Spinach and pear salad

Recipe for Crispy and Delicious Spinach and Pear Salad

Hello! We're going to prepare a classic combination that never fails: the freshness of the green with the sweetness of fruit. This salad perfectly balances the salty notes of blue cheese with the soft texture of the pear, ideal for those looking to eat healthy without sacrificing flavor.

Preparation time

To organize ourselves well in the kitchen, keep these times in mind. It's a quick recipe, perfect for when you have little time but want something nutritious.

• Preparation: 15 minutes
• Cooking: 0 minutes
• Total: 15 minutes
• Servings: 2 people (as a main dish) or 4 (as a side dish)
• Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Here is the exact list of what we will need. The quality of the raw ingredients is vital in raw preparations.

For the base and body

• 125 grams of tender spinach (especially for salads)
• 1 large Conference pear
• 70 grams of blue cheese
• 1 handful of dried cranberries
• 1 handful of chopped walnuts

For the dressing

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Vinegar (apple cider or white balsamic work well)
• Salt
• Pepper

If you can't find any of these ingredients in your market, don't worry. If blue cheese is too strong for your taste, you can substitute it with feta cheese or goat cheese, which maintain that necessary acidity without being so invasive. If you don't have Conference pears, an Anjou pear or even a red apple can work, although the texture will change slightly. If you like sweeter versions, you can get inspiration from this caramelized pear salad to give the fruit a different treatment.

Utensils we will use

We don't need sophisticated equipment, just basic tools you surely have in your drawers.

• Large salad bowl or big bowl
• Cutting board
• Sharp knife (paring or chef's type)
• Kitchen paper or lettuce spinner
• Fork or small whisk (for the dressing)
• A small jar with a lid (optional, for emulsifying the vinaigrette)

Preparation

Let's assemble this dish step by step. The key is to handle the leaves delicately to keep them firm and fresh.

1. Cleaning the green leaves

   Even if you buy pre-packaged spinach ready to eat, I recommend checking it. If you buy it in bulk, wash it under the tap with cold water to remove any trace of dirt. Then, it's essential to dry them very well with kitchen paper or a salad spinner. If the leaf is wet, the dressing will slide off and the salad will be sad and watery.

2. Cheese preparation

   Take the block of blue cheese and crumble it. We're not looking for perfect cubes, but rather «crumbs» or irregular pieces (more or less small bits) that spread well throughout the dish. If you use a very creamy cheese, you can use two spoons. The cheese provides that salty touch that contrasts with the fruit.

3. Cutting the pear

   Wash the pear very well under water, rubbing the surface. We are not going to peel it; the skin provides fiber, color, and prevents the fruit from falling apart too quickly. Cut it into thin slices (longitudinal or half-moons), avoiding the core and seeds. The ideal thickness is about 3 millimeters so that it is pleasant to bite into.

4. Assembling the base

   In your salad bowl, arrange a generous bed of the already dried spinach. It's important not to flatten them; let them fall so they have volume. If you like to mix leaves, sometimes I add other varieties, similar to what we would do in a spinach salad with citrus, but today we stick to pure spinach.

5. Incorporating textures

   Over the green leaves, scatter the crumbled cheese, the handful of dried cranberries, and the chopped walnuts. Try to make them fall evenly so that each bite has a little bit of everything: the crunch of the walnut (so common in recipes like the pasta salad with spinach and walnuts) and the chewy sweetness of the cranberry.

6. Placing the fruit

   Finish by placing the pear slices over the previous mixture. You can do it decoratively in a fan shape if it's for a special occasion, or interspersed in a rustic way.

7. Final dressing

   Just before serving, dress to taste with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, a pinch of salt, and freshly ground pepper. I suggest mixing these ingredients separately in a bowl or jar and shaking vigorously until emulsified before pouring it; this way, each leaf is better coated.

To finish and serve

Once the dressing is added, stir gently using two spoons or your (clean) hands so as not to damage the pear nor the spinach. Serve immediately to enjoy the crunchy texture of the walnuts and the freshness of the vegetables. This dish is a luxurious side, but if you want to turn it into a main course, accompany it with some whole wheat toast or serve it alongside a grilled chicken breast.

Nutritional Information

This is an estimate of the nutritional values per serving, considering that cheeses and nuts are energy-dense but very nutritious.

• Calories: 320 kcal
• Proteins: 8 g
• Fats: 22 g
• Carbohydrates: 25 g
• Fiber: 6 g

Note: Values are approximate and may vary depending on the brand of blue cheese or the exact amount of oil you use in the dressing.

5 keys to make it perfect

Sometimes the smallest details are what separate a normal salad from a memorable one. Here are my secrets.

1. Temperature matters: Try to have the spinach very cold from the fridge, but take out the blue cheese about 10 minutes beforehand. The contrast between the crisp, cold leaf and the tempered cheese (which releases more aroma) is delicious.
2. Avoid oxidation: Pears oxidize (turn brown) quickly once cut. If you're not serving the salad instantly, sprinkle the pear slices with a few drops of lemon. It's a classic trick I also use in the Christmas apple salad.
3. Toasting the walnuts: If you have an extra minute, toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat until they release their aroma. This awakens the essential oils of the nut and makes it much crispier.
4. The dressing balance: Since blue cheese is very salty, be careful with the salt in the vinaigrette. Taste the cheese before deciding how much salt to add to the rest.
5. Extreme drying: I insist on this because it's the number one mistake. If the spinach has water from washing, the oil and vinegar won't adhere and will go to the bottom of the plate, leaving the salad bland.

When is it ideal to enjoy it?

This spinach and pear salad is incredibly versatile. Due to its ingredients, it has a winter or autumn feel, but it is so fresh y light appealing in any season. It's perfect as a first course at a family dinner because it doesn't leave you feeling heavy for the main course. It also works wonderfully for celebrations; the green, white, and dark red colors of the cranberries make it look very elegant on the table, almost as much as a endive and pomegranate salad.

If you serve it in summer, make sure all ingredients are well chilled. If it's winter, you can serve it with warm, freshly toasted walnuts for a more comforting feel.

Comparison table

Sometimes we look for a recipe and find many similar options. Here I help you differentiate this recipe from other popular ones so you can choose the one that best suits your craving today.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Share your experience

Cooking is for experimenting and sharing. I would love to know if you dared to change the cheese or if you tried another type of nut. Leave your comment and share your own little tricks to see how you adapted this delight at home!

Culinary glossary

So you don't have any doubts, here I explain some terms we used today:

• Emulsion: It is the mixture of two liquids that normally do not combine easily, such as oil and vinegar. By beating them quickly, a creamy sauce and unified.
• Tender (Baby): Refers to spinach leaves harvested early. They are smaller, softer, and less fibrous than mature spinach, ideal for eating raw.
• Extra Virgin: It is the highest quality category of olive oil. It means it is pure olive juice, without defects and with superior organoleptic properties.
• Blue Cheese: Type of cheese that has veins of mold (penicillium) inside, which gives it a greenish-blue color and a characteristic pungent and strong flavor.
• Conference: An elongated pear variety, with green skin and brown spots (russeting), known for being juicy and sweet, but firm.