This post has become my most well read post on Drizzle and Dip, and I simply could not leave it out of my cookbook which was published last year. This image is the image from the book.

Here is the post as it was originally published:

pear, blue cheese salad — pear, blue cheese and walnut salad with a maple syrup vinaigrette

I would like to take this opportunity to honour the person that invented this salad, whoever you may be, because it is just perfect in its simplicity. I tried to google the origin of it, but was swamped with hundreds of recipes.

I had the pears, the walnuts and a lump of beautiful blue cheese and wanted to make something a bit different based on the fact that this is not new, and has been somewhat overdone, but it really is difficult to alter a dish that is already a symphony of flavour with lovely textural, crunchy bits.

pear and blue cheese salad — beautiful crunchy texture in amongst salty and sweet

I decided to try a quick tortilla pizza bianco using these ingredients to see how that would work. And work, it most certainly did.

But I was in the mood for the ‘classic’ salad. So being in a ‘maple syrup’ frame of mind recently, and having thrown it over my oats with apple and pear the other day, I made up a vinaigrette dressing with it to give the salad the sweetness I felt it needed.

Make the salad up using any nice lettuce leaves that you prefer. I think rocket (arugula) works wonderfully here as this adds a nice peppery dimension to the sweet and salty. Slices of fresh pear, chunks of blue cheese and a sprinkling of raw walnuts and there you have it.

pear, blue cheese and walnut salad with a maple syrup vinaigrette

Ingredients

Scale

2 generous handfuls rocket (leaves of your choice)
2 pears, sliced
150g blue cheese, broken into chunks
50g crushed walnuts for sprinkling

dressing

60ml olive oil (4 Tbs)
30 ml red wine vinegar (2 Tbs)
20ml maple syrup (1 Tbs and 1 tsp)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt

Instructions

Place the salad ingredients in a bowl or arrange on a platter.
Mix the vinaigrette dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake well before drizzling over the salad.

Notes

Its best to make the salad just before serving as the pears go brown very quickly

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50 Comments

Paula at Dishing The Divine 10 years ago

For a minute there, I was wondering what “dijon mustard maple syrup” was and wondered where I’d get that. Then I realized it was a problem with a line break. 🙂

This salad looks delish! I’ve been making a similar salad LOTS lately. It’s similar to yours, except that the nuts are heated with sugar so that they become candied. *Huge* fan of those. 🙂 https://www.dishingthedivine.com/2011/02/28/pear-salad-with-mustard-vinaigrette-dressing/
Michael 10 years ago

Hi,

What ingredient is the 3rd item in vinaigrette recipe – 20ml ?
Sam Post Author 10 years ago

Oh thanks so much for catching that Michael, *oops* its the maple syrup.
Sam Post Author 10 years ago

Thank you Paula for picking up my typo there (the joys of editing your own work), Your salad with oranges sounded quite interesting.
Nicole 10 years ago

The salad looks amazing, but I am really wondering where you got that super cute bowl?
Charissa 10 years ago

Oh my! This really tickles my fancy right now…I’m not a big fan of blue cheese though, but I think goat cheese would be a terrific addition. Love your site!!! (found you via Foodgawker!)
Sam Post Author 10 years ago

Hi Nicole, I bought it at a logal interior shop. I love in Cape Town, South Africa and I see you are in Alaska. A part of the world I have always wanted to visit.
Sam
Sam Post Author 10 years ago

Hi Charissa, I think goats cheese will work out just as well. Enjoy!
Joyce van Kampen 10 years ago

Try the blue cheese and pear salad with caramelized pecan nuts and home made croutons, I have made it several times now and my guests thought it was a world class salad! Just melt brown sugar on low heat until it is starting to melt, then add the pecan nuts and stir for a few minutes ( take it of the heat if necessary) . Croutons: cut a french baguette, put olive oil on it and rub the garlic in, place it in the oven (180 degr.) and bake it until golden brown, crunch it into smaller pieces and drizzle over the salad.
Sam Post Author 10 years ago

Wow Joyce your additions sound delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Sam
Kasey 9 years ago

Thank you so much for sharing this. I made this tonight and it was wonderful. Especially the dressing. It feels so good to eat a salad dressing that I know exactly how it was made and what’s in it.
Sam Post Author 9 years ago

Hi Kasey, glad you enjoyed the recipe, it adds just a touch of sweetness 🙂
Steph @ Crafting in the Rain 9 years ago

Yum! I make something similar with apples.
https://craftingintherain.blogspot.com/2011/11/maple-apple-chicken-salad.html
I’ll have to try it with pears one of these days!
Dena 9 years ago

I’ve eaten this 2 days in a row now and it is delicious! I used feta instead of blue cheese, and 100% pure maple syrup. Thanks so much for the great recipe!!!!
Sam Post Author 9 years ago

Awesome Dena, glad you like. I made mine with maple syrup too.
Joni 9 years ago

I plan on making this for a bridal shower, but I was wondering, how many people do you think the recipe would feed in the above quantities of ingredients?

Thanks so much!
Sam Post Author 9 years ago

Hi Joni – work on the following quantity to serve 4:
2 generous handfuls of rocket (arugula) or other leaves
2 pears sliced (so roughly 1/2 a pear per person)
150g blue cheese (so around 30 – 40g) per person
50g of crushed walnuts for sprinkling

But add or subtract whatever you want to use more or less of.

Enjoy and I hope the party goes well
Sam
Jodi 9 years ago

I made this salad and salad dressing tonight and it was fabulous!! I will be making it again for sure!! Thank you!!
Sam Post Author 9 years ago

Glad you enjoyed Jodi, thanks for leaving a message 🙂
Pattie 8 years ago

I found this on pinterest. I had it for lunch, it was wonderful. I didn’t have any blue cheese, so I added feta instead. Thank you for sharing
Jan 7 years ago

I just made this for lunch – it was sensational and the MOTH is raving about it. I used Pecans from the Tweed Valley just down the road, our own lettuce and new season pears from Stanthorpe! The cheese was a Shropshire Blue – rich, yellow and creamy. The dressing was wonderful! Thank you!
Sam Post Author 7 years ago

Hi Jan- all those ingredients sound amazing. Glad you liked
pinchmeimeating 6 years ago

I make this salad probably at least once every two weeks during the winter! Thank you so much for this recipe, it is our absolute favorite!!! It’s perfect.
Sam Post Author 6 years ago

Thanks for the lovely feedback caroline – Im so glad you enjoy it.
Diana Calderon 4 years ago

Whipped this simple salad up along side our grilled ribeye steaks last night, I’d like to repeat that evening over and over again YUM.
Sam Post Author 4 years ago

Im so glad you enjoyed it Diana 🙂