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a cosy grey bowl of cider-braised butterbeans dressed with shards of red apple and pear, with lots of fresh thyme.

Pear, Apple & Verjus Salad with Toasted Maple Walnuts

Julia Savory
A crisp winter salad of pear, apple and verjus with toasted maple walnuts — light, perfumed and quietly festive. The birght counterpoint to rich Christmas mains.
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Photographed truthfully. If you cook it, yours will look like mine.

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine British Home Cooking
Servings 4 servings
Calories/Seving 128 kcal

Ingredients
  

Maple-glazed walnuts ingredients

  • 40 g walnuts | roughly chopped into chunks diameter 5 mm
  • 2 tsp maple syrup

Salad ingredients

  • 170 g pear | cored and julienned
  • 180 g red apple | cored and julienned
  • 1 tsp lemon juice | to prevent the fruit from turning brown

Dressing ingredients

  • 2 pinch salt | to taste
  • 1 ½ tsp verjus | or mild white wine vinegar if unavailable
  • ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp olive oil | a mild variety; not bitter

To serve

  • fresh nutmeg | to grate over
  • a few thyme leaves
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Instructions
 

Toast and glaze the walnuts

  • Warm a small heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Add the walnuts and let them toast gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.
    40 g walnuts
  • Remove the walnut pieces from the pan and allow to cool on a plate. Drizzle over the maple syrup and stir just until it clings — glossy but not sticky.
    2 tsp maple syrup

Prepare the salad fruit

  • Core and julienne the pear and apple into fine matchsticks. Add the lemon juice and toss straight away in a mixing bowl to keep their colour bright.
    170 g pear, 180 g red apple, 1 tsp lemon juice

Make the dressing

  • In a small bowl, dissolve the salt in the verjus and lemon juice, then add the oil. The verjus brings gentle acidity — bright but not sharp.
    1 ½ tsp verjus, ½ tsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp olive oil , 2 pinch salt

Dress and assemble

  • Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss lightly to coat. Retain the cooled walnuts and add to the top. Taste and adjust the salt or acidity if needed.

Serve and finish

  • Pile loosely into a shallow bowl. Grate a whisper of nutmeg over the top and scatter a few thyme leaves. The salad should taste crisp, clean, and quietly Christmassy — all orchard and light.
    fresh nutmeg, a few thyme leaves

Notes

Verjus: Use the white variety if possible; its mild tartness complements apples and pears perfectly.

Nutrition

Calories: 128kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 37IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 0.4mg

Nutritional values are estimates only and will vary depending on specific ingredients used. Nutrition is per serving. Information is for the main recipe, not optional accompaniments.

Keywords apple chutney, Christmas Day, easy salad, festive salad, holiday table, maple syrup, orchard fruit, pear chutney, plant-based side dish, plant-based winter dinner, verjus dressing, walnuts
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COPYRIGHT

© The Golden Polar Bear, 2025. Recipes and photography by Julia Savory. If you share this, please pass it along with kindness and if possible share a link back to this site. #ForTheAnimals

Photographed truthfully. If you cook it, yours will look like mine.