🥗🍐🎄 Holiday Roasted Beet & Caramelized Pear Salad
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25–30 minutes
⭐ Ingredients
Salad Components
- 4 medium beets, roasted, peeled, and sliced
- 2 ripe pears, thinly sliced and caramelized
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup pistachios, roughly chopped (or whole for crunch)
- 2–3 cups mixed greens (arugula, spinach, or baby spring mix)
- Optional garnish: pomegranate seeds, fresh mint, or microgreens
Caramelized Pears
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Dressing
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Salt & pepper, to taste
🧑🍳 FULL RECIPE
1. Roast the Beets (If Not Already Roasted)
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Wrap whole beets in foil and roast 45–60 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Peel once cool and slice into rounds or wedges.
- Set aside.
(If yours are already roasted, skip this step.)
2. Caramelize the Pears
- Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add sliced pears and cook 2–3 minutes.
- Sprinkle with brown sugar or honey, plus cinnamon if using.
- Cook until:
- lightly golden
- softened but not mushy
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Make the Dressing
Whisk together:
- olive oil
- balsamic vinegar
- honey
- Dijon
- salt & pepper
Taste and adjust sweetness or tang.
4. Assemble the Salad
On a large platter or bowl:
- Scatter mixed greens as the base.
- Arrange roasted beet slices around and through the greens.
- Add the caramelized pears.
- Sprinkle on crumbled feta.
- Add pistachios for crunch.
- Drizzle with the balsamic–honey dressing.
- Optional: add pomegranate seeds or mint for extra holiday flair.
⭐ Tips & Variations
- More crunch: toast the pistachios lightly in a dry pan.
- Dressing alternative: lemon vinaigrette works beautifully too.
- Cheese swap: goat cheese, blue cheese, or ricotta salata.
- Make ahead:
- roast beets 2–3 days early
- caramelize pears day-of
- dress the salad right before serving