Endive Salad Bites with Pears, Blue Cheese, and Pecans
Endive Salad Bites crisp belgian endive filled with pears, cranberries, blue cheese and pecans. They’re an easy, elegant appetizer that’s perfect for any gathering!
I’ve got my Thanksgiving meal plan in place, which is pretty much the same meal we have every year because I don’t want to stir up trouble by breaking tradition.
Thanksgiving is no time to change things up. I found that out the hard way a few years back.
Tradition, tradition, tradition!
Appetizers are one area of the Thanksgiving menu that’s completely open, so that’s where I have my fun.
These Endive Salad Bites are easy to put together, they’re bursting with flavor, and they’re even elegant.
These bites will take you all the way through the holiday season!
Belgian endive is part of the chicory family, which means it has a slightly bitter flavor. The bitterness pairs really well with the tangy blue cheese, juicy pear and tart sweet cranberries.
The pecans give these bites a nice crunchy texture, and the fresh parsley adds a pop of color and freshness.
For more ways to use chicories, see my collection of chicory recipes.
To make things even better, I’ve tossed the filling in a white balsamic maple vinaigrette, and everything just pops. Believe me when I say, these are addicting little bites!
These endive salad bites come together in all of about 10 minutes, and are guaranteed to be a hit. Just be warned, they do go quickly, so you may want to make a lot.
And thankfully, the recipe is easily doubled, tripled, or quadrupled!
Recipe notes
- For best results, prepare the filling just before serving to avoid discoloration.
- To toast your pecans, place on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes or until fragrant. You can also purchase pre-toasted pecan pieces at stores such as Trader Joe’s.
- This endive boats recipe is easily scaled to feed a crowd!
More appetizer recipes you’ll love:
- Cranberry Brie Bites by Delish
- Crudités platter
- Deviled eggs with bacon
- Hot artichoke dip
- How to Make a Cheese Board
- Mini goat cheese balls
- Roasted nuts
- White bean hummus
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Endive Salad Bites with Pears, Blue Cheese, and Pecans
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
For the endive filling:
- 1 head belgian endive
- 1 medium pear cored and cut into small cubes (about 1 cup)
- 3 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans*
Instructions
Prepare the dressing:
- Place all dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously until combined.
Prepare the endive bites:
- Cut the base off of the head of endive and separate the spears. Wash thoroughly and blot dry gently.
- Place the pear, blue cheese, cranberries, and parsley in a small bowl. Add half of the dressing, reserving the other half for another use, and toss gently to combine.
- Divide the filling evenly between the endive spears, and top with the pecans just before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- *To toast your pecans, place on a rimmed baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes or until fragrant. You can also purchase pre-toasted pecan pieces at stores such as Trader Joe’s.
- These will go fast, and this recipe is easily scaled to feed a crowd!
- The filling is best made just before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
47 Comments on “Endive Salad Bites with Pears, Blue Cheese, and Pecans”
Wonderful & just the right mix of flavors. Crowd appetizer pleaser!!😋
I’m glad this recipe was a hit! Thanks for your feedback Rochelle. 🙂
How many servings does this recipe provide?
4 people would each get 3 endive bites, or 6 people would get 2.
Greetings from France ! I’m planning on making these for a christmas eve fête ! QUESTION: have you tried making the mixture a bit ahead of time or do the pears go brown ? YUM looking foreward to it, with local endive 🙂
Greetings Leanne! I haven’t tried making these ahead yet, so I’m a little worried too. I think no more than 30 minutes to an hour ahead would be ok? Have a wonderful holiday and I hope you enjoy these bites!
What an awesome looking appetizer, Marcie. They look absolutely fabulous and classy. So pretty!
Thank you, Anu! These are right up there with my very favorites. 🙂
What an elegant appetizer, Marcie! I absolutely love all the seasonal flavors going on!
Thank you, Nora! These are some of my favorite flavors for sure! 🙂
Thank you so much, Consuelo! 🙂
So pretty! I love the idea of making a deconstructed salad for Thanksgiving to add a little health and fanciness to the meal. The pear-blue cheese-pecan combo is the best! And I need more bitter greens in my life. Perfection, m’dear!
Thank you, Julia! These may be a little fancy-ish, but they’re definitely not fussy, which I love! 🙂
These salad bites look so cute and delicious! Great flavors, they will be perfect for the holidays! So creative!
Thank you, Mira! 🙂
I love that you used pears here Marcie!! They are just the best!
I have basically the same menu for turkey day every year … I’ll maybe switch up a side dish (now that I have ones that work well time–wise) and will change appetizers (as long as they can be made ahead!! haha But that’s it!
Pears are the best — I can’t get enough! Switching up a side dish is usually a safe bet depending…this year I’m going with tradition only with the main meal, but may switch up the pie a little. Fingers crossed! 🙂