Fall Harvest Salad with Goat Cheese and Fresh Pears

If you’ve got extra pears and figs lying around, this is the recipe for you! This fall salad is sweet, tangy, and super easy to make! It takes less than 20 minutes to throw it all together. The creamy goat cheese along with the sweet and tangy dressing makes this salad anything but basic. It’s definitely restaurant quality! While fall is the time for hearty soups and casseroles, it’s nice to have something light every one and a while. That’s where this healthy fall salad comes in! It’s perfect as a side dish or a light lunch!

Ingredients

Romaine Lettuce: This adds a nice crisp crunch.
Baby Spring Mix: This is the base of the salad. If you don’t have this mix, you can use a mixture of baby spinach, arugula, radicchio, and green leaf lettuce.
Chopped Pecans: Since this is a fall salad, we added some chopped pecans. You can also use walnuts if you like.
Red Onions: A small amount of thinly sliced onions adds a nice bite.
Pear: You’ll need one thinly sliced pear. Make sure it’s nice and ripe before slicing. You want it to be tender and not hard.
Croutons: We like to make our own, but feel free to use what you have. Our croutons are a combination of bread (any kind), parmesan, and olive oil. Then we air-fry it in the toaster oven.
Herbed Goat Cheese: We used CHEVOO goat cheese cubes which are soaked in olive oil. Any creamy, cubed goat cheese will work. But, we highly recommend herbed cheese. It’s adds an extra bit of flavor.
Figs: Another tasty fall fruit! Plus it pairs well with the goat cheese.

Herbed Balsamic Vinaigrette

This may look like a long list of ingredients, but many are kitchen staples that you likely already have. If you have any questions about substitutions, check out the FAQ section below or ask us a question in the comments!

Balsamic Vinegar: We use balsamic vinegar of Modena, but you can use regular if that’s what you have on hand.
Safflower Oil: While safflower oil yields the best taste, you can use olive oil instead.
Dijon Mustard: This adds a bit of extra flavor and tanginess.
Herbs & Spices: All the herbs and spices we use for this recipe are dried. These include herbes de Provence, dried oregano, and dried shallots. They should be available at most stores in the spice section.
Salt & White Pepper: These help bring out the other flavors in the dressing.
Honey: This helps to cut through the acidity, as well as adding a nice bit of sweetness.
White Cooking Wine: This adds extra flavor and helps to thin out the dressing.

Goat Cheese Alternatives

While we highly recommend goat cheese, we understand that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. So here’s a list of cheeses that pair just as well with this salad:

Gorgonzola Cheese
Blue Cheese
Stilton
Roquefort (a type of blue cheese)

How to Make This Fall Harvest Salad

First, wash your lettuce and spring mix. Then add it to a large bowl.
Next, add the rest of the ingredients on top.
Then make the dressing using an immersion blender.
Lastly, pour the dressing over the top and give it all a good toss! Easy, right!

FAQ

Can I use black pepper instead of white pepper?

Yes! White pepper is milder in flavor, so you may need to start with a smaller amount of black pepper.

What is a good substitute for cooking wine?

For this recipe, you can use water in place of the wine. The wine adds flavor, but it’s mainly for thinning out the dressing. So if you don’t have any, water will do just fine!

Can I use olive oil instead of safflower oil?

Yes, we’ve tried both, and olive oil works just as well.

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