Pear, Baby Kale and Blue Cheese Salad

The following recipe and photography were provided by our partner, Yoko Segawa of Yoko’s Kitchen.

Savor the flavor of the season with this super simple fall salad!

Heinen’s Produce Department has been recognized nationally for its year-round supply of fresh-picked produce! From citrus in the winter to stone fruit and fresh, locally grown fruits veggies in the summer, there’s never a bad time to explore their selection; however, fall may be the best of them all.

Pear Baby Kale and Blue Cheese Salad Ingredients

Did you know that pears come into season in the fall? That’s right, the earliest crops are often picked in October and Heinen’s gets their hands on them as soon as they come off the trees. Perfectly juicy and tart, they’re the ideal centerpiece for this salad.

Layered on a bed of baby kale with a simple, homemade dressing, crunchy nuts and tangy blue cheese crumbles, this salad would make the perfect meatless meal or fall celebration side dish!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

It’s so simple to make! There are only two ingredients in this salad that need to be chopped, and the dressing comes together in no time with ingredients you probably already have at home!
It’s full of harvest flavors and textures. As you savor each bite, you’ll taste crisp, ripe pears, tender baby kale and luxurious blue cheese crumbles. The apple cider vinegar vinaigrette dressing is the icing on the cake, literally!
It’s ideal for entertaining! Beyond its flavor, this recipe is designed to bring people together. Its seasonal colors and flavors will please every eye and palate!

Ingredients

For the Salad

5 oz. (9 cups) Heinen’s baby kale
2 shallots, sliced
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
¼ cup Heinen’s dried cranberries
¼ cup Heinen’s pecans
¼ cup Heinen’s blue cheese crumbles

For the Dressing

½ cup Heinen’s extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup Heinen’s apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. Heinen’s pure organic maple syrup
2 Tbsp. Heinen’s Dijon mustard
Sea salt
Black pepper

Instructions

In a skillet over medium heat, toast the pecans until golden and fragrant (1-3 minutes), stirring occasionally. Let cool.
In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
In a large bowl toss the kale and shallot with ⅓ of the dressing. Transfer to a serving bowl. Arrange the pears, dried cranberries, pecans and blue cheese crumbles on top. Drizzle more dressing as needed.

Pear Baby Kale and Blue Cheese Salad