dressing. Whether you’re seeking a sophisticated side dish for a holiday feast, an elegant starter for a dinner party, or a satisfying light lunch, this salad delivers on every front, making it a beloved addition to any seasonal menu.

Why This Spinach Pear Salad is Your Next Must-Try Recipe

There are countless reasons why this Spinach Pear Salad will become a staple in your fall and winter cooking repertoire. It truly hits all the perfect notes, offering a dynamic interplay of textures and flavors that will captivate your palate.

• A Symphony of Flavors and Textures: My ideal green salad is a delightful blend of elements – it must feature fresh fruit, dried fruit, a creamy cheese, and crunchy nuts. This salad masterfully combines the crisp sweetness of pears, the tart chewiness of cranberries, the pungent creaminess of blue cheese, and the satisfying crunch of toasted almonds. Each bite is a unique experience, a balanced dance of sweet, savory, and tangy.
• The Irresistible Poppy Seed Dressing: While the salad ingredients are stars in their own right, the homemade poppy seed dressing elevates this dish to gourmet status. Its zesty, subtly sweet, and tangy profile perfectly complements the richness of the cheese and the sweetness of the fruit, tying all the components together with an elegant finish. It’s so good, it could make even the simplest greens sing!
• Customizable to Your Liking: While our recipe champions Bartlett pears, dried cranberries, creamy blue cheese, and toasted almonds, its beauty lies in its adaptability. Feel free to substitute your favorite greens like mixed spring greens or arugula, experiment with different cheeses such as goat cheese or feta, or swap out the nuts for candied pecans or walnuts. This flexibility ensures the salad can always cater to your personal preferences and what’s available.
• Embrace Seasonal Eating: This salad proves that fall and winter produce can be just as exciting and flavorful as summer’s bounty. By embracing seasonal ingredients like pears and cranberries, you can enjoy fresh, vibrant salads even when the weather turns cold. It’s a wonderful way to bring brightness to your table during the colder months.
• Perfect for Any Occasion: From a light, refreshing lunch to a sophisticated side dish for a holiday gathering, or an elegant starter for a special dinner party, this spinach pear salad fits seamlessly into any menu. Its vibrant colors and complex flavors are guaranteed to impress your guests, making it a conversation starter at any event.

Crafting Your Perfect Salad: Essential Ingredient Notes

To ensure your Spinach Pear Salad with Cranberries and Blue Cheese reaches its full potential, understanding each ingredient and its preparation is key. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

• Kitchen Staples: You’ll need high-quality Olive Oil for the dressing, along with essential seasonings like Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper. Honey adds a natural sweetness and helps emulsify the dressing, while a touch of Ground Mustard provides depth and acts as another natural emulsifier.
• Baby Spinach: We highly recommend using tender baby spinach for this salad. Its delicate texture is far more pleasant than regular, larger spinach, which can sometimes be fibrous. If you do opt for mature spinach, be sure to remove the tougher stems for a better eating experience. Always wash your spinach thoroughly and spin it dry to ensure the dressing adheres beautifully.
• Bartlett Pears: These pears are chosen for their sweet, juicy flesh and firm texture that holds up well in a salad. To prepare, core them, quarter, and then slice thinly. A crucial tip: pears, like apples, oxidize quickly and turn brown when exposed to air. To minimize this, you can either slice them just before serving or, if preparing ahead, lightly coat the slices in a small amount of the prepared salad dressing or a squeeze of lemon juice. This creates a protective barrier, keeping them fresh and visually appealing.
• Blue Cheese: The pungent, creamy notes of blue cheese are a perfect counterpoint to the sweetness of the pears and cranberries. Break or cut your chosen blue cheese into small, manageable chunks. While Maytag is a personal favorite for its rich flavor, any quality blue cheese variety you enjoy will work wonderfully. For those who find blue cheese too strong, milder alternatives like crumbled goat cheese or feta can be excellent substitutes, offering a different but equally delicious profile.
• Toasted Sliced Almonds: Don’t skip the toasting step! Toasting sliced almonds (or any nut) in a dry pan or a low oven for a few minutes significantly enhances their flavor by bringing out their essential oils. This process also makes them wonderfully crisp, adding a crucial textural element to the salad. Ensure they are cooled before adding to the salad to maintain crunch.
• Dried Cranberries (Craisins): These vibrant berries provide a fantastic tart-sweet pop and a chewy texture that complements the other ingredients. Their bright red hue also adds a beautiful splash of color to the salad. If your dried cranberries seem a bit hard or dry, a quick soak in boiling water for a minute or two will rehydrate and plump them up. Just be sure to drain them thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels before mixing them into the salad to prevent excess moisture.
• Red Onion: A small amount of thinly sliced red onion adds a welcome sharpness and a crisp bite. To mellow its intense flavor and reduce its pungency, a simple trick is to slice about a quarter of an onion very thinly and then soak the slices in ice water for about 15 minutes. This process significantly tames their bite, making them a pleasant addition rather than an overpowering one.
• Sherry Vinegar: This vinegar brings a sophisticated, slightly nutty, and complex tang to the dressing. If sherry vinegar isn’t readily available, Champagne vinegar makes an excellent alternative, offering a similar delicate acidity that won’t overpower the other flavors. White wine vinegar can also work in a pinch.
• Poppy Seeds: These tiny seeds contribute a subtle nutty flavor and a lovely textural element to the dressing. As with all seeds, their oils can go rancid over time, so it’s a good practice to taste and smell them before using if they’ve been in your pantry for a while. Fresh poppy seeds will have a mild, pleasant aroma.

