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Autumn Pear Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

September 10, 2020 by Caitlin Monson Leave a Comment

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Sweet, refreshing and full of fresh seasonal fruit! This easy side salad is the perfect way to transition to fall!

These simple autumn pear salad is delicious and the way to transition to fall! It's full of fresh seasonal fruit and even has a homemade dressing too!

I feel like we’re in that awkward time of year where part of the country is still blazing hot with summer temps while the other part is just now starting to pull out all their cozy winter clothes… And let me tell ya, this is one confusing time for food bloggers! (You see as a blogger, I always try to be on top of the changing seasons and always have a vast variety of recipes in my arsenal.) But unfortunately I’m a summer girl through and through so whenever when fall and winter finally roll around, honestly my mind goes completely blank… Except when it comes to salads! Why is that you ask? Because all you have to do to transform a summer salad to fall is simply switch out the toppings for whatever’s in season, whip up a fun new dressing and BAM! Now you have a light and refreshing salad that’s perfect to counter all those heavier fall and winter meals! So here’s my first official “fall-ish” salad of the season: Autumn Pear Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette!

Naturally gluten free and healthier for you too! This delicious side salad is just the thing you need to combat all those heavier fall and winter dishes this year!

Ingredients

This salad includes all of my favorite fall ingredients that are just now starting to come into season!

  • Kale: Not a fan of kale? No problem! This salad is also great with spinach or mixed greens instead too!
  • Pears: I used barlett pears for this recipe. (See below for other pears you could use too!)
  • Red grapes: These can really be found any time of the year but they add so much sweetness to the salad and are a great contrast to the crunchiness of the pears.
  • Feta cheese: I prefer using reduced fat feta but you can always use regular or non-fat feta too!
  • Toasted pecans: Walnuts would also be great with this recipe too! (Directions for toasting nuts is below.)
Looking for a lighter side dish to serve this fall and winter! Try this easy autumn pear and grape salad!

What kind of pears should I use?

I love using barlett pears for this autumn pear salad because they’re incredibly juicy when fully ripe. (Plus they’re also a gorgeous green color too which makes this salad so pretty.) But you can also use a few other varieties too!

  • D’anju pears: Subtly sweet with a slight hint of lemon and lime. (They’re a great “all purpose” kind of pear.)
  • Asian pears: Super crunchy and crisp which pair so well with the sweet grapes.
  • Bosc pears: More dense than most pears and are slightly sweet. (They also maintain they’re shaped better than most pears too so they’re great for roasting or poaching.)

How do I know when a pear is ripe?

The easiest way to tell if a pear is ripe or not is to gently squeeze the fruit near the stem at the top. If it gives in slightly, then it’s ready to go! If it’s still hard then it’s under ripe and if it gives in too much then it’s over ripe. WE want slightly UNDER RIPE pears for this salad! (The pears themselves tend to soften after being mixed with the dressing so if your pear is too ripe, it might turn to mush!😨)

Fresh bartlett pears, red grapes, feta cheese and toasted pecans are all tossed with tender kale in a sweet maple vinaigrette!It's such a refreshing side dish!

How to make toasted pecans

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then spread your pecans out on the baking sheet and bake them for 5-6 minutes or until they just start to darken. Take them out of the oven to cool and store them in an airtight container until you’re ready to eat!

How to make an easy maple mustard vinaigrette

This super easy vinaigrette doesn’t have to be used just for this salad. It’s also great on any other type of salad with fruit in it too!

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1tsp extra virgin olive oil
  1. Whisk all of these ingredients together and pour it over your salad.
A delicious salad recipe made with only 5 ingredients and has an easy maple mustard vinaigrette! You won't find a better salad than this for fall or winter!

Can I save my leftover autumn pear salad?

Absolutely! That’s one reason I love using kale for this salad recipe because it holds up so well to the rest of the ingredients and doesn’t become mushy if you still want to have it the next day. (Sometimes we’ll actually make the salad a day in advance and let the flavors all marinate together.)

More recipes like this:
  • Strawberry Kale Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
  • Cherry, Goat Cheese & Toasted Pecan Kale Salad
  • Grape & Feta Kale Salad
  • Healthy Italian Sub Salad

[Made one of my recipes? Make sure to tag my social media @kalefornia_kravings – I love seeing what you create!]

