As the crisp autumn air sets in, what better way to celebrate the season’s best produce than with this delicious Apple, Pear, and Goat Cheese Fall Salad. This salad boasts a delightful mix of flavors, textures, and colors and is perfect for festive gatherings or a refreshing meal!
This is one of those recipes that I’ve been making for years but just never shared with all of you! This salad is incredibly versatile and has always been a big hit with my whole family. I think yours will love it too! The combination of crisp apples and pears, creamy yet tangy goat cheese, and crunchy toasted walnuts is out of this world delicious. I make this salad several times a week throughout the fall without fail, but you can bet it always ends up on our Thanksgiving table every year too!
Why This Fall Salad is a Winner
- Fall’s Finest: Crisp apples, juicy pears, and creamy goat cheese celebrate the autumn harvest.
- Sweet-Tangy Balance: Toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and the vinaigrette dressing create a perfect blend of flavors.
- Effortless Elegance: Simple prep and beautiful presentation make this salad ideal for any occasion.
The Ingredients and Substitutions
Salad Ingredients
- Mixed greens – You can use any type of greens that you prefer.
- Apples – Any apples you love work great in this salad. I go for honeycrisp, gala or fuji usually!
- Pears – I usually go for Anjou or Bartlett pears for this salad, but any type of pear will do.
- Goat cheese – The true hero of this salad is the creamy, tangy goat cheese. I’m always searching for the last crumbles for the perfect bite.
- Dried cranberries – These add a little sweetness and texture to an already delicious salad. Dried cherries, pomegranate seeds or even a golden raisin could be a could substitute if you need it in a pinch.
- Toasted walnuts – You can usually find toasted walnuts in the grocery store, but if not you can toast them yourself. See the recipe car below for toasting instructions. If walnuts aren’t your thing, opt for some fresh roasted pecan or even candied pecans for a tasty crunch.
Vinaigrette Ingredients:
- Apple cider vinegar – This adds acidity to your vinaigrette. If you need a substitute, white wine vinegar has a similar acidity and would be a decent replacement.
- Shallot – Shallots are great for adding an oniony/garlicky flavor to your vinaigrette. In a pinch, a finely diced sweet onion would be a good substitute.
- Honey – For a touch of sweetness!
- Olive oil – Oil helps emulsify the dressing.
- Salt – Add salt to taste after you’ve made the dressing. Adjust accordingly.
How to Make Apple, Pear and Goat Cheese Fall Salad
- Assemble Salad: Place greens in a large bowl or platter and top with sliced pears, apples, crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries and walnuts.
- Make Dressing: Place the vinegar, shallot, honey, olive oil and salt in a jar or a bowl and shake or whisk until emulsified.
- Combine and Toss: Drizzle half the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Continue to add dressing to your preference and serve.
Tips for Apple, Pear and Goat Cheese Fall Salad
- If you’re wanting to make this salad ahead of time, the walnuts, cranberries and goat cheese can be prepped in advance. I would recommend slicing the apples and pears right before serving to prevent browning.
- You can make the dressing a week in advance if you want! Just give it a good shake before you use it to re-emulsify everything.
- Feel free to add some protein to this salad to make a more hearty meal. This Lemon Herb Chicken would be perfect!
- Serve with some crusty bread and this salad is a perfect main dish! If you’re looking for it to complement a meal, here are some mains that pair well with it:
More Delicious Salads
- Fall Farmers Market Salad
- Waldorf Salad
- Persimmon Burrata Salad
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Winter Citrus Salad
I hope this delicious Apple, Pear and Goat Cheese Fall Salad makes it into your Autumn meal time repertoire! It’s super simple to make and looks absolutely gorgeous too. Great for all the fall gatherings coming up! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions and tag me on social media if you make this recipe!
Images by Ivan Solis
Apple, Pear and Goat Cheese Fall Salad
Combine all the best produce fall has to offer in this Apple, Pear and Goat Cheese Fall Salad. It's healthy, delicious and simple.
Ingredients
- 4 cups mixed greens
- 2 apples, thinly sliced
- 2 pears, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts (toasting instructions below if necessary)
Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place greens in a large bowl or platter and top with sliced pears, apples, crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries and walnuts.
- Place the vinegar, shallot, honey, olive oil and salt in a jar or a bowl and shake or whisk until emulsified.
- Drizzle half the vinaigrette over the salad and toss. Continue to add dressing to your preference and serve.
- To toast walnuts, place in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes until golden and fragrant. Alternatively, place in a sauté pan over medium heat and toast for 4-5 minutes or until golden.
Notes
If you’re wanting to make this salad ahead of time, the walnuts, cranberries and goat cheese can be prepped in advance. I would recommend slicing the apples and pears right before serving to prevent browning.
You can make the dressing a week in advance if you want! Just give it a good shake before you use it to re-emulsify everything.
Feel free to add some protein to this salad to make a more hearty meal. This Lemon Herb Chicken would be perfect!
Nutrition
Calories: 6kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.03g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 69mg | Vitamin A: 454IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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