Mastering Your Spinach Pear Salad: Expert Tips for Success

Transforming simple ingredients into an extraordinary dish often comes down to a few key techniques and insights. Here are some expert tips to ensure your Spinach Pear Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing is nothing short of perfect:

• Versatility for All Occasions: This spinach pear salad is remarkably versatile. It can effortlessly serve as a light and satisfying lunch, offering a refreshing break from heavier meals. It makes a terrific, vibrant addition to a large family meal, providing a fresh contrast to richer dishes. Furthermore, its elegant appearance and sophisticated flavor profile make it refined enough for special company or holiday entertaining, such as a Thanksgiving or Christmas menu.
• Achieving the Perfect Dressing Emulsion: The secret to a creamy, cohesive salad dressing that doesn’t separate lies in proper emulsification. To do this, combine all your dressing ingredients except the olive oil first – this includes the vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and honey. Whisk these vigorously to combine. Then, slowly, almost drop by drop at first, drizzle in the olive oil while continuously whisking. This gradual addition, coupled with constant agitation, allows the oil to disperse into tiny droplets and become suspended uniformly throughout the other liquids, creating a creamy, homogeneous mixture where the oil won’t separate. This technique ensures every bite of your salad is coated in rich, flavorful dressing.
• Customizing Your Greens and Cheese: If the combination of pears and blue cheese isn’t quite to your taste, don’t let that deter you from enjoying the incredible poppy seed dressing. This versatile dressing pairs beautifully with a myriad of green salads. Try it with a classic spinach salad featuring candied pecans and apples, or even a mixed greens salad with goat cheese and berries. The dressing itself is a star, adaptable to your preferred salad combinations.
• Rehydrating Dried Fruit: Sometimes, dried cranberries (or any dried fruit) can be a bit too firm. To achieve a plump, tender texture, simply soak them in boiling water for a minute or two. This quick rehydration process makes them delightfully juicy. After soaking, it’s crucial to drain them well and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Removing excess moisture prevents the dressing from becoming watery and ensures the cranberries don’t add unwanted liquid to your salad.
• Choosing the Right Pear: While Bartlett pears are recommended for their ideal balance of sweetness and firmness, many other eating pears can be substituted successfully. Anjou, Bosc, or even Comice pears can work wonderfully. The key is to choose a pear that is ripe but still firm enough to hold its shape when sliced, avoiding overly soft or mushy varieties.
• Preventing Pear Oxidation: As mentioned, pears can brown quickly. Beyond coating them in dressing, a light toss with a teaspoon of lemon juice or even a splash of orange juice can also prevent oxidation if you’re preparing them a bit in advance. This ensures your salad looks as good as it tastes.
• Make-Ahead Strategy: For easier entertaining, prepare the components of this salad in advance. You can wash and dry the spinach, toast the almonds, make the dressing, and soak the onions a day or two ahead. Store each component separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Assemble the salad and dress it just before serving to maintain maximum freshness and crispness.
• Serving Temperature: While often overlooked, serving salads at room temperature can significantly enhance their flavor profile. Taking your assembled salad out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes before serving allows the ingredients to lose their chill, enabling their natural aromas and flavors to shine more brightly.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Seasonal Salad

