• Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work With Me
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms and Conditions

Easy Peasy Foodie

easy, delicious, stress-free, family food

  • Recipe Index
    • Popular Recipes
    • Easy Midweek Meal Ideas
    • Under 30 Minutes
    • Traybakes
    • Easy Entertaining
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Soups, Salads & Light Meals
    • Sandwiches & Burgers
    • Main Courses
    • Side Dishes
    • Sauces & Dips
    • Desserts, Puddings & Cakes
    • Vegetarian & Vegan
    • Roundups
  • Reviews
  • Blogging Tips
  • Meal Plans
  • Easy Dinners
Home » All Recipes » Christmas » Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad

All Recipes Christmas Easy Entertaining Soups, Salads & Light Meals Vegetarian & Vegan

Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad

248 shares
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad - pinnable image for Pinterest

Want a really simple Christmas starter that takes virtually no effort and doesn’t fill you up too much before the main event? Why not try this delicious Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad?

Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad 

 

Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad

Quick, simple and full of Christmas flavours, this fab Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad makes the perfect Christmas starter. Sweet caramelised pears match beautifully with the tangy, salty, umami deliciousness of stilton and the rich, nutty flavour of roasted walnuts. 

Best of all, this salad is incredibly easy to make… Simply roast the sliced pears, adding the walnuts to the roasting tray for the last 5 minutes. Meanwhile make a simple vinaigrette-style dressing in a jam jar. Then divide the watercress between 4 plates, crumble the stilton over the top, add the roasted pears and walnuts and drizzle with the dressing. Easy peasy!

Pear eighths on a roasting tray ready to go into the oven

 

Not a fan of stilton?

Then we can’t be friends.

Kidding!

Seriously, if you find stilton a bit strong, try dolcelatte which is milder and creamier. Or, if you are not a fan of blue cheese, try goats cheese or feta. Or leave the cheese out altogether – it will still taste good!

Overhead shot of Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad on two plates with the dressing in a jam jar on the side

 

Make it your own

This easy Christmas starter is incredibly easy to adapt, you could…

  • Use cashew nuts or hazelnuts instead of walnuts
  • Use apples instead of pears 
  • Use any kind of salad leaf instead of watercress
  • Use dolcelatte, feta or goats cheese instead of stilton
  • Use maple syrup instead of honey
  • Use regular Dijon mustard instead of wholegrain

(If you adapt this recipe, do let me know what combination you tried and how it turned out in the comments below!)

 

Not just for Christmas…

While this salad makes a fab starter on Christmas Day, it is a real crowd pleaser and so a great option for all sorts of other occasions… especially dinner parties. 

Roasted pears and walnuts drizzled with honey on a roasting tray

 

Can you make this salad ahead of time?

This salad is most definitely best eaten freshly made. However, you can certainly prepare some or all of the individual elements ahead of time, if you want to. For example, you can make the dressing, crumble up the stilton and roast the pears/walnuts earlier in the day, then simply assemble the salad at the last moment.

 

Can you freeze this salad?

Er no, like most salads this recipe is not suitable for freezing.

Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad on two plates with the dressing in a jam jar on the side

 

What to drink with Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad

If you are anything like me then you get very excited about choosing the perfect wines for Christmas Day. Personally, with this salad, I would go with Champagne. Not only does it go surprisingly well, but also… it’s Christmas! Alternatively, a crisp Italian white would also be a good match here.

If you are willing to go a bit off piste, then why not try a medium-sweet or sweet Sherry? Sherry is definitely not old fashioned, it’s an amazing and woefully underrated wine and happens to go beautifully with blue cheese, pears, walnuts and honey… Just make sure you serve it chilled, like you would with a white wine!

 

If you like this recipe…

…you might also like:

  • Easy Tabbouleh Salad
  • Roasted Squash, Quinoa, Avocado and Feta Salad
  • Sprout Salad with Cranberries, Pecan Nuts and Clementines
  • Beetroot, Kale and Orange Salad
  • Warm Christmas Rice Salad with Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Seeds

 

Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad
Print Pin
5 from 4 votes

Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad

Want a really simple Christmas starter that takes virtually no effort and doesn’t fill you up too much before the main event? Why not try this delicious Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad?
Prevent your screen from going dark
Course Starter
Cuisine British
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 484kcal
Author Eb Gargano

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary
  • 4 pears
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons honey plus extra for drizzling
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
  • 100 g walnuts
  • 100 g stilton
  • 100 g watercress

