This autumn-inspired pear salad is one of my favorite pear recipes. It’s a great way to enjoy seasonal flavors without the guilt. When I’m traveling, I love to taste all the flavors they have to offer. I eat everything! But when I’m home, I tend to cut down on dairy, bread, and added sugar in order to balance any seasonal indulgences.
Since I’m a foodie at heart, I love colorful and deliciously nutritious things to keep from being bored with regular whole foods, so I’m constantly on the search for a creative way to mix together fruits and veggies.
This recipe is an adaptation from one I found in my Real Simple magazine in the spring. I added the walnuts to make it more filling with some protein and have a bit more texture. The pears were more seasonal for fall and winter. Plus I changed the dressing around to something that was sugar free and incorporated the ingredients in the salad. Hope you like it! I think it’s perfect for the fall season.
Pear Salad Ingredients
One of the things I love about this recipe is the simplicity. It’s only 5 ingredients. And the deep purple and red colors of the radicchio contrasting with the green skin of the pears make it perfect for the autumn and winter season!
- 2 heads of radicchio
- 3 Bartlett pears
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts, toasted
You can also substitute the red wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar. But the dijon mustard adds a nice flavor that isn’t quite the same with regular mustard. Also, if you don’t have walnuts, pecans are a good substitute.
What Is Radicchio?
Radicchio is a bit like a cross between lettuce and cabbage. More accurately, it’s a chicory and is commonly used in Italian cuisine. I love using radicchio for the pop of color it adds to salads with the purplish red and white-veined leaves. Plus it has a nice crunch and the flavor is bitter and spicy which goes well with the sweet pears and toasted walnuts.
Pear Salad Recipe with Walnuts and Radicchio
Wash the outside of the radicchio, cut off the root nub with a knife, and tear the leaves as you would a head of lettuce and add them to a large salad bowl.
Slice the pears lengthwise, then carve out the soft core. Add two of the sliced pears to the salad bowl with the radicchio. For the third pear, dice it into smaller pieces to use in your dressing.
To toast the walnuts, add them to a dry sautee pan (no oil) and set the heat to medium low. Cook them until you can smell a toasty aroma coming from the pan, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the walnuts over the radicchio and pears the salad bowl. Put the remaining walnuts in a food processor along with the mustard, vinegar, and diced pear.
Puree until well combined and slightly thick, adding water if needed. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until the pears and radicchio are well coated.
Pear Salad with Radicchio
Ingredients
- 2 heads of radicchio
- 3 Bartlett pears
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts, toasted
Instructions
- Wash the outside of the radicchio, cut off the root nub with a knife, and tear the leaves as you would a head of lettuce and add them to a large salad bowl.
- Slice the pears lengthwise, then carve out the soft core. Add two of the sliced pears to the salad bowl with the radicchio. For the third pear, dice it into smaller pieces.
- To toast the walnuts, add them to a dry sautee pan (no oil) and set the heat to medium low. Cook them until you can smell a toasty aroma coming from the pan, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the walnuts over the radicchio and pears the salad bowl. Put the remaining walnuts in a food processor along with the mustard, vinegar, and diced pear. Puree until well combined and slightly thick, adding water if needed.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
- Makes two hearty portions, or four small side salads.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 364Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 215mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 11gSugar: 27gProtein: 6g
Nutrition information provided is only estimate.
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Pear Salad with Radicchio
Ingredients
- 2 heads of radicchio
- 3 Bartlett pears
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup chopped Walnuts, toasted
Instructions
- Wash the outside of the radicchio, cut off the root nub with a knife, and tear the leaves as you would a head of lettuce and add them to a large salad bowl.
- Slice the pears lengthwise, then carve out the soft core. Add two of the sliced pears to the salad bowl with the radicchio. For the third pear, dice it into smaller pieces.
- To toast the walnuts, add them to a dry sautee pan (no oil) and set the heat to medium low. Cook them until you can smell a toasty aroma coming from the pan, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the walnuts over the radicchio and pears the salad bowl. Put the remaining walnuts in a food processor along with the mustard, vinegar, and diced pear. Puree until well combined and slightly thick, adding water if needed.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well.
- Makes two hearty portions, or four small side salads.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 364Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 215mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 11gSugar: 27gProtein: 6g
Nutrition information provided is only estimate.
Perfect timing that I saw this post. I’m headed out to the market right now and will pick up radicchio and pears to make this salad. Yum!