Salad recipes that are unique and delicious are often a challenge to find. Often when we think of seasonal flavors, we picture heavy, indulgent comfort foods. However, eating healthy shouldn’t have to mean missing out on your favorite seasonal flavors. This roasted pear salad is a healthy dinner that showcases the best of what autumn has to offer. Succulent pears, toasted walnuts, and creamy bleu cheese team up to create a hearty salad that you’ll feel great about eating. But, when you top it with our maple vinaigrette and your favorite protein, you won’t be able to put it down.

Healthy Dinner: Roasted Pear Salad Recipes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Summer Salad Ingredients:

For Roasting:

4 pears, cored and sliced

6 beets, sliced

½ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

Salt, to taste

2 cups walnuts

For Salad:

4 cups spinach

4 cups mesclun greens

4 ounces bleu cheese, crumbled

1 tomato, sliced

Pre-cooked protein of choice

For Maple Vinaigrette:

1 cup olive oil

½ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup maple syrup

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon chili flakes

Salt and pepper, to taste

Salad Recipe Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Prep the roasted ingredients by mixing together the olive oil, honey, and salt. Toss the pears in the liquid to coat and put them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Do the same with the beets and put them on a separate sheet. Then, put the dry walnuts on a third.
3. Put the baking sheets in the oven and let cook for about five minutes or until you can smell the nuts.
4. Meanwhile, whisk together the ingredients for the maple vinaigrette, adjust seasonings to taste, and set aside.
5. As soon as the nuts become fragrant, take them out of the oven and let them cool. Give the pears and beets a toss and let them roast for an additional 5-10 minutes or until they are fully cooked through.
6. When everything is roasted and cool enough to handle, assemble the salad by combining the spinach, mesclun greens, tomato, protein, pears, and beets in a large bowl. Toss to coat with the maple vinaigrette. Top the salad with walnuts and crumbled goat cheese.

When it comes to easy weeknight meals, finding a recipe that quick, healthy, and tasty can feel like searching for the holy grail. Well, the search is over. This roasted pear salad checks all the boxes on your healthy dinner wish list. Top it with your favorite steak or chicken recipe from last night’s meal and you’ll have more than enough for a filling supper. Go ahead an have a little dessert after this one, you deserve it.

More salad recipes we love!

Roquefort Pear Salad

Pear Salad

Roasted Pear Salad with Endive

Do you make an effort to eat healthy as the weather gets cooler? What are your favorite fall salad recipes? Share them with us in the comments.

For more healthy eating inspiration, take a look at Stagetecture’s archives.