Mixed Spring Greens Salad with Candied Pecans, Truffled Goat Cheese, and Pear

This weekend, my husband and I revisited The Tennessee Truffle in downtown Sanford, Florida, drawn by its locally sourced delights. Inspired by a salad we savored, I recreated it with candied pecans, truffled goat cheese, and pear. The beauty? It’s versatile—swap greens, cheeses, or add protein like salmon. Simple, customizable, and always delicious.

Robin Ward

Mixed Spring Greens Salad with Candied Pecans, Truffled Goat Cheese, and Pear

Enjoy a delightful salad of mixed greens, sweet pears, crunchy candied pecans, and savory cheese, all brought together with a tangy red wine vinaigrette. Perfect as a side or a satisfying meal with chicken or seared salmon. Simple, elegant, and delicious!

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Servings: 4

Course: #brunch, #sidedish

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 10 oz mixed greens
• 2 very ripe pears, diced
• 4 oz truffled goat cheese (Goat cheese crumbles or blue cheese crumbles work too.)
• flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the candied pecans: Makes 1½ cups

• 1 cup pecans (4 oz)
• ¼ cup sugar
• Flaky sea salt

For the red wine vinaigrette:

• 2 Tbsp finely diced red onion
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 Tbsp honey, plus more to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method

 

Make the candied pecans: Makes 1½ cups

1. In a large skillet set over medium heat, toast the pecans, stirring occasionally, until they achieve a light brown color and emit a fragrant aroma, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer the toasted pecans to a plate and allow them to cool.
2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In the same skillet, heat the sugar without stirring – shake the pan if necessary to distribute the sugar in an even layer. When it turns evenly golden or amber, remove from the heat, add the toasted pecans and a pinch of sea salt. Using a heatproof spatula, stir to combine. When the pecans are nicely coasted in the sugar syrup, transfer them to the lined pan.
3. Once cool enough to handle, break the pecans into pieces. Store the pecans (or any leftover pecans) at room temperature in an airtight container for weeks.

Make the red wine vinaigrette:

1. In a small bowl, combine the onion, vinegar, lemon juice, and salt. Let macerate for at least 5 minutes. Add the honey and pepper to taste and whisk to combine. Stream in the olive oil, whisking to emulsify. Taste and adjust with more salt, lemon, honey and/or vinegar. Store in the fridge for any leftover for up to 2 weeks.

Assemble the salad:

1. In a large bowl, portion out the desired amount of dressing based on the number of servings. Combine the greens, pears, pecans, and cheese. Toss the salad with the vinaigrette until evenly coated. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as necessary and add additional dressing to taste if desired.

Notes

When serving a group, streamline the process by dressing and assembling the entire salad at once. Begin by pouring 1/3 cup of vinaigrette into a large bowl, then add the remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Reserve some pecans, cheese, and pears for garnish, sprinkling them over the top after tossing.