These simple autumn pear salad is delicious and the way to transition to fall! It's full of fresh seasonal fruit and even has a homemade dressing too!
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Autumn Pear Salad with Maple Mustard Vinaigrette

Crisp pears, sweet grapes and feta cheese are all tossed together in a simple maple dressing and topped with toasted pecans! It's the perfect easy side dish for fall!
Prep Time15 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Easy, Gluten free
Keyword: autumn, feta cheese, grapes, kale, maple mustard vinaigrette, pear, toasted pecans
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Caitlin Monson

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp olive oil

For the salad:

  • 1 bunch of kale, leaves cut off the stem and chopped (can use spinach or mixed greens instead)*
  • 2 pears, diced
  • 1 cup grapes, sliced in half
  • ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • ¾ cup pecans
  • ½ of a lemon juiced (for massaging the kale)
  • 1 tsp olive oil (for massaging the kale)

Instructions

To toast the pecans:

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread your pecans out on the baking sheet and bake them for 5-6 minutes or until they just start to darken.

To make the vinaigrette:

  • Whisk all of your ingredients together in a bowl. Set it aside while you prepare the salad.

To make the salad:

  • If using kale, drizzle 1 tsp of olive oil and the juice from ½ of a lemon over your chopped kale leaves. Rub the leaves together with your hands for 5 minutes or until the leaves begin to soften and turn a bright green color.
  • Add the diced pears, grapes and feta cheese and toss with your vinaigrette. Top the salad with toasted pecans right before serving.

Notes

* If using spinach or mixed greens, skip to step 2 when making the salad.
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Filed Under: Salad, Side Dish Tagged With: autumn, easy, fall, grapes, healthier, kale salad, maple mustard vinaigrette, pear, side dish, side salad, winter

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Meet Caitlin

Hey there!

I’m Caitlin and I’m here to simplify California cuisine! I’m just your every day Cali girl with a huge passion for cooking and sharing simple healthy eats with a few sweet treats.

Welcome to my kitchen!

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Let’s get social!

