Pear Salad with Candied Walnuts
Updated Sep 24, 2026
Pear salad with massaged kale, candied walnuts, blue cheese, and cranberries in an orange-Dijon dressing. A make-ahead salad that holds up for fall.
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This pear salad is probably the reason I keep making kale salads long after summer is over. Once pears are in season, I start adding them to everything, and they’re especially good here with walnuts, blue cheese, and dried cranberries. Pears really do pair well with all of it, and yes, that pun was intended! I usually put this pear salad on the table with soups, stews, or whatever else I’m making once the weather cools down. The kale is sturdy enough that I can dress the whole bowl without worrying about it getting sad five minutes later, and if there’s any left, I’ll eat it for lunch the next day.
Recipe testing notes
For the past 10 years, I’ve tested every recipe multiple times before sharing it! These notes give you a peek into my process of developing and testing.
I’ve made this pear salad with and without massaging the kale, and I won’t skip that step anymore. The time when I just tossed everything together was noticeably tougher, and the kale still had that raw bitterness to it. Now I work the dressing into the leaves with my hands for a minute or two, until the kale softens and turns a little darker.
I’ve also made this pear salad a few hours ahead, and the kale handles it really well. I can dress the salad before people come over and leave it in the fridge without worrying about it turning into a soggy mess. I just wait on the pears until the end.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
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Pear Salad Ingredients
- Pears: Choose ripe pears that still hold their shape when sliced. Very soft pears can fall apart as you serve the salad. Leave the skins on and cut around the cores before slicing thinly. If you have time to toss your pear slices in lemon juice, the acid will keep them from oxidizing quickly and turning brown.
- Kale: I like to use organic kale or a mix of different types of kale for added texture. Mixed greens will work, too! Remove the tough stems before measuring the chopped leaves, then wash and dry the kale well so water doesn’t dilute the dressing.
- Cheese: Crumble the blue cheese into small pieces so it spreads throughout the salad. For a pear and feta salad, replace the ½ cup blue cheese with ½ cup crumbled feta. Goat cheese works, too.
- Cranberries: Dried, unsweetened cranberries work best.
- Candied Walnuts: Try my recipe for homemade candied walnuts or use store-bought. Pistachios, almonds, or pecans work, too!
- Autumn harvest salad dressing: I use olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, fresh orange juice, grated garlic, salt, and black pepper. You can also use your favorite store-bought vinaigrette to save time.
How to Make a Pear Salad
These step-by-step photos walk you through how to make this pear and pecan salad. For the full ingredient list and detailed instructions, head to the recipe card below, or skip straight to the → Pear Salad recipe below
1. Start the salad dressing
Add the grated garlic, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, honey, salt, and pepper to a large serving bowl and whisk together. Pour the oil in a thin stream while whisking until the dressing looks blended, with no separate layer of oil.
2. Massage the Kale leaves
Place the chopped, stemmed leaves in the bowl on top of the dressing. Use your hands to gently squeeze and rub the kale, working the dressing through the leaves.
3. Check the texture
The kale should look bright green and feel softer. Taste a piece before adding the toppings; if it’s still tough, keep massaging gently.
4. Make Pear Salad
Arrange the sliced pears over the kale, then add the candied walnuts, crumbled blue cheese, and dried cranberries. Serve right away.
Full Pear Salad Recipe
Pear Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
For the Salad
- 6 cups kale leaves roughly chopped
- 2 small pears thinly sliced
- 1 cup candied walnuts
- ½ cup crumbled blue cheese
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- In a large serving bowl, whisk together garlic, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly stream in the olive oil and whisk until emulsified.
- Add chopped kale on top of the dressing. Using your hands, massage the dressing into the kale to help break down the leaves. Massage until the kale is bright green and starts to feel soft.
- Top kale with sliced pears, candied walnuts, blue cheese, and cranberries, and serve.
Equipment
Notes
▢ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
▢ 1 tablespoon maple syrup
▢ 1 clove garlic clove
▢ 1 tsp fresh thyme
▢ Salt and pepper
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Add roasted squash: For an autumn harvest salad variation, add 1 cup roasted, cooled butternut squash cubes before serving.
- Add a grain: Fold 1 cup cooked, cooled farro or quinoa into the dressed kale before arranging the toppings.
Recipe Tips
- Slice the pears last. Get the dressing and kale ready first to limit how long the cut pears sit out and brown.
- Keep the walnuts separate until serving. Their coating softens as it sits in the dressing, so add them at the end to keep their crunch.
Serving Ideas
- Add some protein. Grilled chicken, roasted chickpeas, or even slices of steak would add a nice protein boost to this salad.
- Pair it with a soup. For lunch, I like serving the salad with a bowl of roasted butternut squash soup, tomato lentil soup, or cauliflower soup.
- Serve as a Thanksgiving side. I love to serve this salad with my easy Thanksgiving turkey, along with vegetarian stuffing, and mashed sweet potatoes!
Troubleshooting
Check for thick stems mixed in with the leaves; those won’t soften much with massaging. Remove them, then gently work the dressing into the leaves a little longer, tasting as you go.
Oil and vinegar naturally separate as they sit. Whisk the dressing again before adding the kale. Pouring the oil slowly while whisking helps it blend with the other ingredients.
Comments
Delicious, was a hit at my party the other week
Aww, yay!! So happy it was a hit! Thank you!!
Hi, did you change the recipe for the dressing? I thought I made it last year with maple syrup and thyme but this is different. Trying to find that other amazing dressing recipe!
I did, actually. I am so sorry I forgot to include the original recipe in the notes sections on the recipe card. I went back in and added it for you. It’s right under the instructions in the Notes box. Enjoy!
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