If you need a “classy” side that’s not too hard to make and delicious to eat, this recipe for Pear & Pecan Salad with Parmesan Crisps is for you! The Parmesan Crisps are deceptively easy to make and will wow and impress guests. Combined with the tang of the dressing and sweet crunch of the pears and pecans, this salad is sure to become one of your favorite salads to serve anytime you want an impressive meal accompaniment for a special occasion!
Pear & Pecan Salad with Parmesan Crisps
Are you following me on facebook or instagram? If so, you know that we’ve been working really hard the last few weeks moving out of our barn and into our new Passive-Aggressive House. While the barn was a nice, inexpensive place to live while we built our house, we did have a few complaints. One of my husband’s major complaints about the barn was there was no real place to relax.
The small space did not allow for a comfortable couch for lounging, TV watching, or moving viewing. One of my real complaints was the lack of a nice kitchen for cooking. We’re out of the barn now and excited to have both a wonderful space for relaxing AND an impressive kitchen for creating delicious food. We’ll be celebrating soon with a fancy movie and dinner night for two, and this salad will take center stage.
Let’s get started!
The first thing to do is make the Parmesan Crisps. They are an integral part of this salad and look very fancy – but they are so simple to make! All you need to do is grate a nice hard cheese – I used Stella’s Parmesan Cheese, but Stella also makes a Mediterranean Parmesan Cheese I would have loved to use in these crisps if I could have found it at the store.
Simply place 1-2 TBS of grated Parmesan cheese in mounds on a silicon baking mat and bake in preheated oven (400 degrees) for 3-5 minutes. Let cool completely and then break apart or garnish your salad with an entire Parmesan crisp.
After your crisps are made, prepare the salads. Honestly, I sliced the pear and green onion and then just plated the salads individually instead of making a big salad in a bowl. I mounded a large handful of greens, then added the sliced pear, sliced green onion, and pecans, and topped with parmesan crisps and drizzled on the balsamic dressing. Here’s the printable recipe.
Pear & Pecan Salad with Parmesan Crisps
An easy to make salad that is both delicious and classy, sure to impress your guests for a fancy celebration.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 bag prewashed spring mix salad, preferably organic
- 1 pear, sliced into thin strips
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
For the Dressing
- 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 small clove crushed garlic
- 1-1 TBS honey, preferably local raw honey
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated pepper
For the Parmesan Crisps
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Dressing
- Whisk together all ingredients.
Parmesan Crisps
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Pile 1-2 TBS of grated Parmesan cheese on a silicon baking mat.
- Bake for 3-5 minutes until crisp and bubbly.
To Make the Salad
- Simply plate the greens, pear, and green onion on individual plates. Add the Parmesan Crisps and top with dressing.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Make the crisps earlier in the day, or even the day before, so they're ready to when you need them.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 277Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 413mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 2gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g
Nutritional information is not always correct.
Want more delicious salad recipes that are sure to impress?
Citrus Salad with Caramelized Pecans and Pomegranates
Wilted Lettuce Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing
Laura at Mommy Maleta
Tuesday 15th of September 2015
This salad is scoring some serious points with me. I love fruit and nuts in salad and the Parmesan crisps look like the perfect compliment...I'm ready to dig in.
Sharisse @ Savvy Sweet Life
Tuesday 15th of September 2015
Loving this combo of salad ingredients and will definitely try it soon! Fruit and nuts are my favorite extras to add. It's such an easy way to jazz up a salad!
Gwen @simplyhealthyfamily
Monday 14th of September 2015
I'm SO bored with my usual salad arrangement. Thank you for this fabulous new recipe! Love those Parm crisps! oxox
Donna Hup
Monday 14th of September 2015
Yum! I love this combination. What a creative idea!
Crystal Green
Sunday 13th of September 2015
This recipe looks really good. I love salads with nuts and different flavor cheeses on them. This looks like a great option.