Arugula Pear Salad
Arugula Pear Salad is the perfect way to brighten any holiday table, blending the sweetness of fresh pears with the tangy bite of goat cheese and the crunch of toasted pecans. The peppery arugula adds a fresh and bold flavors that ties the salad together, while the dried cranberries providea delightful tartness to balance each bite.
This salad isn’t just about the flavors–it’s also about the textures. The creaminess of the goat cheese contrasts with the crispness of the pears, making each bite an absolute treat. And when tossed in a homemade vinaigrette, this salad becomes the ideal fresh accompaniment to fall entertaining and rich holiday meals, offering a refreshing contrast to heavier dishes.
Arugula Pear Salad
This salad is a must-have addition to your holiday recipe collection, and is so beautiful with the pear slices, cranberries, and pecans. I also love to serve this salad at a Friendsgiving dinner (a fun meal to enjoy before Thanksgiving) in our new epic salad bowls.
Read more: Arugula Pear Salad
Why I love this recipe
- Easy to make (you can make dressing ahead of time).
- Delicious fall salad with fresh pears.
- Beautiful and festive salad for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- Gorgeous served in our epic salad bowls.
Gather these ingredients
- Red onion – thinly sliced
- Arugula greens – prewashed
- Pears – Bartlett or Red Anjoy (red or green pears) – cored and sliced into ¼ inch half-moons [leave the skins on]
- Goat cheese – crumbled
- Cranberries – dried
- Pecans – toasted, cooled, slightly chopped
- Black pepper
Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic cloves – grated or minced
- Honey
- White vinegar or rice vinegar
- Dijon mustard
- Fresh lemon juice
- Sea salt
- Black pepper – freshly ground
How to make Arugula Pear Salad
- Soak the onions in a small bowl of ice water for 10 minutes to remove some of the potent flavors. Drain well, place on a paper towel and pat well to absorb the water.
- Combine the olive oil, minced garlic, honey, white vinegar, dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a mason jar and shake until mixed.
- Add arugula greens to an epic salad bowl or a very large plate.
- Top the greens with sliced pears and onions (drained) which you can leave in clumps or spread them throughout the bowl.
- Sprinkle goat cheese, cranberries, and nuts over the top of the salad mixture.
- Drizzle the salad dressing mixture from the mason jar over the entire salad and toss. You can also leave the dressing on the side and let guests add their own dressing.
- Add some fresh cracked pepper.
- Enjoy a beautiful holiday salad!
Tips & substitutions
- You can use apples instead of pears – any crisp apple will work.
- Swap dried cranberries for juicy pomegranate seeds.
- For late summer can add blackberries for a pop or darker colors.
- For winter, peel a clementine or blood orange and cut it into crosswise rings.
- Holiday salad: add fresh figs – quarter and add them to the top.
- For a little salty bite you can add some prosciutto to the top.
- You can replace the honey in the dressing with maple syrup.
- You can use your favorite nuts instead of pecans.
- SERVE in our epic salad bowls. Double the recipe for a big party!
Serving suggestions
This Arugula Pear Salad is a refreshing addition to Thanksgiving or Christmas, pairing perfectly with rich sides like mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, and savory mains like turkey, ham, or Prime Rib.
Storage
This salad is best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftovers, keep the dressing separate and store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day.
Check out these other colorful salads while you’re here
Get the Recipe:
Arugula Pear Salad
Ingredients
- ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 8 oz pre washed arugula greens
- 3 pears, Bartlett or Red Anjou (red or green pears) cored and sliced into 1/4″ half-moons [leave the skins on]
- 6 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ½ heaping cup pecans, toasted and cooled and lightly chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
Prepare the onions:
- Soak the onions in a small bowl of ice water for 10 minutes to remove some of the potent flavors. Drain well, place on a paper towel and pat well to absorb the water.
Make the dressing:
- In a mason jar, combine all of the salad ingredients and shake until well combined.
Assemble the salad:
- In an epic salad bowl or a very large plate, add your arugula greens. Top with sliced pears and onions (drained). You can leave in clumps or spread them throughout.
- Sprinkle on goat cheese, cranberries, and nuts.
- Shake the mason jar again with the salad dressing right before serving. Optional to drizzle the dressing over the entire salad and serve, or toss the salad and serve. Also optional to serve the dressing on the side and let guests add their own dressing.
- Add fresh cracked pepper!
- Enjoy a beautiful holiday salad.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
