~ 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 salad is always a favorite with friends and family – thank you for such a simple, but delicious, recipe – so easy to do in stages, taking the stress out of family get-togethers and potlucks!
Oh, Jean – thank you so much for this really sweet comment – absolutely makes my day! I’m so happy that your friends and family love this salad recipe, and that it makes YOUR life easier! That’s exactly what I’m always striving for when I create recipes, so I’m thrilled! Thanks again, and have a fantastic week! 😀 ~Shelley
I just have a tip for those who are making a salad for a larger gathering as I often do.
I layer my ingredients multiple times. My go to party salad bowl is probably 14″ across at the top, and I will do three or four layers. For example, greens with all the other ingredients/ toppings, then another layer of greens with ingredients/toppings, repeating until I reach the top. This method ensures that everyone gets a good serving of the toppings and not just the first few guests. The downside is that you may have to increase the quantities of the other ingredients other than the greens themselves. But I can assure you your guests will appreciate it.
Great tip, Suzanne – thank you so much! I just love when our readers share their ideas for serving a recipe or adapting it for certain dietary needs or flavor preferences! I learn so much and get great inspiration from it, and I’m sure other readers do, too! And now you’ve REALLY got me thinking … I’ve never tried layering this in a glass trifle bowl, but I bet that would be so pretty, so that everyone could really see the layers! Hmmmmmm … I just might have to try that next! Thanks for the idea! ~Shelley
I love this dressing recipe !!!! Perfect mixture of ingredients. Must use quality pure maple syrup. I took it one more step with the pecans. The pecans tasted amazing but I really wanted more of a crunch. I followed all the directions and then separated them on large cookie sheet lined with tin foil. With my electric oven on broil , I placed them approximately 6 in from the top for exactly 1 min. 1 min , exactly or they will burn…. It was a bit more tedious but worth it for the extra crunch which really made them POP !
Hi Lynn! Thank you so much for all the fantastic suggestions – I just love when readers take the time to share with other readers how they changed things up and customized flavors or ingredients or techniques to really make a recipe their own! It’s such great inspiration for other readers – thank you! Oh – and I really loved your point about the maple syrup. Yes yes! It’s critically important to use pure maple syrup as we direct – you’re so right! The inexpensive “pancake topping” stuff would definitely not be the same. Thanks again – and have a wonderful week! 🙂 ~Shelley
Hi, this looks so yummy, trying it tomorrow! Do you use Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the dressing or just Olive Oil? And I may do it with apples and dried cranberries instead of pears and cherries this time….do you think the dressing will still be good with that combination?
Thanks!
Hi, Julia! First, I want to apologize that I just now found your comment, so belatedly! I’m not sure how it got lost in the comments “inbox” I regularly check, so that I’m just seeing it this morning – I’m so sorry! At any rate, I probably typically grab the extra virgin olive oil, but either should work just fine for this recipe. And yes, I do think this salad recipe will be lovely with apples and dried cranberries, as well. I always enjoy hearing when readers try their own spins on our recipes, adapting them for their own preferences or what they happen to have on hand – if you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it works out! ~Shelley
This salad is inspiring, I love goat cheese and I think the pears give it a good combination. Thanks for this recipe.
You’re so sweet, Tina – thank you! I think you’ll really love this salad with goat cheese and pears and balsamic, plus the candied pecans … all those different layers of flavor and texture that play so beautifully off each other. Every time I make it, I fall in love all over again! It’s become one of our most popular recipes, year after year – and especially in the fall and around the holidays. Can’t wait to hear what you think! ~Shelley