Endive Salad with Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
A creamy blue cheese dressing sets this endive salad apart. It’s tangy, bold, and the perfect pairing for crunchy endive, juicy pears, and toasted walnuts.
This endive salad brings me right back to life in France where endive was abundant in the winter and early spring markets. Neighborhood cafés offered creamy endive salads packed with blue cheese. I tried to recreate my favorite French endive salad here, and with one bite of this recipe, I knew I had succeeded!
Why Make This Recipe
Belgian endive may not be the first green you reach for—but this salad just might change that. Why do I love it?
- A Flavor Combo that Works: Sweet pears, sharp blue cheese, and toasty walnuts are a perfect fit.
- Dreamy Dressing: This creamy dressing is still light, thanks to Greek yogurt as its base.
- Elegant but Easy: Perfect for a fancy dinner party, yet simple enough for a weeknight meal.
🥗 Ingredients
- Endive: The perfect base with a crisp, slightly bitter bite. If you’re short on endive, feel free to add arugula or baby kale. Look for Belgian endive instead of curly endive.
- Blue Cheese: I love the bold tang of blue cheese, but feel free to substitute with feta or crumbled goat cheese.
- Pears: Choose firm-ripe pears that yield just slightly when pressed.
- Walnuts: Alternatively, you can use pecans or hazelnuts.
- Greek Yogurt: This adds great flavor and creaminess. You could also replace it partially or entirely with mayonnaise or crème fraîche.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Avocado oil or walnut oil work nicely too.
- Mustard: A mix of coarse-ground and Dijon mustard gives an extra kick; feel free to use any one of them.
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
Toast the Walnuts
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spread 1 cup of walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes until they are fragrant and lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool.
Make the Dressing
While the walnuts are toasting, whisk together ⅓ cup of Greek yogurt, 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons of fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of whole grain mustard, ¾ teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons of crumbled blue cheese, ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper in a medium bowl. Set this aside.
Prepare the Endive
Rinse 1 pound of endive spears (about 6 large ones) and pat them dry. Then, cut them into thick slices and add them to a large serving bowl.
Chop the Pears
Core 2 firm pears and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Add these to the bowl with the endive.
Combine and Serve
Add ½ cup of crumbled blue cheese to the bowl, followed by the toasted walnuts. Toss everything together with the dressing, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and enjoy!
🧐 Recipe FAQs for Endive Salad
Belgian endive has a crisp texture and a mildly bitter flavor—similar to radicchio. It’s an excellent choice for salads, especially during the colder months.
You can prepare the dressing and toast the walnuts up to a day in advance. Store the dressing in the fridge and the walnuts at room temperature. However, I recommend assembling the salad right before serving to keep the endive crisp and the pears fresh.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator but note that they will become soggy by the next day. It’s best to consume it fresh.
Absolutely! If walnuts aren’t your favorite, feel free to substitute with pecans or hazelnuts for a different flavor profile.
This salad pairs wonderfully with hearty soups like French Lentil Soup or Tuscan White Bean Soup, or with classic French dishes like Coq Au Vin Blanc.
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