This Arugula Pear Salad is the perfect combination of fresh, crisp, and subtly sweet flavors that make for a light yet satisfying dish. This salad is made with just 5 ingredients plus a super simple homemade vinaigrette, making it a great option for a weeknight meal or side to take to a last minute dinner party. This arugula salad with blue cheese is so easy to put together, and shows that you can eat a healthy meal without compromising great flavor.
This salad is made with peppery arugula, juicy ripe pears, crunchy nuts, a little sprinkle of blue cheese, and a tangy vinaigrette. The addition of red onions adds a little flavor burst, which really takes this simple salad over the top. It can serve as the base for adding some lean protein for a complete nutritious meal, or serve it as a side salad for a dinner party.
Love to make healthy and flavorful salads and side dishes? Check out my recipes for Roasted Beet Salad with Feta or Butternut Squash and Feta Salad. Looking for some options with just a little more protein? Try out my High Protein Quinoa Salad or my Fall Quinoa and Chickpea Salad!
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What are the Ingredients for Arugula Pear Salad?
- Baby arugula - Arugula has a light, peppery flavor which pairs very well with sweet ingredients like apples and pears.
- Red anjou pears - Any pear will work in this salad, but be sure they are ripe! I love the sweetness of pears alongside more bitter flavors like blue cheese and pecans.
- Red onion - Red onion adds the perfect "bite" to this salad. The strong flavor is mellowed when the onions are lightly cooked.
- Blue cheese crumbles - Blue cheese is a great cheese to serve with pears. The bitterness of blue cheese balances out the sweetness of the pears perfectly!
- Pecans - Adding something with a little crunch to this salad helps round it out nicely. Pecans are a great choice!
- Extra virgin olive oil - Be sure to use a high quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor in this easy vinaigrette recipe.
- Sherry vinegar - Sherry vinegar is a delicate vinegar and creates a deliciously balanced vinaigrette.
- Dijon mustard - Dijon mustard adds great flavor to vinaigrettes, and it helps to create a creamier texture in the salad dressing too.
- Coarse Kosher salt and pepper - Salt and pepper are necessary to bring out the flavor in just about everything you make!
- Hot sauce - A very small splash of hot sauce or cayenne pepper is my secret weapon in all vinaigrettes. It adds the perfect subtle spice to all dressings.
- Garlic powder - I use garlic powder instead of raw garlic, because sometimes the flavor of raw garlic can be overpowering.
How do I make Arugula Pear Salad ?
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the pecans on a small sheet pan, and place in the oven for 3-5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the pecans are toasting, cook the red onion. Place the avocado oil in a small skillet over medium heat, and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until they are tender and lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- While the pecans and onions are cooking, make the vinaigrette. Place all dressing ingredients in a small glass jar, and shake until well mixed. This is the EASIEST way to make a vinaigrette! You can store it in the glass jar in the refrigerator for a month.
- Once the pecans and onions have cooled, assemble the salad. Place arugula in a large bowl and sprinkle evenly with sliced pears, blue cheese crumbles, onions, and pecans. Drizzle with the dressing, and serve.
Recipe Substitutions
- Pecan substitution: If you cannot have pecans because of an allergy, or if you simply prefer a different type of nut, feel free to substitute! Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds are a great alternative.
- Pear substitution: Apples are another great option in this salad, if pears are not your first choice. During the summer months, peaches would be delicious.
- Blue cheese crumble substitution: Blue cheese isn't for everyone! I personally love it, but I know many do not. Goat cheese, feta cheese, or simply skipping cheese altogether are options for this arugula salad with blue cheese.
Ways to Serve Arugula Pear Salad
- As a side dish - Arugula Pear Salad is the perfect side dish to serve with your Thanksgiving turkey or ham. It's light, yet has strong flavors, and it's a total crowd pleaser.
- As a main dish - Add a little grilled chicken or salmon to this salad, and you have a complete meal! Do you eat a vegetarian diet? Then add some quinoa to this arugula salad for some plant-based protein.
- With roasted veggies - Roasted veggies are a great way to beef up this salad. Add some roasted Brussels sprouts or asparagus to this salad to make it an even more nutritious meal option.
Tips for Perfecting This Recipe
- Watch pecans and onions closely. Both pecans and onions have a tendency to burn easily. Watch them closely while cooking so you don't run into this problem. A burned pecan is VERY bitter.
- Be sure to use FRESH greens. You know how you buy a clamshell of greens, and then you let it sit in the refrigerator for far too long, and then it's mushy and smells awful? Yeah, don't do that! Make sure your greens are fresh and crisp!
- Use ripe pears. Have you ever had a pear that isn't at its peak ripeness? It's crisp, but the flavor and texture just isn't great? Allowing a pear to sit at room temperature for a few days helps soften it up and brings out the flavor! If you don't have time to wait, I recommend using apples instead.
To Store the Salad
To Store: the dressing for this arugula pear salad can be made and stored for up to 1 month! However, I would recommend building the salad just before serving.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes! This salad would also be great with baby spinach, baby kale, or other mixed greens.
Yes! This salad is a great option for someone who is gluten free. And, since the cheese can be omitted, it's also a great dairy free salad option.
Arugula salad goes really well with the ingredients listed, and as a side dish to items like your favorite pasta. I like to serve it with my Vegan Penne Alla Vodka.
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Arugula Pear Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- ⅓ cup pecans toasted and roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- 2 anjou pears cored and thinly sliced
- 4 ounces blue cheese crumbled
- 10 ounces baby arugula
Sherry Vinaigrette Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon coarse Kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
- pinch garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spread the pecans on a small sheet pan, and place in the oven for 3-5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the pecans are toasting, cook the red onion. Place the avocado oil in a small skillet over medium heat, and add the onions. Cook, stirring often, until they are tender and lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- While the pecans and onions are cooking, make the vinaigrette. Place all dressing ingredients in a small glass jar, and shake until well mixed. This is the EASIEST way to make a vinaigrette! You can store it in the glass jar in the refrigerator for a month.
- Once the pecans and onions have cooled, assemble the salad. Place arugula in a large bowl and sprinkle evenly with sliced pears, blue cheese crumbles, onions, and pecans. Drizzle with the dressing, and serve.
- Prep ahead notes: If you are making this ahead of time, assemble the salad, but do not add the dressing. Just before serving, drizzle the salad with the dressing.
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