salad with cheese cubes peacans chives pear vinaigrette pears and lettuce in white serving bowl with red rim

This is a simply fabulous holiday salad with pears. Red Rock Salad is both easy and delicious. Alongside the heavier holiday foods, it’s essential to serve a dish that feels fresh and delicious and this wonderful holiday salad will be perfect.

orange cheese lettuce small bowl with walnuts and knife on a cutting board next to four pears on a wood counter

I was recently in Wisconsin, staying at the hotel @thecharmantlc, and the restaurant had a version of this wonderful high protein salad. I just loved it. This fantastic Red Rock Salad with pears had the perfect amount of sweetness for me. While enjoying my dinner, I was immediately planning to create my own version. (I am a longtime multitasker.)

jar of pear vinaigrette next to chives black pepper salt pecans and sliced pears
sliced pears cubed orange cheese pecans lettuce chives and vinaigrette on wood counter next to white serving bowl

Part of what’s amazing about this salad is that the nuts and the red rock cheese make it truly a high protein dish. The cheese is basically a lovely cheddar with a slight vein of bleu cheese, and it’s a spectacularly delicious combination. This was the first time I had tried this kind of cheese, and it’s sublime. However if you can’t find it, simply cut crouton-sized cubes of cheddar and bleu cheese, and mix them together.

baking sheet lined with parchment paper with chives pecans chopped pears black pepper salt mustard orange cheese red wine vinegar and olive oil

It’s really an effortless salad. The vinaigrette is simple, with a bit of pear for a natural sweetness. The pecans and thinly sliced pears are a wonderful combination. I finished it with fresh herbs, because I believe everything is better with thinly sliced chives on top.

pecans on a nonstick pan next to a blue dutch oven on a stove next to a wood board and a red box
two hands with red nail polish and gold ring slicing a pear
salad of lettuce cubed orange cheese pecans pears chives and pear vinaigrette in a white serving bowl with red rim on a wood counter

Fantastic as a single serving, this salad is also magnificent as a platter for a group. I used my beautiful Serving Bowl from Made In — stunning!

Teri Tip: if you’ve read my cookbook, you know I’m a fan of salting your greens and tossing them before adding the other ingredients.

salad of lettuce cubed orange cheese pcans pears chives and pear vinaigrette in small white plate next to blue napkin on a wood counter

If you make one of my holiday recipes, leave a comment and let me know what you think. If you’re looking for more inspiration, sign up for our Friday Favorites newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!


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A Sensational Holiday Recipe: Red Rock Salad with Pears

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  • Author: Teri Turner
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
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Description

Inspired by a salad I enjoyed, this delicious salad is full of Red Rock Cheese, pecans, and pears.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ small very ripe pear, diced

For the salad:

½ cup lightly toasted pecans, pieces 

6 ounces soft greens, like butter or Bibb 

4 ounces Red Rock Cheddar, cut into ½ inch cubes

1 ½ ripe pears thinly sliced and halved

Pinch of kosher salt 

Instructions

Make the vinaigrette.

In a jar or bowl, add the red wine vinegar and whisk in the extra virgin olive oil and add the dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. In a food processor, blend the pears until smooth. Add the vinegar-oil mixture to the processor and blend until incorporated. Put vinaigrette in a jar and set aside. 

 

Toast the pecans.

In a saute pan over medium heat, lightly toast  the pecans for about 4 minutes, tossing them as needed. Keep an eye on the pecans and make sure they don’t burn, which can happen quickly. 

 

Assemble the salad. 

Arrange your greens on a platter and salt them. Sprinkle the pecans, cheddar, and pears evenly on top. Dress with pear vinaigrette and serve.