Pin It There's something about the way bitter and sweet collide on your palate that makes you feel sophisticated, even when you're just standing in your kitchen in sweatpants. My partner brought home some beautiful pears one autumn evening, and I had a wedge of blue cheese left from a charcuterie board that needed rescuing. Instead of letting them languish separately, I threw together this salad on a whim, and the combination felt so effortless and polished that I've returned to it countless times since. It's become my go-to when I want something that looks fancy but doesn't demand hours in the kitchen.
I made this for a small dinner party where one guest mentioned she was tired of heavy, predictable salads, and watching her face light up when she took that first bite felt like a small victory. The balance of flavors seemed to unlock something—suddenly everyone was asking for the recipe and debating whether they preferred arugula or sticking with the frisée. It became clear that this salad had the rare quality of being both elegant enough for guests and casual enough for Tuesday lunch.
Ingredients
- Frisée lettuce: Its delicate, curly leaves have a subtle bitterness that anchors the sweetness of pears and richness of blue cheese—it's the backbone that keeps the salad from becoming one-note.
- Pears: Look for ones that yield slightly to pressure but aren't mushy; the juiciness matters more than perfect ripeness since the vinaigrette will add acidity.
- Blue cheese: Crumble it by hand rather than chopping so you get uneven pieces that let you experience the full pungency in some bites and subtle creaminess in others.
- Prosciutto: Six slices might seem like a lot, but they'll shrink dramatically in the oven, so don't be shy about the quantity.
- Walnuts or pecans: Toast them yourself if you can; the smell alone tells you when they're ready, and homemade tastes noticeably better than store-bought.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: This is where quality actually matters since it's not being heated—a peppery or buttery oil changes the entire mood of the vinaigrette.
- White wine vinegar or champagne vinegar: Either works, but champagne vinegar feels gentler and more refined if you're serving this to people who claim they don't like acidic dressings.
- Dijon mustard: Just a teaspoon acts as an emulsifier and adds a whisper of sharpness that ties everything together.
- Honey: A small drizzle softens the vinegar's edge and echoes the natural sweetness of the pears without making the dressing cloying.
Instructions
- Prepare your oven and prosciutto:
- Preheat to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to catch any drippings. Lay the prosciutto in a single layer without overlapping—they'll crisp up faster and more evenly this way.
- Crispen the prosciutto:
- Bake for 8-10 minutes; you're listening for it to stop sizzling and waiting for it to shift from pink and floppy to golden and shattered. The moment it cools slightly, break it into shards—working quickly helps prevent it from becoming chewy again.
- Build your vinaigrette:
- Whisk oil, vinegar, mustard, and honey together in a small bowl, tasting as you go and adjusting salt and pepper to your preference. This is your moment to balance—if it feels too sharp, drizzle in a bit more honey; if it tastes flat, a pinch more salt wakes it up.
- Compose the salad:
- Combine the frisée, sliced pears, crumbled blue cheese, and toasted nuts in a large bowl, handling the lettuce gently so it doesn't bruise. The salad can sit like this for a few minutes without wilting, which gives you breathing room.
- Dress gently:
- Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss with a light hand, just enough so every surface gets coated without crushing the delicate leaves. You're aiming for barely dressed, not drowned—any leftover vinaigrette can be drizzled around the plate for effect.
- Finish with prosciutto:
- Top with crispy prosciutto shards right before plating so they stay crunchy and don't absorb moisture from the vinaigrette. This is the final flourish that catches the light and says you actually cared.
Pin It There's a particular magic that happens when someone bites into this salad and discovers all those contrasting textures and flavors at once—the crunch, the creaminess, the burst of pear juice, the salty wake-up call from the prosciutto. It's the kind of dish that reminds you why people gather around food in the first place.
Choosing Your Pears
Pears are tricky because they go from hard to mealy within a day or two, so timing matters. I've learned to buy them slightly underripe and let them sit on the counter for a day or two, then refrigerate them once they yield just slightly to thumb pressure. Slicing them the moment before assembly prevents browning and keeps that juicy, snappy texture intact—the acidity in the vinaigrette helps too, but it's not a substitute for freshness.
The Vinaigrette Ratio
Getting the balance right between oil and vinegar took me a few attempts because I kept making it too acidic and wondering why the salad tasted sharp instead of sophisticated. The ratio here is roughly 2-to-1 oil to vinegar, which feels generous but necessary; the sweetness of the pears and salinity of the prosciutto need enough fat to round out their edges. Taste as you build it—your palate will tell you if something's off better than any recipe ever could.
Variations and Substitutions
This salad is forgiving enough to shift with what's in your kitchen and your mood on any given day. The framework stays the same—bitter greens, sweet fruit, funky cheese, crispy salt element—but you can play within it.
- Swap frisée for arugula if you want peppery instead of bitter, or baby spinach if you're feeding someone who finds frisée too intense.
- Trade blue cheese for gorgonzola or Roquefort if you want to explore different levels of funk, or even creamy goat cheese for a completely different personality.
- Omit the prosciutto entirely and double the nuts if you're cooking vegetarian—the crunch is what matters, not the source of it.
Pin It This salad has become my answer to the question of what to serve when you want to feel like you're taking care of people without turning the kitchen into a war zone. It's proof that simplicity and restraint can be more impressive than complexity.
Recipe FAQs
- → Can I make this salad ahead of time?
Prepare components separately in advance. Toast nuts, crumble cheese, and make vinaigrette up to 24 hours ahead. Assemble just before serving to maintain crisp textures.
- → What can substitute for frisée lettuce?
Arugula adds peppery notes, baby spinach offers mild sweetness, or mixed greens provide balanced flavor. Choose sturdy greens that hold dressing well.
- → How do I get perfectly crispy prosciutto?
Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 8-10 minutes on parchment paper. Watch closely after 6 minutes—thin slices crisp quickly. Cool completely before breaking into shards.
- → Which blue cheese works best?
Roquefort offers sharp intensity, Gorgonzola delivers milder creaminess, or Stilton provides balanced earthiness. Choose based on your preferred blue strength.
- → Can this be made vegetarian?
Simply omit the prosciutto and increase walnuts to 50g. The salad remains satisfying with extra crunchy nuts and creamy blue cheese providing richness.