Roasted Pear Salad With Goat Cheese
Feel good fall salad with roasted pears, goat cheese, walnuts, and lemon vinaigrette. It’s easy, quick, and super flavorful.
Pair it with herb baked chicken and cauliflower ricotta mash for a complete meal.
If you love roasted pears as much as we do, try our Pear Cake!
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I love making this roasted pear salad in the fall with baby greens, roasted pears, salty goat cheese, and toasted walnuts, all tossed in a bright lemon vinaigrette. It comes together easily, which makes it perfect to serve alongside a roasted whole chicken or turkey breast.
The star of this recipe is the roasted pears. Roasted pears taste extra sweet and only require a few ingredients to make. I like to roast them just until they’re tender and lightly caramelized so they hold their shape and don’t turn mushy. It’s one of those small steps that turns a basic green salad into something extra.
Why You’ll Love This Salad With Pears
- Fresh and seasonal. Made with crisp pears, leafy greens, and a bright lemon vinaigrette that tastes like fall in a bowl.
- Make-ahead friendly. Roast the pears and prep the dressing in advance for quick, effortless assembly.
- Customizable. Swap out the cheese, nuts, or greens with your favorites.
Ingredients For Salad With Pears
- Pears: The star of the salad! Roasting brings out their natural sweetness. Use ripe but firm pears so they hold their shape while roasting.
- Mixed greens: I love using a blend of arugula and baby spinach for a mix of peppery bite and tender texture.
- Goat cheese: If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, try feta or blue cheese for a bolder bite, or shaved Parmesan for a milder option.
- Walnuts: Almonds, or even pumpkin seeds, are all great alternatives
- Dried cranberries: They bring a chewy texture and tart pop of flavor. If you don’t have cranberries, dried cherries or chopped dates make a lovely stand-in.
- Vinaigrette: Extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced shallot, honey, and lemon zest.
What kind of pears are best for roasting?
When it comes to roasting pears you want a pear that will keep its shape and not fall apart.
- Anjou Pear: It’s a great all-purpose pear. Juicy when ripe and holds up great when baked. Both red and green varieties have smooth skin with flesh that’s juicy and firm.
- Bosc Pear: Brown pear with white flesh that is sweet, crisp, and firm to the touch. It’s another great pear that will keep its shape and not turn into mush.
- Concorde Pear: With its long neck and sweet, juicy, and vanilla-like flavor, Concorde pear is a great pear that can withstand heat when baked.
How to Make Roasted Pear Salad
1. Roast the pears: Cut the pears into quarters and place them on a parchment-lined baking dish. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake the pears at 400F for about 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool.
2.Make the vinaigrette: Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, mustard, honey, and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Combine together: Add the salad greens to a large salad platter. Layer the roasted pears, walnuts, and goat cheese over the greens. Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette. Serve the remaining vinaigrette on the side.
Roasted Pear and Goat Cheese Salad Recipe Variations
- Swap the fruit. Try roasted apples, peaches, or even figs for a different seasonal twist.
- Change up the greens. Use baby spinach, spring mix, or even massaged kale if you like something heartier.
- Add protein. Top with grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon to turn this salad into a full meal.
- Vinaigrette twist. Swap lemon juice for balsamic or add a drizzle of maple syrup for a sweeter flavor profile.
Serve This Salad With
This salad serves great with a variety of main dishes. Here are some of our favorites:
More Fall Salads
- Chopped Autumn Salad
- Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
- Kale Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
- Avocado and Apple Brussels Sprouts Salad
If you make this recipe, please leave a ⭐️ STAR rating and COMMENT letting us know how you liked the recipe.
Baked Pear Salad
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossed
- Cuisine: American
Description
Feel good fall salad with roasted pears, goat cheese, walnuts, and lemon vinaigrette. It’s easy, quick, and super flavorful.
Ingredients
- 2 firm red pears, such as Anjou, Bosc, or Concorde, cored and quartered
- 5 oz. baby greens, such as spring mix
- ½ cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- ⅓ cup crumbled goat cheese
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
Lemon Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. shallot, minced
- ¾ tsp. Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp. honey, maple syrup, or sugar
- ¼ tsp. lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place the quartered pears on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle the pears lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool.
- To assemble the salad, add the salad greens to a salad platter or a bowl. Top with roasted cooled pears, walnuts, and goat cheese. Drizzle with some of the vinaigrette and reserve the rest to serve on the side.
Lemon Vinaigrette
- Whisk all the ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Lemon Vinaigrette can be prepared for up to 3 days and stored, covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving. Lemon Vinaigrette recipe adapted from Epicurious
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 306
- Sugar: 7.2 g
- Sodium: 75.5 mg
- Fat: 27.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.3 g
- Protein: 3.9 g
- Cholesterol: 2.1 mg
Hi! I'm Katya -- a former corporate paralegal turned full-time recipe developer and blogger behind Little Broken. Here you'll find family-friendly and seasonal recipes made from real ingredients.
Delicious! I normally don’t like pears (it’s a gritty texture thing for me) but roasting them was a game changer. Instead of topping with walnuts I coarsely chopped some dark chocolate and chili pepper almonds. Sweet and spicy – AMAZING salad.
This was yummy! I roasted the pears ahead of time so serving it for a weekday meal was quick & easy. The shallot was a little strong for my taste so I strained them out of the dressing before serving. This is becoming a favorite!
This is delicious with roast chicken and full of flavor for dinner on a cold night. My husband loved it…I didn’t mention that it contained goat cheese since he “doesn’t like it”!
Can you roast the pears ahead of time and mix salad later in day?
You definitely can. Simply store in a closed container overnight in the fridge.
Loved how this tasted and I love how easy it is make!
Hi, Katya, can I ask you what kind of Dijon mustard you use? is it that one from Trader Joes like with seeds? Thank you
Natalia
Hi Natalia: I used a Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard (no seeds) just like this . You can find it at most grocery stores. Hope this helps!
This salad looks so delicious Katya! You’re making great salads. Yummy!
Thanks Valya. I can not live without a salad. Love everything about it 🙂
Love this festive salad. It’s got all my favorite things! XO
Thanks 🙂 Roasted pears are my new fav thing. Love it!