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This Autumn Chopped Salad combines succulent pears, salty bacon, tart cranberries, sharp cheese, and crunchy pecans with a sweet balsamic dressing on a bed of romaine. If you are looking for a special salad to wow your guests this is it!
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- 🥬 Ingredients
- 🔪 Instructions
- 👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
- 📖 More recipes
- 👋 Connect with us!
- Recipe
- Comments
I can never make enough of this salad. Seriously. Every single time I serve it to a crowd I run out. I guess that speaks for how delicious it is.
The great thing about chopped salads is the ratio of lettuce to toppings. Lettuce is good...but bacon, cheese, fruit and nuts are greater! 😉 The salad dressing combines two store bought flavors together to create one fast, easy, and delicious dressing. Best of all it can be adjusted to fit your preferences.
I was inspired to make this salad many years ago after seeing this one on Espresso and Cream. Over the years I have changed it and added new ingredients to fit our preferences.
🥬 Ingredients
Romaine: Romaine hearts make the perfect base because they are tender yet crunchy. However, a regular head of romaine is delicious as well.
Red pears: Choose a pear that is not rock solid but doesn’t indent when pressed.
Cheddar cheese: Sharp or extra sharp cheddar will make all the difference here. A perfect contrast to the sweet pear.
Cranberries: Dried cranberries add a hint of sweet and a beautiful red color to the salad.
Pecans: Here is an excellent recipe for homemade Maple Pecans, but feel free to buy candied pecans from the store. Either make a delicious topping.
Bacon: Thick-cut bacon is the best choice.
Dressing: Choose your favorite brand of balsamic and poppyseed. Half of each in a jar and then shake.
🔪 Instructions
When I make this salad I start by putting the bacon in the oven. Then I make the pecans. While those are cooling, I dice the cheese and pears, wash the lettuce, and combine the dressings.
Once all the ingredients are prepped, it's time to assemble. Luckily, it is pretty simple...romaine, then toppings, then dressing. Finally, give it a good toss.
👨👩👧👦 For a crowd
This salad is always a crowd pleaser. To make it as easy as possible on the day of, prep all the ingredients ahead and store separately. Refer to the question below 👇🏻 for a more detailed explanation. When it is time to serve toss together and add dressing. The salad is best if it dressed at the last second.
🙋 Questions & Answers
Can this salad be simplified?
Yes. The following ingredients can be purchased all ready to go.
Bacon: real bacon bits that are already cooked and chopped.
Cheese: use pre-shredded or cubed cheese.
Pecans: use candied nuts. They're usually found in the produce section.
Can I take this salad up a notch?
Yes. The following ingredients can be freshly made. Making them yourself really does amp up the flavor!
Bacon: try this Easy Oven Baked Bacon with 3 Candied Options. It will blow your mind.
Cheddar: use an extra sharp one. My personal favorite is Tillamock extra-sharp cheddar.
Pecans: These 3-ingredient Maple Pecans will change your life. At least while you eat them on the salad. 😋
Can I make this ahead?
When I am serving this as part of a meal I prefer to do the prep the day before. Wash the lettuce and cut to size. I like to store mine in this salad spinner because it keeps the lettuce from turning brown on the edges. All the toppings can be prepped except for the pears. Cut them just before serving or else they will turn brown. I store each of the components separately and then combine at the last minute. Finally, the dressings can be poured into a jar, shaken up, and stored in the refrigerator.
📖 More recipes
- Pairs well with these Chicken Breasts in Lemon Sauce
- As a side with these Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes
👨🏼🍳 Tips & Tricks
- Make sure the bacon is crispy. Soggy bacon in a salad is a no-go.
- Be sure not to cut the pear too far ahead. It will begin to brown pretty quickly.
- Buy good quality dressing. It will be a star of the show.
👋 Connect with us!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let us know how it is! We’d also love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. Tag @borrowedbites or hashtag #borrowedbites to show us your food! To get our new recipes straight to your email, subscribe to our newsletter.
Recipe
Autumn Chopped Salad
This Autumn Chopped Salad combines succulent pears, salty bacon, tart cranberries, sharp cheese, and crunchy pecans with a sweet balsamic dressing on a bed of romaine. If you are looking for a special salad to wow your guests this is it!
4.50 from 2 votes
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Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 6
Calories: 376kcal
Author: Borrowed Bites
Ingredients
- 8 cups romaine hearts chopped
- 1 pear chopped
- 8 pieces bacon cooked and chopped
- 1 recipe Maple Pecans chopped
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese diced
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup balsamic vinaigrette
- ½ cup poppy seed dressing
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line sheet pan with parchment or foil for easy clean up. Place bacon on sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes until crisp.
Make Maple Pecans according to recipe.
Place romaine in serving bowl. Top with pears, bacon, pecans, cheese, and cranberries.
Add dressings to a jar. Shake vigorously to combine. Pour dressing over salad. Use tongs to gently toss. Serve immediately.
Notes
Ways to Simplify
- Bacon: real bacon bits that are already cooked and chopped.
- Cheese: use pre-shredded or cubed cheese.
- Pecans: use candied nuts. They're usually found in the produce section.
Up Your Game
- Bacon: try this Easy Oven Baked Bacon with 3 Candied Options. It will blow your mind.
- Cheddar: use an extra sharp one. My personal favorite is Tillamock extra-sharp cheddar.
Make Ahead Instructions: The prep can be done the day before. Wash and cut lettuce to size. I like to store mine in this salad spinner because it keeps the lettuce from turning brown on the edges. Prep all toppings except for the pear, which should be done the day of. Store each component separately. Finally, combine dressings and store in refrigerator.
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Nutrition
Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 633mg | Potassium: 363mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 8467IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 1mg
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Kate says
This was delicious! We added some rotisserie chicken for my carnivore husband.
Reply
Misty says
So glad you liked it!
Reply
Poppy says
Really good. I did add rotisserie chicken and made my own Poppy Seed dressing. Very easy meal- already had everything on hand.Reply
Danielle says
Yay! So glad to hear! Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
Reply
Laura says
This salad is scrumptious!! I eat it all year. Sometimes I substitute apple for the pear.Reply
Danielle says
Great idea! I bet Fuji or Honeycrisp would be especially delicious.
Reply
Kimberly Jones says
your photos are stunning!
Reply