Explore More Seasonal Salad Inspiration

If you loved this Spinach Pear Salad, you’re in for a treat! Here are more delicious fall and winter salad recipes to brighten your table and satisfy your cravings for fresh, seasonal flavors:

• Fall Harvest Salad from A Beautiful Plate – A delightful blend of autumn’s finest ingredients.
• Fall Salad with Maple Candied Pecans, Bacon, Apples, and Shaved Brussels Sprouts from Bless This Mess – A hearty and flavorful option with irresistible candied pecans.
• Citrus Spinach Salad – A bright and zesty choice, perfect for cutting through richer meals.
• Roasted Fall Vegetable Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette – Warm, comforting, and packed with roasted goodness.
• Winter Salad with Apples, Pecans, Blue Cheese and Dried Cherries – Another fantastic combination of sweet, savory, and crunchy for the colder months.
• Discover all My Best Salad Recipes for year-round inspiration.

The Recipe:

Spinach Pear Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Prep Time
15 minutes

Total Time
15 minutes

Yield
4 Servings

In the fall and winter, this Spinach Pear Salad with Cranberries and Blue Cheese will make you forget that you’ve been longing for garden tomatoes and summer produce. It’s both delicious and memorable!

★★★★★ (32 Reviews)

Ingredients

Salad:

• 5 ounces of baby spinach
• 2 Bartlett pears, cored, cut into quarters, then thinly sliced*
• 4 ounces blue cheese, cut or broken into small chunks
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
• ¼ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
• ¼ of a small red onion, sliced thinly and soaked in ice water for 15 minutes

Salad Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• ⅛ teaspoon ground mustard
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

1. Divide spinach onto 4 plates or salad bowls. Arrange the rest of the ingredients evenly over the spinach.*
2. To mellow the sharpness of the red onion, ensure it is sliced thinly and soaked in ice water for 15 minutes as instructed. This step is crucial for balancing flavors.
3. Begin preparing the dressing by whisking together the sherry vinegar, ground mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small Pyrex measuring cup or mixing bowl. Once combined, whisk in the honey until fully incorporated.
4. ** Slowly drizzle in the olive oil in a thin, steady stream while continuously whisking the mixture vigorously. Continue whisking until the dressing is fully emulsified and appears creamy and homogenous. Finally, whisk in the poppy seeds.
5. Just before serving, pour the prepared dressing generously over the salad. Ensure you lightly coat the pear slices with dressing to help prevent them from oxidizing (turning brown). Toss gently to combine all ingredients.

Notes

*To prevent the pears from oxidizing (turning brown) and maintain their fresh appearance, it’s best to cut them right before you plan to serve the salad. Alternatively, if you need to prepare them ahead of time, toss the pear slices with a small amount of the prepared salad dressing or a squeeze of lemon juice up to an hour before serving. This creates a protective barrier that helps minimize browning.

**Originally, I attempted to add the honey and poppy seeds at the same time during the emulsification process. I found that this made the mixture tougher to emulsify, requiring more effort to achieve a smooth consistency. While it still worked, incorporating the honey first and then the olive oil, followed by the poppy seeds, makes the process much easier and ensures a perfectly creamy dressing.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Servings
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 516
Total Fat: 40g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 29g
Cholesterol: 21mg
Sodium: 624mg
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 25g
Protein: 9g

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