Pear and Pecan Salad with Crispy Prosciutto and Parmesan
This pear and pecan salad is crisp, sweet, salty and full of texture. It’s layered with juicy pears, candied pecans, dried cherries, farro, shaved parmesan and crispy prosciutto, all tossed in a bright honey lemon dressing. It’s the perfect winter salad for easy lunches, weeknight dinners or holiday parties.
Erica’s Notes
Let me teach you my simple formula for a gorgeous salad:
- Start with dark leafy greens – think tender baby spinach, Tuscan or baby kale, spring mix or red leaf lettuce.
- Add fruit – yes, fruit in salad. That juicy pop of flavor is so good! My faves are apple, pear, pomegranate arils or cherries.
- Add a nut or seed – walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds. To make it even more special, use candied nuts!
- Make a really delicious dressing – homemade dressings are so easy to make and so much better than storebought. The simplest combo of olive oil + honey + fresh lemon juice makes this salad pop.
- Finish it up with cheese! Creamy goat cheese, sharp parmesan cheese or stinky gorgonzola cheese, choose your journey.
Finally, my optional, but recommended, step: adding balance by increasing protein and carbohydrates. This salad features farro for high fiber carbohydrates and crispy prosciutto for fun, flavor, and a bit of protein.
I happily eat this salad for lunch or dinner, but it feels special and delicious enough to take as a side dish to your next family gathering or add to your holiday meals. Enjoyyyyy!
What You’ll Need to Make Pear and Pecan Salad:
- Prosciutto: Baked until crisp for salty, crunchy bites throughout the salad. You could also use bacon or pancetta.
- Farro: Farro is an ancient whole grain known for its chewy texture and nutty flavor. It is made from wheat, which makes it quite a lot higher in protein than many grains.
- Mixed greens: I’m using spring mix here, but any dark leafy green will work.
- Bartlett pears: Pick firm but ripe pears that are perfectly sweet and juicy.
- Pecans: I love the candied pecans from Trader Joe’s, they are just barely candied and not overly sweet.
- Dried cherries: You could also use dried cranberries or blueberries.
- Parmesan cheese: Get a whole block of Parmesan cheese (not the pre-grated!) so you can shave off salty, yummy pieces into the salad.
- Honey lemon dressing: This salad dressing is a simple combo of honey, fresh lemon, garlic and extra virgin olive oil.
How to Make Pear and Pecan Salad:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Lay the prosciutto flat and bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until golden and crisp. It will continue to crisp as it cools. You may want to blot out excess grease with a paper towel.
Rinse the farro and add it to a small pot with water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until tender. Drain and fluff with a fork.
Whisk or shake together your honey lemon dressing.
Add the mixed greens to a large bowl or platter and layer on the farro, crispy prosciutto pieces, pear slices, candied pecans, and dried cherries. Use a vegetable peeler to shave Parmesan over the top. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss.
Expert Tips:
- Cook the farro like you would pasta. So, plenty of water, simmered until al dente and then drained. Returning the farro to the saucepan allows the residual heat in the pot to evaporate excess moisture, making for light, fluffy grains.
- Use toasted nuts (or candied!) for best flavor and texture.
- Add roasted squash or sweet potatoes for more fall flavor.
- Alternate which seasonal fruit you use, like pears in the fall or strawberries in the spring.
FAQs
You can bake the prosciutto, cook the farro, whisk together the dressing, and shave the parmesan ahead of time. Wait until just before serving to assemble.
Swap out the farro for another grain, such as quinoa or wild rice or use roasted squash or sweet potatoes.
Bacon and crispy pancetta cubes are great alternatives, or roasted chickpeas for a vegetarian version.
Yes, I think this lovely white balsamic homemade vinaigrette or pomegranate vinaigrette would be so good.
Replace the prosciutto with crispy chickpeas, use a vegan Parmesan alternative, and use maple syrup instead of honey in the dressing.
What should I serve with this pear salad recipe?
Alright y’all, go get your salad on!
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Pear and Pecan Salad with Crispy Prosciutto and Parmesan
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 as an entree, 6 as a side 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Chop, Roast and Simmer
- Cuisine: American
Description
This fresh, fall-inspired pear and pecan salad checks all the boxes of crisp, salty, sweet, crunchy and perfect for weekday lunches or holiday dinners!
Ingredients
- 3oz sliced prosciutto
- 1/2 cup uncooked farro
- 6–8 cups mixed greens
- 2 small Bartlett pears, sliced or cubed
- 1/2 cup candied pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 2oz parmesan cheese, shaved
- honey lemon dressing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Lay 3oz (about 8 pieces) prosciutto completely flat on the baking sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes, until golden and perfectly crispy. It will continue to crisp up as it cools.
- Rinse the farro under cold water. Add it to a saucepan with plenty of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Drain the farro, return it to the saucepan and fluff with a fork.
- Whisk together the honey lemon dressing.
- To a large salad bowl or serving platter, layer the mixed greens, sliced pears, pecans, dried cherries, farro and crispy prosciutto. Use a vegetable peeler to shave chunks of parmesan cheese over the salad. Drizzle with dressing and gently toss. Devour!
Notes
Refer to above blog post for ingredient tips and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe (as a side dish)
- Calories: 291
- Sugar: 11.4 g
- Sodium: 368 mg
- Fat: 17.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.5 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 13.2 mg
Delicious!! Made tonight foe late Christmas dinner. Everyone loved it! It will be on repeat!