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Radicchio Pear Salad with Ricotta & Cranberry Dressing

This radicchio salad is perfect in its simplicity. Sweet, crunchy, creamy and bitter all perfectly combine to make a salad that deserves a place a Thanksgiving table (or any table for that matter!)
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the cranberry dressing
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp dried cranberries
  • 3 tbsp boiling water
  • salt and pepper to taste
For the salad
  • 2 slices sourdough bread, torn into pieces
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1 head radicchio, thinly chopped
  • 1 large pear, thinly sliced or julianned
  • 4-5 radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup tender herbs, such as dill, parsley and mint
  • 1/2 cup fresh ricotta

Instructions 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
  2. Make the dressing first. Combine all the ingredients and let them sit for about 5 minutes so the cranberries can soften. Add the dressing to a small blender and blend until smooth, this will take some time. Blend for 3-4 minutes or until there are no cranberry chunks left, and the dressing is one smooth pink color.
  3. Tear up the sourdough and place it on a parchment lined baking sheet. Add the pine nuts and drizzle both with olive oil. Roast at 400F for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
  4. Assemble the salad while the bread and nuts are roasting. Toss the radicchio, pear, and radishes into a large bowl. Coat with the dressing and toss well. When the bread is out of the oven, add it to the bowl and toss again.
  5. Now it is time to plate the salad. Add a large smear of ricotta to each plate, then sprinkle on the pine nuts. Add the salad on top.
  6. Use your hands to tear up the tender herbs to activate the aromatics. Use these to garnish the salad, then serve!