Baby Greens Salad (gf) Recipe

Toast and candy pecans

Place a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pecan halves, granulated sugar, and unsalted butter. Stir continuously as sugar melts and coats the pecans, about 3–4 minutes. The sugar should become syrupy and then crystallize slightly on the nuts. Spread the candied pecans on a piece of parchment to cool and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Once cool, break apart any clusters and set aside.

Make vinaigrette

If using frozen raspberries, thaw and drain excess liquid. Place raspberries, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until very smooth. With the motor running, slowly stream in the olive oil until the dressing emulsifies. If the dressing is too thick, add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a pourable consistency (about 1–2 tbsp). Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, honey, or vinegar as needed. Strain through a fine mesh sieve if you prefer a seedless vinaigrette. Refrigerate until ready to use; shake or whisk before serving.

Place 6 cups of baby greens in a large salad bowl or divide between 4 serving plates.

Scatter 3 oz crumbled blue cheese evenly over the greens.

Add 3 oz candied pecans (store-bought or freshly made) over the salad.

If using, scatter fresh raspberries over the greens for extra texture and visual appeal.

Drizzle the raspberry vinaigrette over the salads—start with about 2 tablespoons per serving (roughly 8 tablespoons total for the batch) and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing to taste, but be careful not to overdress.

Serve immediately. Leftover dressing can be refrigerated for up to 5 days; keep candied pecans at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.