~ An incredibly delicious, yet really easy salad recipe! We call it “Thanksgiving Salad,” since it’s absolutely perfect for Thanksgiving and the holidays … but it’s truly quick enough for busy-night family dinners, any day! ~
This Recipe Is: • Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Includes Make-Ahead Steps • Vegetarian •
In all this big, wide world, I have two absolute-favorite leafy green salads. (You’ll notice I diplomatically left the door WIDE open for favorite quinoa salads, pasta salads, fruit salads, dinner salads …)
Yeah – when it comes to salads, I have a lot of love to give!
Now, before I go any further getting all lovey-dovey about salads, you’re welcome to just stop right here and take a peek at our little video tutorial, to see how easy this recipe is to make. (It’s ok … I promise I’ll wait while you watch … take your time … 😉 )
Video Tutorial
See … so easy, right!?! And seriously – it’s fantastic! There’s definitely a reason it’s such a family-favorite recipe, and always has people ooohing and aaahing happily, every single time I make it!
But, since I mentioned that I have two favorite leafy green salads, now you’re dying to know …
What’s green salad heartthrob #1?
Well, if you’re a long-time THKer, you might remember our Salad with Nuts, Feta and Cranberries. Gretchen and I have both been making it for years … long before we’d even met … long, long before THK!
It’s insanely good, and insanely fast! Might take you maybe three minutes to pull together, and that’s only if you take a call from your gabbiest friend part way through making it. Seriously – check it out!
It’s a lifesaver everyone should keep close at hand … especially when you’re busy (but wait … aren’t you always!?!?!)! And it’s so good, no one will ever guess you threw it together just as you headed to the dinner party – while you buckled your toddler in the car, put the dog in his crate, and swiped on your lipstick.
But here’s where today’s salad recipe (aka favorite salad #2) came in …
I’d been making fave salad #1 for so long, and every member of my extended family had (happily!) eaten it at multiple family gatherings.
So, last Thanksgiving, I got inspired to concoct something new. I played around in the kitchen a little, and fell in love with salad all over again! Specifically, with this gorgeous salad!
Mmmmhmmm … you can see why!
It’s absolutely loaded with goodies! We’re talkin’:
- crunchy candied pecans
- sweet and juicy fall pears
- wonderfully tart dried cherries
- creamy goat cheese …
- all drizzled with a luscious maple-balsamic dressing!
Geez oh man – this salad is so good!
… So good that even my daughter, who generally eats salad only because she knows she really ought to, and who doesn’t like salad dressings … even she happily eats this salad (WITH DRESSING!!!! 😀 )! Night after night!
We’re talking break-through, folks. Salad break-through.
It’s that good …
… So good that my son gleefully exclaimed, “This is awesome!” as he shoveled in another forkful. (I truly don’t make this stuff up!)
With the pears and dried cherries, it’s a perfect holiday salad for Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations, but it’s also waaaaaay too delicious to save for only special occasions!
I’ve honestly already made it numerous times this fall, just for regular family dinners. It seems fancy-schmancy enough to elevate any ‘ole family meal, and it’s easy enough that I can quickly throw it together on a busy weeknight!
Easy Shortcuts
And there’s no shame in shortcuts and make-ahead steps (you know we love those here at THK!).
Yup … to make this ridiculously easy salad even more ridiculously easy … you can buy pre-crumbled goat cheese in a little tub, to save the couple minutes of crumbling it yourself.
And you can make the dressing a day or two in advance and store it in the fridge. (Hint: it’s so delicious, you might even want to make a double-batch while you’re at it, to use on other salads throughout the week. It’s also especially delicious on our Superfoods Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad.)
Oh – and those awesome candied pecans? They take about 5 minutes total, and can be made ahead, too!
Seriously so simple!
At “go time” – you just toss it all together! (And use all the time you saved to sign yourself up for Mom of the Year and Hostess with the Mostess!)
Lucky you … you’ll probably even have time to sign up for my “We Love Salad Fan Club”! After one taste of this one, you’ll want to be a lifetime member!
Salad with Goat Cheese, Pears, Candied Pecans and Maple-Balsamic Dressing
An incredibly delicious, yet really easy salad recipe! An absolutely perfect Thanksgiving salad, or holiday salad for dinner parties ... but quick enough for family dinners, too!
• Ready in 30 Minutes or Less • Includes Make-Ahead Steps • Vegetarian •
Ingredients
Salad:
- 5 ounces of mixed gourmet/spring greens
- 1 pear (such as d'Anjou), cored and chopped (to equal about 1 1/4 cups) (see note)
- 1 cup glazed, candied pecans (see note)
- 2/3 cup dried cherries (or cherry-flavored Craisins)
- 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon smooth dijon mustard
- a pinch (about 1/16 teaspoon) kosher salt
Instructions
- Place greens in a large serving bowl (or divide among individual salad plates).
- Sprinkle pears, pecans, cherries, and goat cheese over top of greens.
- For dressing, whisk together balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, mustard, and salt until emulsified.
- Dress salad just before serving, or pass the dressing at the table.
Notes
Pears: Firmer pears work best for this recipe. D'Anjou is our top choice, but you can sub in your favorite variety, or whatever looks most wonderfully flavorful and juicy at your market.
Candied pecans: We definitely recommend using our super-easy recipe for 5-Minute, 4-Ingredient Candied Pecans. They add just the right amount of sweetness without going overboard on the sugar or adding corn syrup, butter, or other less-healthy ingredients. Alternately, if you use purchased candied pecans, be sure to read the ingredient lists and nutrition labels to find the best possible option.
