Roasted Fennel and Pear Salad

Autumn is here, resplendent in all of her vibrant colors, and with it, pear season. Roasted Fennel and Pear Salad is the perfect way to celebrate the bounty of fall. Honestly, this elegant fennel salad doubles beautifully as a side dish for holiday entertaining or a light lunch on its own. It is the kind of winter salad that feels festive and fresh all at once.

Using seasonal ingredients for inspiration is a great way to create easy and elegant dishes, such as Charred Fall Romaine Salad. It doesn’t take a lot of ingredients or steps to allow season’s peak ingredients to shine.

Ingredients

Whether you are stopping by your local farmer’s market or grocery store, it doesn’t take much to create Roasted Fennel and Pear Salad. Using seasoning ingredients and pantry staples for the bright and tangy maple vinaigrette, this dish is as easy to shop for as it is delicious.

• Fennel – Look for fresh fennel with firm bulbs and bright green fronds at your local farmer’s market or grocery store. The bulb of this fresh fennel is roasted while the delicate fronds are used for garnish.
• Red Anjou Pears – These sweet pears are ideal for roasting. You want ripe pears that are firm enough to hold their shape — look for ones with a slight give at the top. Juicy pear varieties like Red Anjou work beautifully here.
• Olive Oil – Olive oil is used to help roast the fennel and pears, and also in the maple vinaigrette. The higher the quality the olive oil, the richer the flavor.
• Salt and Pepper – Used to season both the pears and fennel as well as the vinaigrette.
• Walnuts – Adds richness, texture, and crunch to every bite.
• Red Wine Vinegar – This tangy and bright vinegar adds pop to the naturally sweet fennel and pears.
• Dijon Mustard – Adds a sharp tang to the vinaigrette while also helping to emulsify it and give it a luxurious texture.
• Maple Syrup – Adds sweetness to the vinaigrette. Honey works equally well as a substitute.

How to Make Roasted Fennel and Pear Salad

This elegant salad combines easy roasted vegetables with a quick vinaigrette. While it’s delicious warm straight from the oven it’s just as good cold or room temperature.

Substitutions

While the color, texture, and flavor of red Anjou pears is perfect for this dish, you can substitute with your favorite variety of pear. You want to pick one that is suited to roasted so it maintains its shape.

• Pears — Bosc pears are an excellent alternative as they hold their shape well when roasted. Asian pear also works for a crispier, milder result.
• Greens — Add a handful of arugula or thinly sliced head radicchio as a base for extra color and a peppery bite.
• Nuts — Swap walnuts for almonds for a milder crunch, as one of our readers suggested!
• Slice fennel — If you prefer a more delicate texture, slice fennel thinly using a mandolin instead of quartering it and roast for a shorter time.

Tools

The vinaigrette for this dressing is easy to whisk together. However, to help it emulsify even more into a thick silky texture, using a milk frother or food processor will help it all come together faster. If using a food processor drizzle in the olive oil from the top with the food processor running.

Storage

This salad can be served at any temperature. You can roast the pears and fennel ahead of time as well as make the dressing. Store separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to plate the salad. Allow the salad dressing to sit out and come to room temperature as the olive oil may slightly harden. Store the vinaigrette separately in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to a week — just shake well before using.

Top Tip for Roasted Fennel and Pear Salad

You want to pick pears that are ripe, but not overly ripe for this roasted salad. You know a pear is ready to use when you can press down on its top and it has give, but isn’t overly soft.