There are great flavors in this recipe for Spinach and Endive Salad with pecans and blue cheese!
The texture is great in this salad too with the combination of the greens being crunchy endive and leafy spinach. Endive is a leafy vegetable that’s in a small, tight bunch. The leaves are pulled away from the bunch to use. They have a slightly bitter flavor, and they’re a nice pairing with other lettuces or spinach for salads. They’re also fun to use as a vessel for appetizer fillings like my endive with shrimp salad.
How to make salad dressing:
The salad dressing for this recipe is really easy to make. It’s a very lightly sweetened dressing.
Whisk together olive oil, chopped shallot, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper. That’s it- so simple!
How to Toast Pecans:
Place the pecans on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Keep an eye on them so they don’t brown too quickly or burn. Then chop them to use in this salad.
How to assemble Spinach and Endive Salad with Pecans and Blue Cheese:
Place the dressing in a large bowl. Top with endive and spinach. Toss to coat the greens in the salad dressing.
Sprinkle with dried cranberries, toasted pecans and crumbled blue cheese.
Ingredient substitution suggestions:
Substitute fresh cut apples for the dried cranberries. Substitute walnuts or candied nuts for the pecans. And you can consider using crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese in place of the blue cheese.
This is a lovely salad to add to your Thanksgiving menu or a special dinner menu. It’s easy to assemble and then just toss the salad with the dressing right before serving.
If you like this Spinach and Endive Salad, you might also enjoy my Cranberry Spinach Salad with Gorgonzola, Mandarin Spinach Salad or my son’s favorite: The Best Spinach Salad recipe.
Spinach and Endive Salad with Blue Cheese and Pecans
Recipe Details
Ingredients
DRESSING:
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
SALAD:
- 2 medium Belgian endives
- 10 ounces baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup crumbled blue cheese
Instructions
- Whisk together the oil, shallot, vinegar, syrup, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
- Thinly slice endives on a long diagonal, then toss with the spinach and dressing in large bowl.
- Sprinkle the salad with pecans, cranberries and blue cheese. Serve!
Notes
- How to Toast Pecans: Place the pecans on a baking sheet. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Keep an eye on them so they don’t brown too quickly or burn.