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 220C / 200C fan / gas mark 7 / 425F.
  • Cut the pears into eighths lengthways and remove the pips and core.
  • Place on a non-stick baking tray and roast for 15 mins.
  • Meanwhile make the dressing: mix 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, salt and pepper, 2 tablespoons of honey, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of wholegrain mustard in a jam jar.
  • After 15 minutes, remove the pears from the oven, add the walnuts and a drizzle of honey over everything and roast for a further 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile divide the watercress between 4 plates, crumble the stilton and divide between the plates.
  • Remove the pears and walnuts from the oven and divide between the 4 plates.
  • Drizzle with the dressing and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Not suitable for freezing.
  • Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

Nutrition Facts
Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad
Amount Per Serving
Calories 484 Calories from Fat 306
% Daily Value*
Fat 34g52%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 19mg6%
Sodium 405mg18%
Potassium 463mg13%
Carbohydrates 40g13%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 27g30%
Protein 11g22%
Vitamin A 1033IU21%
Vitamin C 19mg23%
Calcium 203mg20%
Iron 1mg6%
* % Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet
Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comments below.

 

Pin Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad for later

Roasted Pear, Stilton and Walnut Salad - pinnable image for Pinterest

 

FREE 4 Week Easy Dinners Meal Plan

Have you got your hands on a copy of my meal plan yet? If not CLICK HERE to download a copy of my FREE 4 Week Easy Dinners Meal Plan today!

 

Don’t want to miss a thing?

Follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get delicious, stress free recipes straight to your inbox every week?

248 shares


16 Comments

GET FREE MEAL PLANS!

Get my 4 Week Easy Dinners Meal Plan plus ready-made shopping lists...

« Braised Red Cabbage
Easy Peasy Christmas Dinner Time Plan and Shopping List »

Comments

  1. Mandy says

    12th December 2015 at 1:18 pm

    I’ll take this with any type of cheese! What a perfect Christmas starter. Thanks for sharing with #CookBlogShare

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      13th December 2015 at 8:57 pm

      Haha! A girl after my own heart by the sounds of it!! I’m a BIG cheese fan 🙂 Eb x

      Reply
  2. Jacqueline Meldrum says

    14th December 2015 at 11:23 pm

    Love this salad and totally drooling over it.. I’ve featured it in this week’s Meat Free Mondays. The roundup is now live. Thanks for submitting, oh and yummed, stumbled and pinned.

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      15th December 2015 at 10:21 am

      Thanks for your lovely comments (and yums, stumbles, pins etc.)!! And thank you so much for featuring me again in your round up! I really do love taking part. 🙂 Eb x

      Reply
  3. Kerry at Kerry Cooks says

    15th December 2015 at 4:01 pm

    What a great easy way to ease into January healthy eating without giving up completely on flavour! 🙂

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      15th December 2015 at 5:38 pm

      Thanks, Kerry! Haha! Healthy eating is good, but I definitely don’t believe in giving up on flavour EVER!! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Natalie Tamara says

    15th December 2015 at 3:56 pm

    Yum, I love a good winter salad! This looks perfect for a break in between heavier festive food 🙂

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      15th December 2015 at 5:36 pm

      Thank you, Natalie. I love winter salads too – especially when they are slightly warm, like this one! Eb x

      Reply
  5. Joanna says

    4th December 2020 at 4:38 pm

    This is just my kind of salad – love the combination of pear, stilton and walnuts. Such a great idea for a Christmas dinner starter as it is quite light and easy to prepare.

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      7th December 2020 at 10:53 am

      Aw, thanks Joanna!

      Reply
  6. Cat | Curly's Cooking says

    6th December 2020 at 5:27 pm

    What a lovely salad with wintery flavours. This would be a great starter to any festive menu.

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      7th December 2020 at 10:56 am

      Aw, thanks Cat! Eb 🙂

      Reply
  7. Louise Fairweather says

    6th December 2020 at 8:33 pm

    Lovely combinations for a salad. Thanks for sharing #cookblogshare

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      7th December 2020 at 10:57 am

      Thanks, Louise!

      Reply
  8. Gwen says

    30th December 2020 at 7:41 pm

    I made this with red chicory and it was delicious and crunchy! The dressing is terrific.

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      4th January 2021 at 10:19 am

      Yay! That’s good to hear. Love the idea of making this with chicory 😀

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Connect with Me

  • E-mail
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

About Me

Eb Gargano Headshot

Hi and welcome to Easy Peasy Foodie! I’m Eb – a professional blogger, busy mum and passionate foodie and it is my mission in life to make cooking EASIER and MORE DELICIOUS! READ MORE

Find a Recipe

Get my 4 Week Easy Dinners Meal Plan!

COPYRIGHT © 2025 EASY PEASY FOODIE · DIVINE THEME BY RESTORED 316 · BUILT ON THE GENESIS FRAMEWORK · POWERED BY WORDPRESS
248 shares