This fall-inspired Apple and Pear Salad with Balsamic Maple Cinnamon Dressing, Gorgonzola, and Walnuts is fast, easy, and delicious.
A few weeks ago, my husband's cousin (my cousin-in-law?) sent me a message to tell me about an amazing salad she had in a restaurant. Knowing that she has great taste in food and one of the best bakers I know, I considered that salad very seriously.
I mean, it's not every day she contacts me, and it's not every day someone has a salad so good that they must immediately tell others about it. So I figured the salad must have been really good.
I thought about it for a few days, and knowing I already had the ingredients I needed, I made a version of it for myself.
I didn't make it exactly as she described, I changed some of the ingredients and added cheese. Because this is Wisconsin and cheese makes everything better.
I ended up with an Apple and Pear Salad with Balsamic Maple Cinnamon Dressing, Gorgonzola and Walnuts.
A little wordy, I know, but sometimes it's really hard to come up with a catchy, yet descriptive title. Especially for salads. Perhaps Orchard Salad with Maple Spiced Balsamic Dressing. Anyway, call it what you want, it's a tasty salad.
How to make Apple and Pear Salad with Balsamic Cinnamon Dressing:
Making this delicious salad is pretty much like making any other salad:
First, mix up the dressing. This can be done simply with a whisk, or if you don't want to use that elbow grease, and want to ensure a perfectly emulsified dressing, you can use an immersion blender.
Then assemble the salad ingredients into bowls, pour the dressing over them, and serve.
Apple and Pear Salad with Balsamic Cinnamon Dressing Ingredients:
- Maple syrup
- Balsamic vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Cinnamon
- Dijon mustard
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- Baby greens or spinach
- Apple
- Pear
- Gorgonzola cheese
- Walnuts
Want more healthy and delicious salads?
Apple and Pear Salad with Balsamic Maple Cinnamon Dressing Nutrition Notes:
The nutrition information in the recipe below is for a small side or appetizer-sized portion of salad.
If you're going to eat this salad as an entree, double the portion size and nutrition information numbers (the salad will serve only 2 as an entree).
Apple and Pear Salad with Balsamic Maple Cinnamon Dressing
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Salad
- 5 ounce package baby greens or spinach
- 1 apple cored and thinly sliced
- 1 pear cored and thinly sliced
- 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese crumbled
- ½ cup walnuts coarsely chopped
Instructions
Dressing
- Whisk together 1 Tablespoon maple syrup, 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Continue whisking constantly while very slowly drizzling in ¼ cup olive oil. Set aside.
Salad
- Divide a 5 ounce package baby greens or spinach evenly between 2 or 4 bowls. Top each with sliced apple and pear, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, and chopped walnuts. Drizzle dressing evenly over each bowl.
Nutrition
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