Maple Cinnamon Roasted Pear Salad with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

I know we say this every time we post a new salad recipe but this might be our blue ribbon salad right here.  It’s Bosc pear season and that basically mean that the time has come to roast pears because everything is better roasted. Once the pears are roasted it’s a whole new world…eat them plain, serve them with some vanilla bean ice cream….YUM, or top one on your next salad.

Roasting pears is about as simple as it gets.  Use a vegetable peeler to peel the pears, cut them in half and use a melon scooper to remove the core.  Heat brown sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and cinnamon in a saucepan until dissolved and pour over the pears.  Roast for 30 minutes, crank up the heat and broil for the last 1-2 minutes.  Your pears should look just like this.

Allow the pears to cool before serving over greens, otherwise the salad will wilt. We think arugula is the perfect green to pair with the pears (see what I did there??…pair with the pears! haha). The arugula has a peppery flavor which is the perfect  contrast to the sweetness of the pear.  Add some gorgonzola or blue cheese, toasted walnuts and dried cherries and you are almost all set.  Drizzle with our creamy balsamic vinaigrette and you’re in business.

This is a great make-ahead salad because you can roast the pears and make the salad dressing in advanced.  It should take you less than 5 minutes to assemble the salad and have it on the table.  Once you’ve roasted these pears you will never look at Bosc pears the same way again!

Maple Cinnamon Roasted Pear Salad with Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

Author: Good Thyme Kitchen

Serves: Pears serve 8 /salad serves 1

Ingredients

For the Maple Cinnamon Roasted Pears:

• 4 Bosc pears
• ½ lemon
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• ½ C pure maple syrup
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• small pinch kosher salt

For the Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp 0% greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp good quality olive oil
• 2 C arugula
• ¼ C toasted walnuts
• 2 Tbsp blue cheese or gorgonzola
• 2 Tbsp dried cherries or cranberries

Instructions

For the Maple Cinnamon Roasted Pears:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel the pears with a vegetable peeler and cut in half lengthwise. Use a melon scooper to scoop out the core. Rub all sides of the pear with the half lemon and place in a large casserole dish cored side up.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat melt coconut oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Heat until melted and sugar is dissolved - about 3 minutes.
3. Spoon the syrup over the pears and bake 30 minutes. Turn the oven to broil for the last 1-2 minutes, careful not to burn.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
5. While the pears are roasting assemble the salad dressing.

For the Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender - add all ingredients except olive oil and process until smooth, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and continue to process until incorporated. This makes ½ C dressing, use desired amount for the salad and store the remainong dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
2. Assemble the salad with the pear on top of a bed of arugula sprinkled with the walnuts, blue cheese and dried cherries and drizzled with the creamy balsamic vinaigrette.

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