Blueberry Goat Cheese Salad with Candied Pecans

Blueberry Goat Cheese Salad with Candied Pecans is delightfully sweet and savory and dressed with a quick homemade Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette. Fresh and vibrant, it's perfect for the holidays or a fancy brunch, but easy enough for weeknights!

This might just be your go-to holiday salad this year! Stunningly beautiful and full of fresh ingredients, and those candied pecans are heavenly! This Blueberry Goat Cheese Salad really spans the seasons, and is perfect for any occasion, fancy party or weeknight side dish!

This salad can be made with any balsamic vinaigrette or dressing of choice, but it is REALLY exceptional with this super easy Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette. The dressing recipe is included with this salad recipe below, it's made in a food processor or blender in just a few minutes!

Ingredients

Just a few healthy simple ingredients, and each one in perfect balance, this salad marries the savory with the sweet!

• Candied Pecans - They sound hard but candied pecans are ready in just 4 minutes, a quick sauté in butter and brown sugar, and oh are they delicious!

• Lettuce Greens - Use any kind of lettuce or baby spinach you like. I often buy the mixed baby greens that are washed and ready to go.

• Blueberries - Fresh fruit brings an element of sweetness that goes so well with cheese and nuts. It's like a tiny charcuterie board in every bite!

• Goat Cheese - Now I absolutely love goat cheese, but I know not everyone does. It adds a rich creamy element to the salad that balances the sweet and sharp vinegar. You can use the plain or a goat cheese flavored with honey. If you're not a goat cheese fan, feta, shaved Parmesan or blue cheese would be great substitutes.

• Red Onion - Adds a sharpness to even out the sweet. These can of course be left out if you aren't an onion person!

• Dressing - I'm using my favorite homemade dressing here, Basil Balsamic Vinaigrette. It's made in just a few minutes in the food processor or blender incorporating fresh basil, garlic and a touch of honey for sweetness. This salad can be made with store-bought balsamic vinaigrette or really any dressing you like, but the basil balsamic is seriously amazing!

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Step 1 - Make the Candied Pecans - In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the pecans, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt.

Toss or stir frequently for about 4 minutes until the nuts are toasted and glazed and coated with the sugar. Don't walk away, nuts can burn fast! Let cool.

Step 2 - Make the Dressing - Add all ingredients for the dressing to a food processor or blender and puree while drizzling the olive oil in through the feed tube. Process about 1 minute until smooth.

Step 3 - Arrange the Salad - On a large platter, arrange the lettuce and crumble on goat cheese using a fork, blueberries, a few red onion slices and the candied pecans. Drizzle with the dressing, toss lightly and serve.

Hint: Wait until just before serving to add the dressing!

Variations

This blueberry pecan salad is the classic fruit-cheese-nut combination. It lends itself well to lots of options for variations. This Pear & Pomegranate Salad is another favorite salad alternative for the holidays, but you can really switch up these 3 elements with anything you like:

• Fruit - Try different berries like strawberry, raspberry or blackberry. Or add sliced apples, pears, peaches, cherries or dried cranberries or sliced apricot.

• Nuts - Any nuts are great substitutions such as walnuts, cashews, almonds or pistachios. You can candy them with butter and brown sugar in the same way, or try subbing a spoonful of honey or maple syrup for the sugar. They could also be toasted in a dry pan without being candied.

• Cheese - Feta, blue cheese, or Parmesan cheese are all great variations to the goat cheese.

Storage & Make Ahead Instructions

Storage - Once your salad is tossed with dressing it won't keep very well, so try not to have leftovers.

Make Ahead - This salad is great to make ahead and bring to a holiday party! The candied pecans can be made a day or two in advance and kept in an airtight container on the counter. Be warned, they are hard not to snack on! The dressing can also be made a day or two in advance and kept in a jar in the fridge. Just set it on the counter at least 15 minutes before serving so the oil can come back to room temperature, shake well!

The rest of the salad can be arranged on a platter, covered, and taken to a party. Keep it in the fridge, and it will be fine for a few hours. It is of course a fresh salad, so try to make it as close to serving time as possible! If your dressing and pecans are already made, the rest of the salad can be put together in a few minutes.

What to Serve With This Salad

This gorgeous salad is really easy and useful for so many occasions and meals!

• The Holidays - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, New Year's dinner parties, this salad can be paired with turkey, steaks, ham, or prime rib. Whatever the fancy main course, this salad works perfectly!

• Brunch - Mother's Day, baby showers or just Sunday brunch, this blueberry goat cheese salad goes so well with eggs and coffee! Try it with a quiche, a simple platter of fruit and some muffins for the perfect brunch menu.

• Weeknights - An easy, healthy and well rounded side dish, serve this balsamic candied pecan salad with pasta night, chicken or pizza!

• Make it Dinner - Add sliced chicken or salmon over the top and make this salad the main course!

More Favorite Salad Recipes!

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