Make-ahead tips: The dressing can be made a day or two in advance and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. If you're planning on making your own candied pecans (using our recipe), those can also be made in advance. For a little extra time-savings, look for already-crumbled goat cheese (which is also a bit less messy), rather than the little 4-ounce logs that you'll need to crumble yourself.
Serving tips: This salad is literally loaded with toppings, which is exactly how my family likes it best. Feel free to tweak the exact proportions to suit your family's tastes. Also, if you're going to serve the salad buffet-style and want to pre-dress it, it's important to add the dressing just prior to serving, so the greens don't wilt upon standing too long. When pre-dressing the salad, you may want to reserve some of the dressing and offer it at the side, as some people prefer their salads more lightly dressed than others.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 11 servings Serving Size: 1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 158Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 73mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information should be considered an estimate only, and may vary depending on your choice of ingredients or preparation. No guarantees are made regarding allergies or dietary needs. Always consult a physician or dietician for specific advice and questions.
This was an absolutely amazing salad. I was literally sighing with delight at every bite. Your directions for the candied pecans were spot on and the dressing is now the only dressing I am ever going to eat. Thank you!
Hi Niki! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback – I genuinely appreciate that you took the time to let me know how much you loved this recipe! 🙂 I’m so pleased that the directions were clear and that you enjoyed it all so much! We truly adore this salad, too, and it makes me happy to know that it was such a success for you! Thanks again – and have a fantastic week! ~Shelley
Can’t wait to try this.
Do I have to worry that the pears will discolor after cutting (as apples)?
Hi Jan! Just like apples, pears do discolor. But (as with apples), we feel some hold up better and longer than others. We think the d’Anjou variety we recommend holds up pretty well, but I wouldn’t recommend cutting the pear really far in advance – I’d leave that portion of the prep until you’re putting the salad together before serving. To save time with make-ahead steps, I’d stick with making the dressing and candied nuts ahead. If you do need to cut the pears far in advance for some reason, there are lots of great resources online for different strategies to prevent browning. Here are a couple: http://www.theyummylife.com/prevent_apple_and_pear_slices_from_browning and http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/09/how-to-prevent-apple-pear-browning.html. Most of those strategies usually seem like more time and effort than I want to spend, though, so I just cut the pear close to serving time. I hope this helps … and that you adore this salad as much as we do! 😀 ~Shelley
How many people will this recipe serve? We have a group of 14 who will be eating it as a first course…
Thanks
Hi Phyllis! I’m so excited for you to make this salad recipe! We just served it again last week at our Thanksgiving, and I absolutely adore it! To answer your question – since this recipe makes about 11 cups of salad, I would probably double this recipe if you are serving 14 people. Of course, it all depends on exactly how much you will serve to each person, but when I entertain, I always like to err on the side of having too much rather than too little. Also, this salad is usually such a hit that people may wish for seconds, so as a hostess, I like to be prepared for that. If you serve the dressing on the side, rather than dressing the whole salad, you an also enjoy it the next day if you have some left over. I’ve done that often – it’s not quite as lovely the second day, of course, but as long as you don’t dress it, it’s still scrumptious for you as a little left-over treat later. In fact, Liz (who commented just a couple of days ago – see below) mentions that she happily did just that. I hope all this helps you! Let me know how it goes – and happy, happy holidays! 😀 ~Shelley
Just made this for Thanksgiving and I’m still eating it days later and LOVING it. Great combination of flavors and textures, and the dressing is amazing. So glad I found this recipe!
Oh, Liz – thank you so much for your sweet comment! I really appreciate that you took the time to let me know how much you enjoyed this salad – it makes me really happy to know that it was a part of your Thanksgiving feast! We actually made this “Thanksgiving Salad” for Thanksgiving at our house again this year, too (and I remembered all over again how very much I love it 😀 )! Thanks again – have a fantastic week! ~Shelley
My favorite dish this Thsnksgiving!
Wow, Anne! I’m just thrilled to hear that! 😀 Thank you so much for taking a moment to pop back and let us know – I truly appreciate it! Have a wonderful holiday season! ~Shelley
Love this salad! Do you have any suggestions on how to keep pears from turning brown? Would you make it the day of or ok to make night before?
Thank you so much, Ali! We adore it, too – just made it to serve last week at our big Thanksgiving feast, actually! 😀
Anyway, while several components of this Thanksgiving Salad can be made ahead (like the dressing and the pecans), I think the pears are really best chopped closer to serving. But yes – there are a number of strategies you can try to keep them from turning brown if you are chopping them a little ahead. On idea you’ll often hear is to squeeze an acid such as lemon juice over apple or pear slices to prevent browning. I always feel like you have a residual tart taste from this method, which I don’t think works well in this recipe. Other ideas generally have to do with soaking the slices in a solution of water + something (such as lemon juice) – and these tend to dilute the acidic flavor, but they also add a step or two of creating the soaking solution and then later draining the pears and blotting them dry so they don’t water down the salad. I’m not in love with the extra steps this creates, so I still prefer to just chop the pears closer to time. But, if you’d like to read more about other make-ahead ideas to keep those pears from browning, I just love this really detailed post from Monica at The Yummy Life, which I think you’ll find super-helpful: http://www.theyummylife.com/prevent_apple_and_pear_slices_from_browning
I hope this was useful for you! Thank you so much for the excellent question – it’s always so great to hear from readers, and not only have a chance to help YOU out personally, but also possibly to help others who might have the same question! Thanks bunches! And have a fantastic week! ~Shelley