Frisée Pear Blue Cheese Bowl

There's this moment when you bite into a perfectly ripe pear and the sweetness catches you off guard, and that's exactly what happened when I first assembled this salad on a crisp autumn afternoon. My neighbor had dropped off a bag of pears from her tree, and I had some blue cheese lingering in the fridge, and suddenly I was layering bitter frisée with jammy fruit and salty prosciutto like I'd been planning it all along. The contrast was electric, each component doing its own thing but somehow making perfect sense together. I've made it dozens of times since, and it never feels like the same salad twice.

I made this for my sister when she came home from a stressful work week, and watching her face light up when she took that first forkful reminded me why I love cooking for people. She kept asking for the dressing recipe, insisting I'd added something fancy, and I had to laugh because the secret is just good ingredients and patience not to over-toss it. That bowl became a regular request after that, especially when she needed something that felt both indulgent and wholesome.

Ingredients

• Frisée lettuce: This bitter green is your backbone here, and its slight peppery edge is what makes the sweetness of the pears sing instead of cloying. Look for heads that are pale yellow in the center with darker outer leaves, and don't be shy about tearing it apart with your hands to get irregular, interesting pieces.
• Ripe pears: This is non-negotiable, please don't use hard pears because they'll taste like nothing and the texture will be all wrong. A properly ripe pear should yield just slightly when you press it gently, and if you catch them at peak ripeness, the flavor transforms the whole salad.
• Blue cheese: The funk and saltiness here is what keeps this from tasting like a delicate brunch situation, so don't skimp on quality. I've found that crumbling it yourself rather than buying pre-crumbled gives you bigger, more satisfying pieces that don't get lost.
• Prosciutto: Crisping it properly is the move, and those salty, delicate shards are basically edible garnish that happens to be delicious. If you skip this step or use it raw, you lose half the appeal and the textural contrast that makes your mouth happy.
• Walnuts: Toasting them yourself wakes up their flavor in a way that changes everything about how they taste on the plate. A dry skillet for five minutes and they go from meh to absolutely worth it.
• Extra-virgin olive oil: This is the dressing base, so it needs to be something you'd actually want to taste on its own. The quality here matters more than anywhere else in the recipe.
• White wine vinegar: It's bright and clean without being aggressive, which is exactly what this salad needs to come alive. If you only have red wine vinegar on hand, use about three quarters of the amount because it's more assertive.
• Dijon mustard: A tiny spoonful acts as an emulsifier so your vinaigrette actually coats everything instead of pooling at the bottom like sad water.
• Honey: Just enough to balance the sharpness and remind you that this is still somehow a refreshing salad and not a punishment.

Instructions

Crisp up the prosciutto:

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lay your prosciutto slices flat, letting them cook undisturbed for two to three minutes until they're golden and starting to curl at the edges. Flip and give them another minute or so, then move them to a paper towel to cool and crisp up even more before breaking them into shards.

Shake up the vinaigrette:

In a small bowl, whisk together your olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and a pinch of salt and pepper until it looks emulsified and silky. Taste it straight and adjust because this is your moment to make it taste exactly right before it hits the greens.

Build the salad:

Get your frisée into a large bowl and scatter the sliced pears, crumbled blue cheese, toasted walnuts, and crispy prosciutto pieces over top. Don't toss yet because you want to see what you're working with and make sure everything is evenly distributed.

Dress and toss:

Drizzle the vinaigrette over everything and toss gently with your hands or two spoons, being careful not to bruise the delicate frisée or crush the pears. You want every piece touched by dressing but still maintaining its own identity on the plate.

Serve immediately:

Get this salad in front of people right away because frisée starts to wilt the moment it meets dressing, and you want that contrast between slightly softened leaves and the crispness of the prosciutto. Garnish with a little extra cheese or a few more walnuts if you're feeling fancy.

Save

I learned the hard way that oversalting this salad early turns the whole thing into a watery mess because the frisée immediately starts releasing water. Now I taste as I go and remember that the blue cheese and prosciutto are already bringing salt to the party, so I'm way more conservative with the salt shaker than my instinct says to be.

When to Serve This

This salad is perfect for those moments when you want something that feels special without the fuss, whether that's lunch on a sunny day or the opener to a dinner party where you want people impressed. I make it year-round, but autumn pears are when it really shines and tastes like you planned something intentional. In spring, I sometimes swap the pears for crisp apple slices and it's a completely different beast but equally satisfying.

Flavor Combinations That Work

The beauty of this salad is how forgiving it is if you need to swap something out, which I've done more times than I can count depending on what's available. I've used Gorgonzola when I couldn't find good blue cheese and it leaned more towards sweetness, which was honestly gorgeous with the pears. Pecans instead of walnuts, arugula blended with the frisée, crispy chickpeas for the prosciutto, and it's always been delicious because the formula is solid.

Storage and Leftovers

This is really meant to be eaten fresh, because the magic is in the texture contrast and the frisée wilts quickly once dressed. I always make it to order rather than ahead because assembly is genuinely fast, and the payoff is a salad that tastes alive instead of sad and limp.

• Keep your ingredients prepped separately and dress only what you're serving immediately if you need to get ahead.
• The vinaigrette lasts days in a jar on the counter, so you can actually make a batch and use it on other salads throughout the week.
• Store the prosciutto in an airtight container so it stays crispy and doesn't absorb humidity from the fridge.

Save

This salad has become my go-to move when I want to feel competent in the kitchen without actually trying too hard. It never fails to deliver something that tastes way more complicated than it actually is.

Questions & Answers

→ What makes frisée special in salads?

Frisée brings a pleasant bitterness that creates sophisticated contrast when paired with sweet elements like pears and honey. Its curly fronds also catch dressing exceptionally well, ensuring every bite is flavorful.

→ Can I make this vegetarian?

Absolutely. Simply omit the prosciutto or replace it with roasted chickpeas for protein and crunch. The salad remains delicious with just the cheese, nuts, and fruit.

→ What pears work best?

Firm but ripe varieties like Bosc or Anjou hold their shape nicely when sliced. Avoid overly soft pears that can become mushy once dressed.

→ Can I prepare components ahead?

You can wash and tear the frisée, toast the walnuts, and crisp the prosciutto up to a day in advance. Slice pears just before serving to prevent browning, and dress right before eating.

→ What cheese alternatives work well?

Gorgonzola adds creaminess while Roquefort brings extra intensity. For milder flavor, try goat cheese or aged gouda for a different but equally delicious profile.