roasted pear endive salad

This gorgeous roasted pear endive salad is tossed with a maple walnut dressing and topped with tart cherries, toasted pecans and blue cheese. It’s crispy, creamy, crunchy and full of fall flavors.

Is there anything more beautiful than red endive leaves scattered over the counter? They’re so long, graceful and deeply blushed. It’s a cliche, but we really do eat with our eyes. We’re strongly influenced by how food looks, and I always aim to create beautiful, fresh and vibrant food whenever possible. The natural scoop-like shape of the leaves and gentle bitterness also makes Belgian endive a versatile and delicious salad green. 

These stunning red endive leaves were my starting point for the roasted pear salad. I wanted to develop a salad for the winter holidays-- one that is as enticing and festive as the crackly skinned turkey or creamy bowl of mashed potatoes.

But after that first impression, the food should taste incredible. Standards are even higher when it looks so good! I played off the crispy, bitter endive leaves with sweet roasted pears, diced small enough to be spooned into a leaf. Roasted nuts and walnut oil add toasty flavors, and I couldn’t avoid a sprinkle of blue cheese for creaminess and an extra bite. The roasted pear endive salad is fresh, nutty, sweet and filling. 

when should I serve this pear endive salad?

This eye catching pear endive salad is perfect for special occasions. It’s flavorful enough to be served with a special roast and stand out, or to be served alongside a holiday feast and not get lost in the spread.

It’s a fall salad for those times when you want to put in a little extra time to hunt down gorgeous spears of red endive, to dice and roast fresh pears, and to tap into your special stash of walnut oil. 

what type of wine should we drink with it?

Serve this pear endive salad with a rich, full bodied, nutty white wine. The creamy texture and vanilla notes of an oak aged Chardonnay would play wonderfully off of the walnut maple vinaigrette and sweet roasted pears.

A slightly aged white Burgundy is my first choice, with the delicious balance of acidity, creamy texture and complex flavors of roasted nuts, ripe pear and vanilla.

Here are more full bodied white wines to try with this roasted pear salad:

• Marsanne (from Northern Rhone, such as Saint-Peray, Saint-Joseph or Crozes-Hermitage): elegant bright acid, rich texture, notes of citrus, nuts, and honeyed fruit
• Chenin Blanc (such as a dry Vouvray, Saumur blanc, or those from Stellenbosch or Western Cape): high acid, richly textured white wine with notes of apples, honeyed flowers and chalk
• Viura (from Rioja): a creamy white wine with nutty, citrusy, vanilla notes

how do you make this pear endive salad?

1. Toast the pecans
2. Peel, dice and roast the pears
3. Make the maple walnut dressing
4. Toss pears with dried cherries, toasted pecans and a splash of dressing
5. Toss endive leaves with enough dressing to coat
6. Arrange endive leaves on a platter, spoon pear mixture over top and sprinkle with blue cheese

can you make this roasted pear salad ahead of time?

It’s best to assemble this roasted pear salad when you’re ready to serve and eat. That being said, there are a few items you can prep 1 day in advance:

• Toast the pecans
• Roast the pears
• Make the salad dressing
• Separate the endive leaves and store them in a ziplock bag

With all of those steps taken care of, you'll only need to toss the ingredients together, crumble blue cheese over top and serve.

more winter salads to try:

radicchio salad with oranges and pecorino

warm kale salad with raisins

apple arugula salad with pickled raisins and walnut vinaigrette

sicilian citrus salad

raw beet salad with citrus vinaigrette

butternut squash salad with roasted grapes and farro

For something simple and fresh, try this pear salad from Kim at Natural Deets!

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