Blue Cheese & Pear Toast with Walnuts & Balsamic Glaze
/When sweet, crisp pear meets bold blue cheese, magic happens — especially on crunchy, buttery sourdough. This toast is all about contrast: creamy and crunchy, tangy and sweet, each element playing off the next in the best way.
INGREDIENTS
The Bread — Sourdough: Sourdough brings a tangy backbone and a sturdy chew that can handle juicy pears and creamy cheese without collapsing. Its toasted edges add that essential crunch that makes every bite pop.
Butter: I recommend skillet toasting the bread in butter. This will give the bread a golden, crisp exterior and a subtle richness that ties the whole toast together. It’s the quiet hero of the recipe.
Blue Cheese Spread: Bold, creamy, and a little funky — blue cheese is the flavor anchor here. It adds depth and contrast, balancing the sweetness of the pear and the brightness of the greens. Blue Cheese Spread recipe.
Radish: Thin slices of radish bring peppery freshness and a crisp bite. They keep the toast from leaning too sweet or too rich, adding a little spark in every mouthful.
Asian Pear: Asian pears are crisp, juicy, and lightly sweet, almost like a cross between an apple and a pear. Their crunch adds texture, while their delicate sweetness softens the blue cheese’s intensity.
Micro‑Arugula: These tiny greens pack a surprising peppery punch. They add freshness, color, and a little leafy lift that keeps the toast feeling balanced and bright.
Walnuts: Raw walnuts bring earthy flavor and a gentle crunch. They echo the nuttiness of the sourdough and add another layer of texture that makes the toast more interesting.
Balsamic Glaze: A drizzle of balsamic glaze adds tangy sweetness and a glossy finish. It ties the fruit, cheese, and greens together with a little acidic spark.
Salt & Pepper: Just a pinch wakes everything up — enhancing the cheese, sharpening the radish, and making the pear taste even sweeter.
NOW WE’RE COOKING…
FIRST, toast the bread.
Toast and butter the bread. I prefer toasting the bread in a cast iron pan, in which case the butter melts in the pan and the bread soaks it up as it toasts.
NEXT, layer the ingredients over the toast.
Once the toasted bread has cooled, slather the cheese spread onto the toast, then layer 1/2 sliced radish over the top of each toast. Next layer the sliced pear over the radish, then add the micro-arugula and walnuts. Finish with the balsamic glaze drizzle and a little salt and pepper.
Slice the toast into thirds or quarters to serve it as an appetizer.
Blue Cheese Pear Toast
Ingredients
Instructions
- Toast bread.
- Simply review above ingredients and layer in order dividing half of the ingredients per slice.