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Pear gorgonzola salad- This salad encompasses the perfect fall/winter flavors with the sweetness of pear, the tangy sharpness of gorgonzola, and the comforting flavors of the orange honey mustard vinaigrette – a classic Italian pairing.
Why I love this salad
I love salads all year round! This is one of my favorite combinations for fall and winter. It is a delicious salad to serve on any occasion.
Enjoy it as a side for a special occasion meal or fancy up a weeknight dinner by adding this as a side to any main dish. You will also love this Nicoise salad, Christmas Salad, or this orange and fennel salad! This salad is best paired with our Turkey Meatballs!
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients are wholesome and healthy for this delicious Italian salad recipe.
Salad:
- Mixed Italian greens
- Pears (see pear recommendations)
- Gorgonzola (see cheese variations)
- Walnuts or Candied Pecan (you can leave them out if desired or use pistachios or almonds)
Orange Vinaigrette Salad Dressing:
- Olive oil
- Fresh orange juice
- Orange zest
- Honey
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic
Substitutions
Pears: The important thing is to choose pears that are ripe, but still firm. If you can’t find sweet and ripe pears, you can substitute apple for the pear. Make sure to go for thin slices with the pears.
- Anjou
- Bosc
- Bartlett
- Comice
Cheese: Gorgonzola is a veined blue cheese from Italy made from unskimmed cow’s milk. It can be buttery or firm, crumbly and quite salty, with a “bite.” It pairs perfectly with sweet pears. You could substitute for any of these cheeses, depending on your preferences.
- Bleu Cheese
- Stilton
- Feta
- Goat Cheese
Salad Greens: I love to use a traditional Italian mix that you can easily find in pre made bags. You can always create your own mix! Here are some things I like to use.
- Romaine
- Red cabbage
- Arugula
- Spinach
- Any other thin, leafy greens
How To Make Pear Gorgonzola Salad
It only takes a few minutes and wholesome ingredients to prepare this delcious pear salad. See the printable recipe card at the bottom for more instrcutions.
Add the orange salad ingredients to a Mason jar. Alternatively, you can add them to a small bowl and whisk to combine them.
Shake the salad ingredients to combine them.
In a large bowl or plater, add the mixed salad.
Add the rest of the ingredients on top of the salad. Do not toss.
Add all of the prepared dressing evenly to the salad 10 minutes before serving. Do not toss, or all the ingredients will fall to the bottom.
The dressing will eventually coat the bottom of the salad as it sinks. The salad will toss naturally as it is served. Mangia!
Recipe Variations
You can easily change this salad with small tweaks to fit your preferences. Try different cheeses, greens, or fruits. You can substitute apple for pear. Try pecans or almonds instead of walnuts. Switch out the orange juice for lemon juice. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar before you dig in. Add your favorite grilled protein to make it a whole meal!
Best tips for serving salad:
- Make the dressing up to 2 days ahead of time. Store the dressing in the fridge and let it come to room temperature an hour before serving. Shake the jar and presto! You are ready to dress your salad.
- Serve the salad on a flat and wide serving platter (as pictured). Ditch the deep salad bowl and serve your salad on a platter for a pretty presentation. This will also help with serving and evenly topping the salad with all the add-in ingredients.
- Dress the salad 10 minutes before serving, and DO NOT TOSS. When you serve the salad in a shallow and wide serving platter you don’t need to toss the salad. No more digging for all the yummy toppings at the bottom of the bowl! Simply distribute the dressing evenly over the top and the it will seep down to coat all the toppings and salad underneath. Voila!
Serving Suggestions
This salad goes well with Perfect Pork Tenderloin with Fennel, or Classic Italian Lasagna Bolognese with Bechamel Sauce. Serve with a side of homemade brioche bread, or focaccia, and a Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl) for dessert!
This salad also makes a great side to go with homemade pizza!
More Delicious Recipes for YOU
Breaded Chicken Breast Pan Fried (Italian)
Roasted Fennel Recipe (Italian Style)
Orecchiette with Sausage, Peppers, and Arugula (video)
Italian Crumble Cake Pastry Cream Filling
💙 MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💙 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love connecting with you! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Pinterest.
Pear Gorgonzola Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Orange Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
- ¾ cup good quality olive oil
- ½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice + zest of one orange
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, cut in quarters
Salad
- 2 bags Italian lettuce mix or spring greens, 510 g
- 3 medium pears, cored and diced
- 1 5-ounce container crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts , or candied pecans
Instructions
Citrus and Honey Vinaigrette
- Place all ingredients in a Mason jar and shake vigorously. The dressing can be kept at room temperature for up to two hours or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Salad
- In a large salad bowl or plater add the mixed salad. Add the rest of the ingredients on top of the salad. Do not toss.
- Add all of the prepared dressing on evenly on top of the salad 10 minute before serving. Do not toss or all the ingredients will fall to the bottom. The dressing will eventually coat the bottom of the salad as it sinks. The salad will toss naturally as it is served. Mangia!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this salad for Christmas Eve. It was delicious simple and easy thank you Elena. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you! So happy you loved this recipe. We make it often!
Not a salad fan. Can’t get enough of this. Thanks for posting
YAY! So happy you love!
This was such a refreshing salad. The ingredients are simple but it comes together flawlessly and packs a lot of flavor! My family loved it!
Thrilled you loved it. It is a tried and true staple!
I made this salad for thanksgiving last year and loved it! I have been making it ever since, I love the orange salad dressing!!! So fresh!
Thank you! It is one of our favorites as well!
I made this elegant and beautiful salad as an accompaniment to everything on Thanksgiving. It was a huge hit! The orange vinaigrette is lovely. I highly recommend this salad anytime of the year.
So happy you loved it! It does make a beautiful presentation. You should try the orange, fennel, and pomegranate recipe for your holiday parties. Enjoy.
Whole family loves this salad recipe. Easy and flavorful!
Happy you loved it! The orange vinaigrette is so scrumptious.
This has become one of our favorite Sunday dinner sides.
This is my family’s new favorite salad! We have made a similar salad for years, but this homemade dressing takes it over the top!, thank you Elena! Love your website, recipes, instagram, stories! Love it all!
Yes, the dressing is so fresh and delicious. Happy you enjoy it!
I LOVE this salad. The citrus based dressing is divine, and the blue cheese in combination with the pears makes for a party in your mouth. I don’t love walnuts so I used pecans instead.
So happy you loved it. I am sure pecans would be wonderful as well!
LOVED this recipe. It was so fresh and filling. And looks beautiful too!
It is a beautiful and delicious salad. Thanks for taking the time to write a review!