A local restaurant serves a pear and gorgonzola pizza that I love. It was the inspiration for this pear and gorgonzola salad, to which I’ve also added pistachios.
I harbored an intense dislike for strong cheeses like gorgonzola for much of my life. Funny thing: now they are some of my favorites! You know how many times I have decided I did not like a food only to realize later on that I like it quite a lot? MANY.
I think our tastes have the capacity to expand and to change if we keep challenging ourselves to try new things (and to give things we previously eschewed another go). Of course this goes for ideas and experiences, as well: it’s good to be open minded about those, too.
This salad is super adaptable. For an equally delicious fall salad, apples can stand in for the pears. Roasted squash would also be delicious. Raw or toasted pecans, walnuts, or other nuts/seeds may be used in place of the pistachios. If assertive cheeses such as gorgonzola are not your thing at the moment, give this a try with a mild, soft cheese (crumbled goat cheese or feta sounds good to me). But don’t swear off gorgonzola for good…you may find that you’ll come to love it some day in the future, too.
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More of my fall salads:
Fall Garden Salad with Apples and Walnuts
Roasted Squash Salad with Dates and Spicy Pecans
Roasted Beet Salad with Candied Pecans
Perfect Fall Salad
Recipe for Arugula Salad with Pear, Pistachio, and Gorgonzola Cheese
Ingredients
- *2 heaping cups of mixed greens preferably organic
- *1 pear peeled if not organic, and sliced thin
- *2 tablespoons roasted shelled pistachios, or more to taste (I like Wonderful Pistachios)
- *2 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola cheese or more to taste
- *2 tablespoons of your best olive oil
- *1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- *1/2-1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or honey; I prefer the larger amount
- *freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Arrange greens on 2 salad plates. Divide the sliced pears on top of the greens, and sprinkle on the pistachios and cheese.
- 2. Mix the oil, vinegar, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Drizzle evenly over both salads, then add some freshly ground black pepper before serving.
