Pear Gorgonzola Salad

This sweet and savory pear gorgonzola salad is a 5 star side dish! It features juicy pears, creamy cheese, and…

Feb 12, 2025 - 17:12

This sweet and savory pear gorgonzola salad is a 5 star side dish! It features juicy pears, creamy cheese, and maple pecans, all tossed in a zingy balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

If you’re looking for an impressive side dish, this pretty little pear gorgonzola salad will have you smitten. Alex and I love a good salad that easy yet tastes as good as a restaurant, and this one fits the bill.

It’s a celebration of flavors and textures, with juicy pears, funky cheese, dried cherries, and maple pecans glazed quickly in a skillet. It’s all tossed in our simple balsamic vinaigrette dressing and it pairs with so many different dinners, from chicken to fish to lasagna.

Types of pears for this salad

There are several different types of pears you can find at the grocery store. Pretty much anything you can find works for this pear gorgonzola salad! The most common varieties you’ll find at grocery stores in the States are:

Bartlett pear: This classic pear is typically green with a rounded shape. It’s known for its soft, juicy flesh and sweet flavor.
Anjou pear (shown in photos): This pear comes in both green and red varieties. Anjou pears are slightly firmer than Bartletts and have a more balanced sweet and tart flavor.
Bosc pear: This type has a deep brown skin with fresh, juicy flesh that has earthy notes.

Tips for how to ripen pears

Pears that you buy from the grocery store are often very firm and can take a while to ripen. They look similar to apples, but you can think of them more in terms of bananas when it comes to ripening. Here are some tips on how to ripen pears:

The fastest way to ripen pears is to place them in a paper bag. Leave them at room temperature and they should be ripe in 2 to 4 days.
In a bowl on the counter, pears ripen in about 4 to 7 days. Check them by gently pressing the flesh to see if it is tender.
Don’t place pears in the refrigerator until they are ripe. The refrigerator slows the ripening process. If you place them in the fridge right away, they’ll be rock hard. Allow them to ripen first, then refrigerate only if you want to delay eating them.

Why you’ll love this pear gorgonzola salad

This pear gorgonzola salad is the best mix of textures and flavors that comes together into a rock-star status side dish! The best part is the quick maple glazed pecans.

Our standard recipe for candied pecans is baked and takes about 30 minutes. If we’re looking to whip up a salad and we don’t have candied nuts on hand, we make these maple pecans! It takes just 5 minutes: you toast the nuts in the skillet, then add cinnamon and salt. They’re absolutely delicious and so simple.

Salad dressing options

This pear gorgonzola salad is delicious with the balsamic vinaigrette listed in the recipe below, which is one of our favorite salad dressing recipes ever! But it works with other vinaigrette-style dressings as well. Try one of the following:

Both maple vinaigrette and honey vinaigrette both pair well with the flavors in the salad.
This poppy seed dressing has a sweet, elegant flavor and a fun vibe with the poppy seeds.
This apple cider vinegar dressing, Dijon mustard dressing, or honey mustard vinaigrette all compliment fruit well.

A few more topping ideas

There are loads of ideas for different toppings for a pear gorgonzola salad. Keep the greens and pears but swap in these options cheese, nuts or other mix-ins:

Dried cranberries or raisins can stand in for the cherries.
Pomegranate seeds make a pop of color and could also substitute dried cherries.
Feta crumbles or goat cheese crumbles work well as a substitute for the cheese.
Walnuts, toasted almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, toasted pine nuts, or pepitas work in place of the pecans

Pro tip: add protein for a main dish salad

This pear gorgonzola salad works in any season, though it’s an ideal fall salad or winter salad. Alex and I also love to make it into a main dish by topping with a protein, like chicken, salmon, or tofu! Here are some recipes for cooking the protein:

Dietary notes

This pear gorgonzola salad recipe is vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, omit the gorgonzola.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use blue cheese in a pear gorgonzola salad?

Yes! Gorgonzola and blue cheese are terms that are often used interchangeably, but blue cheese is actually a category of cheese whereas gorgonzola is a type of blue cheese. Either cheese works here!

What’s the difference between blue cheese and gorgonzola?

Gorgonzola is a cheese made in Italy. It’s made from cow’s milk and has a milder flavor compared to other blue cheeses. Its texture varies from creamy and spreadable to crumbly, depending on the aging process.

Blue cheese is a category of cheeses with blue veining from made from edible molds. This encompasses a wider range of varieties, made from milks like cow, goat, or sheep (gorgonzola is a type of blue cheese). Blue cheeses you find at the store can be much stronger and sharper than gorgonzola.

Pear Gorgonzola Salad

Save Recipe Recipe Saved

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

This sweet and savory pear gorgonzola salad is a 5 star side dish! It features juicy pears, creamy cheese, and maple pecans, all tossed in a zingy balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4
Category: Salad
Method: No Cook
Cuisine: Salad
Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

½ cup pecan halves
½ tablespoon maple syrup
1/16 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch kosher salt
1 recipe Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 ripe pear, sliced
1 shallot
8 cups butter lettuce (or other greens), torn
⅓ cup gorgonzola cheese crumbles (or blue cheese)
¼ cup dried cherries or cranberries

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

To make the maple pecans, toast the pecans in a skillet for 4 to 5 minutes until starting to brown and become fragrant. Add the cinnamon and salt and toast until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn off heat, and stir in maple syrup until well coated. Transfer to a plate to cool.
Make the Balsamic Vinaigrette salad dressing.
Prep the fresh ingredients: Slice the pear into thin slices. Thinly slice the shallot.
To serve, place the greens on a plate or platter. Top with the pear slices, shallot, maple pecans, and gorgonzola cheese crumbles. Drizzle with the desired amount of dressing and serve (use approximately 6 tablespoons for 4 servings; store the remaining dressing refrigerated).