Recipe: Roasted Pears with Bacon and Blue Cheese

Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterCulinary Producer at The Kitchn
I'm a recipe developer, food writer, stylist, and video producer, with more than 10 years of professional experience. As an expert meal planner and avid home cook who loves grocery shopping and helping people figure out what to cook for dinner, I'm a natural fit as The Kitchn’s Dinner Therapist. Since graduating from The University of Scranton and The French Culinary Institute, I've authored three cookbooks: Buddha Bowls, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, and The Probiotic Kitchen. My kitchen superpower is turning a random assortment of ingredients into easy, delicious dinners that even my young son will eat.
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published Mar 17, 2017
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Credit: Lauren Volo

Serves4

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(Image credit: Lauren Volo)

This is how you turn those pears sitting on your counter into the best meal you’ll eat all week. With one pan and a bit of bacon and blue cheese, you’ll roast the pears until they’re buttery-soft and tender. This fast and fancy dinner is easy enough to pull together when you want to treat yourself on a weeknight (you can make just one or two pears) and impressive enough for a party (scaling to fill a platter doesn’t require more work — just more pears). Serve everything over a tangle of dressed arugula and dig in.

(Image credit: Lauren Volo)

The Best Pears for Roasting

Like apples, some pear varieties are better suited to cooking and baking than others. Anjou and Bosc pears are your best bets for this dish. Both will hold their shape and texture without breaking down while roasting. Steer clear of Comice pears, which have a tendency to fall apart when cooked.

More about pears: 7 Common Pear Types and How to Use Them

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Roasted Pears with Bacon and Blue Cheese

Serves 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 6 slices

    thick-cut bacon, cut into 2-inch pieces

  • 2

    firm but ripe Anjou pears, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored

  • 3 tablespoons

    honey, divided

  • 1/4 cup

    crumbled blue cheese

  • 2 tablespoons

    lemon juice (from about 1 medium lemon)

  • 1 tablespoon

    olive oil

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 6 ounces

    arugula

  • 1/4 cup

    walnuts, toasted

Instructions

  1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F.

  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the bacon on the baking sheet, then place the pears on top of the bacon cut-side down. Drizzle 1 1/2 tablespoons of the honey over the pears. Roast for 15 minutes.

  3. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Carefully flip the pears. Spoon about a tablespoon of blue cheese into the core of each pear. Return to the oven and roast until the pears are fork-tender and the cheese is soft, about 10 minutes.

  4. Just before serving, whisk the lemon juice, oil, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the arugula and toss to coat. Divide the arugula between 4 plates and top each with a pear and several pieces of bacon. Top the pears with walnuts and drizzle with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons honey.

Recipe Notes

Serving: This salad is best made and served fresh.

Filed in:
autumn
Cheese
dinner
easy
Gluten-Free
greens