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Salad bowl filled with leafy lettuce, sliced pears, crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnuts, and topped with a toasted sesame soy dressing.

The Best Blue Cheese, Walnut, and Pear Salad

5 from 3 votes
This irresistible salad features delicate leafy lettuce, buttery toasted walnuts, funky and salty blue cheese, fruity pears, and a killer toasted sesame soy dressing that combines savory, nutty, and sweet flavors.
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Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:5 minutes
Total Time:20 minutes
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy, Quick
Servings: 6

Equipment

  • Immersion blender (or food processor or personal or regular blender)

Ingredients

Salad

  • 6-8 cups leafy lettuce (butter lettuce, green leaf, or red leaf) roughly chopped
  • 1 cup blue cheese crumbled
  • 2 pears cored and sliced
  • 1 cup raw walnuts chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • Pinch of salt

Sesame Dressing

  • 3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • ¼ cup neutral oil
  • 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise (such as kewpie, regular, or vegan)
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions

  • In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter and then add the walnuts and a small pinch of salt.
    1 cup raw walnuts, 2 tbsp butter, Pinch of salt
  • Toast the walnuts in the pan, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the walnuts from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate to cool.
  • Place the dressing ingredients, except sesame seeds, into a high-sided container. Blend the ingredients with an immersion blender until emulsified. Taste for seasoning. If needed, add a small pinch of salt. Stir in the sesame seeds at the end.
    3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce, 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, ¼ cup neutral oil, 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp spicy brown mustard, 1 tbsp mayonnaise (such as kewpie, regular, or vegan), 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • Assemble the salad by tossing together the lettuce, blue cheese, cooled walnuts, pears and desired amount of dressing in a large bowl.
    6-8 cups leafy lettuce (butter lettuce, green leaf, or red leaf), 1 cup blue cheese, 2 pears

Notes

Note: if you don't have an immersion blender, food processor, or regular blender, you can add the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake very vigorously until everything is mixed up and emulsified. It just may not be as smooth due to the mayonnaise.