This Little Gem, Pear and Gorgonzola Salad delivers a lovely balance of sweet and savory flavors. Crisp Little Gem lettuce is paired with juicy Forelle pears, creamy Gorgonzola, toasted walnuts and crisp bacon, all finished with a bright White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette. It’s an elegant, easy-to-prepare salad that looks as good as it tastes.
Forelle pears have a short season, usually from late summer through early winter. Their delicate sweetness and small size make them ideal for salads. If Forelles are unavailable, ripe Bosc or other firm pears are excellent substitutes—just slice them thinly or quarter them depending on size. The combination of crisp lettuce, mellow pear sweetness and the tangy, salty bite of Gorgonzola is a classic pairing that’s especially wonderful during pear season.
Let’s prepare and assemble this Little Gem, Pear and Gorgonzola salad
This salad comes together quickly and makes a beautiful starter or side. A honey mustard-style vinaigrette complements the salty and sweet elements perfectly—our White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette is simple to make and adds a bright, slightly sweet finish. Below are clear, practical steps for preparing the dressing and assembling the salad, along with tips for substitutions and make-ahead options.
- Trim each Little Gem head into quarters. Rinse gently and place the cut sides down on clean kitchen towels to drain.
- Prepare the White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette: combine minced shallot with white balsamic vinegar and let it macerate briefly; then add neutral oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and salt and pepper. Shake or whisk until emulsified. Store any leftover dressing refrigerated for up to a week.
- Cook the bacon according to package directions, and fry to extra crisp if you prefer a crunchy topping. Let cool, then crumble or chop into small pieces.
- If your Gorgonzola is sold in a block, break it into crumbles with a fork or knife; pre-crumbled cheese works fine as well.
- Toast the walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. You’ll notice a warm, toasty aroma when they’re ready. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Pat the Little Gem pieces dry to remove any remaining moisture and arrange them on a serving platter.
- If using Forelle pears, quarter and core them and remove any seeds, then arrange the quarters over the lettuce. For larger Bosc pears, halve, core, and thinly slice before arranging.
- Scatter crumbled Gorgonzola, toasted walnut pieces and crumbled bacon over the salad.
- Drizzle the White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette over the assembled salad just before serving.
- Serve immediately to preserve the crisp textures and fresh flavors.
Substitutions
Yes. Apples pair well with the cheese and nuts, and fresh berries such as strawberries, blackberries or blueberries also add a pleasant contrast. Choose firm, ripe fruit that won’t fall apart when handled.
Blue cheeses like Stilton or a milder blue, Asiago, or small chunks of aged Parmigiano-Reggiano will all work nicely depending on how pronounced you want the cheese flavor to be.
You can prepare many components ahead of time: cook and crumble the bacon, toast the walnuts, and make the vinaigrette. Slice the pears and assemble the salad right before serving to prevent browning.
Tender lettuces such as Butter lettuce, baby lettuces or a delicate spring mix are excellent alternatives to Little Gem.
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All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Little Gem Pear and Gorgonzola Salad + White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Equipment
- Jar or bottle with lid (for dressing)
- Serving platter
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 tbsp shallot, minced
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 6 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp honey (raw or regular)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Salad
- 2 whole Little Gem lettuces (or half a large Butter lettuce or a mix of baby lettuces)
- 2 cups Forelle pears, cored and quartered (about 2–3) or sliced Bosc/Red pears
- 2 slices bacon, cooked extra crispy and crumbled
- 1/4 cup Gorgonzola, crumbled
- 1/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted
Instructions
Dressing
- Combine the minced shallot and white balsamic vinegar in a jar and let macerate for 5 minutes.
- Add the oil, Dijon mustard and honey, then season with salt and pepper. Shake or whisk until emulsified.
- Store any leftover dressing in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Prepping and assembling the salad
- Quarter the Little Gem heads, rinse gently and drain cut side down on kitchen towels.
- Cook and crumble the bacon; prepare the Gorgonzola and toast the walnuts.
- Pat the lettuce dry and arrange on a platter. Add pears on top of the leaves.
- Scatter crumbled Gorgonzola, toasted walnuts and crumbled bacon over the salad.
- Finish with a drizzle of the White Balsamic Honey Mustard Vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Notes
For best texture, assemble the salad right before serving. If preparing components in advance, keep the pears and dressing separate until plating. Adjust the amount of Gorgonzola to taste if you prefer a milder or stronger cheese presence.
Nutrition
Calories: 326 kcal
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
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