AVOCADO, TOMATO & MOZZARELLA SALAD! Can I get a he AVOCADO, TOMATO & MOZZARELLA SALAD! Can I get a hell yeah?!🙌🏻
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One thing you’ll learn about me - I put avocado on EVERYTHING!🤗 (Which is a little ironic considering I hated avocados as a kid...😳 Weird...I know.) But dangg was it delicious in this salad! It’s super simple to make, loaded with fresh & bright flavors & a fun spin on your classic caprese!😍
P.S. Try it on some sourdough for a fun toast topping too!
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Hope you’re all having a great Thursday loves!😊💕
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Avocado, Tomato & Mozzarella Salad🥑
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Mozzarella balls
Avocado, diced
Fresh basil, sliced thin
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar (you can add 1 Tbsp of coconut sugar to this too if you like it sweeter)
Salt & pepper, to taste
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1. Bring your balsamic vinegar (& sweetener if using) to a boil in pot on the stove over medium high heat. Let it simmer for 8-10 minutes or until it’s slightly thickened. Let it cool completely.
2. Then add your tomatoes, mozzarella, avocado & fresh basil to bowl & toss with your balsamic “dressing”.
3. Sprinkle it with salt & pepper to taste & serve immediately. 
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#kaleforniakravings #dinner #caprese #capresesalad #salad #healthydinner #easyrecipes #easymeals #dinnerideas #healthyeats #healthylunch #wholefoods #lunchideas #healthfood #healthyfood #quickmeals #foodblogger #glutenfreerecipes #glutenfreefood #feedfeed #healthyrecipes #huffposttaste #realfood #thekitchn #healthyfoodshare #mealprep #foodblogfeed #goodmoodfood #healthyfoodporn @thefeedfeed @thekitchn @huffposttaste
Another day, another salad... And I’m about to d Another day, another salad... And I’m about to dive head first into this CHOPPED APPLE & MANDARIN SALAD with CREAMY POPPY SEED DRESSING!😍 [Ad]
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Does anyone else love making their own salad dressings? Because SAME. HERE!🙋🏼‍♀️ (It actually feels a little weird whenever I use store bought dressing now...😳) But I just love that I can tailor them to fit my taste buds & use better for you ingredients too. Just like this easy poppy seed dressing!🤗 It’s protein packed with Greek yogurt & helps support a healthy immune system with a good dose of apple cider vinegar. Not to mention it’s absolutely delicious on this fresh & fruity salad too!😉 (Side note: @sprouts is the only place I get my ACV because they have the best pricing for all organic vinegars.) So pop on over to your local @sprouts & pick up all these ingredients ASAP!
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Hope you’re having a great Tuesday loves!😊💕
(Full recipe & tips are on my website. Link in bio⬆️)
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Chopped Apple & Mandarin Salad🍎
Kale, leaves cut off the stem & chopped
Honeycrisp apples, diced
Mandarin oranges
Dried cranberries
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Poppyseed Dressing: 2 Tbsp olive oil + 2 Tbsp ACV + 2 Tbsp maple syrup + 2 Tbsp plain Greek yogurt + 1 tsp poppy seeds
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1. Massage the kale in 1 Tbsp of your dressing. Then add your apples, mandarins & dried cranberries.
2. Toss the salad in your dressing & top with pecans right before serving!
Currently craving a big ol’ bowl of this ONE POT Currently craving a big ol’ bowl of this ONE POT BROCCOLI MAC & CHEESE!🤗
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Creamy, cheesy & made with minimal ingredients too?? It doesn’t get much better than that in my book by loves! (And the fact that it only takes 10ish minutes to make too is just icing on the cake.😉) Bring on all that cheesy goodness please!😍
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One Pot Broccoli Mac & Cheese🧀
2 cups dry rotini pasta (use gluten free if needed)
2 cups almond milk (or your favorite milk)
1 cup water
1 cup broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp ground mustard
3/4 tsp salt
Black pepper, to taste
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1. Pour the milk, water, pasta & salt into a large pot & bring it to a boil. Boil the pasta for 8-10 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
2. Then add your broccoli & boil for an additional 2 minutes. (The broccoli will give off a lot of water so make sure there is very little water in the pot before adding your broccoli.)
3. Once the broccoli is cooked, add your cheese, ground mustard & pepper & stir until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately!
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#kaleforniakravings #macandcheese #macaroni #healthydinner #dinnerideas #healthylunch #lunchideas #comfortfood #easyrecipes #healthyeats #simplerecipes #wholefoods #easymeals #quickmeals #feedfeed #meatlessmonday #foodblogger #huffposttaste #glutenfree #glutenfreefood #healthyrecipes #healthyfood #realfood #foodblogfeed #healthyfoodshare #healthfood #easydinner #goodmoodfood #healthyfoodporn @thefeedfeed @thekitchn @huffposttaste
Weekend plans include: Devouring this SOURDOUGH FR Weekend plans include: Devouring this SOURDOUGH FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE with BLUEBERRIES & all the maple syrup!🤗
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French toast has always been my jam. (Even as a little one!) But I’ve never tried making a casserole with it until now. All I can say is...holy moly have been missing out!😱 It’s super soft & “custardy” in the center, perfectly toasted on top & then you get that juicy burst from a warm blueberry... Ohhhh baby, that’s breakfast heaven right there!🤤 Swipe ➡️ to see that close up!
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Hope you’re having a great Friday loves!😊💕
(Full recipe & tips are on my website. Link in bio⬆️)
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Sourdough French Toast Casserole🍞🫐
5 cups sourdough bread, cut into cubes
2 eggs
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup blueberries
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1. Whisk the eggs, milk, syrup, vanilla & cinnamon together & set it aside.
2. Spray a 7x11” pan with nonstick cooking spray & spread half of your bread cubes on the bottom. Then sprinkle half of your blueberries over the top & repeat the layers.
3. Pour your egg mixture over the top and cover the pan with foil. Let the pan sit in the fridge for 2 hours - overnight.
4. Then bake it uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Serve with extra blue fries & syrup!
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#kaleforniakravings #frenchtoast #frenchtoastcasserole #breakfastideas #healthybreakfast #brunchideas #breakfastrecipes #breakfastlover #dairyfree #comfortfood #quickmeals #wholefoods #easyrecipes #easymeals #simplemeals #healthyish #foodblogger #huffposttaste #thekitchn #thefeedfeed #healthyrecipes #healthyfrenchtoast #realfood #healthyfood #healthyfoodshare #thenewhealthy #feedfeed #goodmoodfood #healthyfoodporn @thefeedfeed @huffposttaste
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