Description
A vibrant and satisfying salad featuring crunchy candied pecans, creamy tangy goat cheese, and fresh mixed greens tossed in a sharp apple cider vinaigrette. It offers a perfect harmony of textures and flavors, ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup raw pecans
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup (dark amber preferred)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6–8 cups mixed greens (butter lettuce, arugula, spinach)
- 6 ounces goat cheese (chèvre), crumbled
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Flaky sea salt for garnish
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and maple syrup together, stirring until combined and bubbling.
- Add raw pecans and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown and syrup has thickened.
- Immediately pour pecans onto a cooling rack or parchment-lined plate. Spread in a single layer to cool completely. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt while warm.
- While pecans cool, whisk apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking continuously to emulsify the dressing.
- Wash and thoroughly dry mixed greens. Slice red onion thinly; soak in ice water for 10 minutes if desired to mellow the bite.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine greens and red onion. Drizzle with half the vinaigrette and toss gently.
- Add crumbled goat cheese and cooled candied pecans. Toss gently one more time to distribute toppings.
- Serve immediately, topped with extra flaky sea salt and black pepper.
Notes
Ensure pecans are spread out individually while cooling to prevent clumping. Dry greens thoroughly to prevent watery dressing. The dressing and pecans can be made up to two days in advance and stored separately.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the total sal
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 14
- Sodium: 280
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 10
Keywords: fresh green salad, candied pecans, goat cheese, vinaigrette, healthy salad, quick dinner, vegetarian recipe, side dish