Here is a most wonderful spring and summer salad recipe: Blueberry, Blue Cheese and Glazed Walnut Salad
I’ve been poring through piles of recipes lately. I have binders full of recipes (maybe 1,000?) that I collected as a young girl– always hanging on to as many recipes as I could get my hands on. I’ve saved all of them- with the hope that I’d make each and every one of them someday. This blueberry, blue cheese and walnut glazed salad recipe is one of those recipes- scribbled on a piece of paper- source unknown. I have a feeling it may have come from a restaurant. It’s definitely restaurant quality.
Substitution/ addition suggestions:
This salad calls for using grapeseed oil. You can use canola if you don’t have grapeseed. The glazed walnuts in the salad are fabulous, but you can sub almonds or pecans, if you prefer. And if you aren’t into blue cheese, add goat cheese or feta cheese instead. Add cooked chicken to make it a main dish salad!
The walnuts in this salad are homemade. The recipe for the glazed walnuts makes more than you’ll need in this salad, but they’re so good that you’ll want to munch on them by the handful… or save for more salads!
How to make glazed walnuts:
In this recipe, you’ll be combining walnuts with honey, cinnamon and orange zest, and then you’ll be baking the walnuts in the oven until they are toasted (and glazed).
Blueberry dressing:
The blueberry dressing is homemade too. It has just the right amount of “sweet” to properly garnish the salad. For the blueberry salad dressing, you’ll be combining oil, blueberries, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. There is no vinegar in the salad dressing!
I’m so glad I saved this recipe. I knew I’d eventually dig it up and make it. And now I only have 999 more recipes to make from my collection! That’s why they call me, “RecipeGirl,” you know? Please make this salad this summer because I know you’re going to love it. Enjoy!
Here are a few more blueberry salad recipes you might like to try:
- Kiwi Berry Salad with Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing
- Blueberry and Apple Salad with Shaved Parmesan
- Arugula, Berry and Goat Cheese Salad
- Blueberry Corn Salad with Prosciutto
- Blueberry Caprese Salad
- Triple Berry Salad with Sugared Almonds
If you happen to be following the Weight Watchers WW plan, you’ll find a link to the WW Points on the recipe card below.
Blueberry, Blue Cheese and Glazed Walnut Salad
Ingredients
GLAZED WALNUTS:
- 1¼ cups halved or chopped walnuts (can sub almonds or pecans)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
BLUEBERRY DRESSING:
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil (can sub canola oil)
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
SALAD:
- 16 ounces mixed salad greens
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 medium pear, chopped
- 1/2 cup honey glazed walnuts (use recipe above, and save the rest for another salad)
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
PREPARE THE GLAZED WALNUTS:
- Preheat the oven to 300℉ and move your oven rack to the lower part of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine all of the glazed walnut ingredients in a medium bowl. Spread out evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir the walnuts, then bake for an additional 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them- you don't want them to burn in your oven. Remove from the pan and transfer to a cutting board to cool- making sure you break apart any clumps of almonds.
PREPARE THE BLUEBERRY DRESSING:
- Place all of the dressing ingredients in a blender or small food processor and pulse until smooth.
ASSEMBLE THE SALAD:
- In a large salad bowl, combine the greens, blueberries, pear and walnuts. Toss with 1/3 cup of the dressing. Add the blue cheese and toss again. Add additional dressing, as desired.
Notes
- Add chopped chicken to make this a main-dish salad!
- The recipe makes more dressing than you'll need, so save the rest for another day.
- WW Points were calculated using about half of the dressing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have never reviewed a recipe before, but this was AMAZING! We have been living in salad because it’s so hot here, and I needed some new ideas and found this recipe. I added some lemon juice to the dressing and I subbed toasted almonds for the fancy walnuts, mostly because I didn’t have walnuts. This recipe should have all the stars it can. So so delicious and a perfect summer meal. Thanks!
That is so great to hear, thank you!
Thank you – I will be making this soon! Love the sweet/salty combo.
PS I have several binders too!!
Is there supposed to be some vinegar in the dressing?
Nope! No vinegar in the vinaigrette 🙂
This salad sounds so good!
This looks so good! I love blueberries or fruit in salads. A little sweet among the savory is so good!