Pear and Arugula Salad with Honey Vinaigrette Recipe
A fresh and vibrant Pear and Arugula Salad featuring sweet Bartlett pears, peppery arugula, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy walnuts, all tossed in a zesty honey vinaigrette. This salad balances sweet, savory, and tangy flavors perfectly for a light and nutritious meal or side dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-cook, Tossed
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 6 cups arugula
- 1 ½ cups Bartlett pears, chopped (about 2 pears)
- ⅓ cup goat cheese
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Honey Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the Vinaigrette: In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon juice, honey, finely chopped shallots, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until the mixture is well combined and emulsified into a smooth dressing.
- Prepare the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the fresh arugula, chopped Bartlett pears, creamy goat cheese, crunchy walnuts, and fresh thyme, mixing them gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Toss and Adjust: Drizzle the prepared honey vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper as needed to suit your preference.
- Serve: Transfer the salad to serving plates or bowls and enjoy immediately as a refreshing appetizer, side dish, or light meal.
Notes
- Use ripe Bartlett pears for the best flavor and sweetness.
- Walnuts can be toasted lightly to enhance their flavor.
- For a nuttier vinaigrette, try substituting apple cider vinegar with balsamic vinegar.
- This salad is best served fresh and should be dressed just before serving to avoid soggy greens.
- Goat cheese can be replaced with feta or blue cheese if desired.
- To make the salad vegan, omit the goat cheese and substitute honey with maple syrup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 280 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
Keywords: Pear salad, arugula salad, honey vinaigrette, goat cheese salad, healthy salad, walnut salad
