Arugula Pear Salad Recipe with Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

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This arugula pear salad recipe is a bright and fresh appetizer or side dish, with arugula greens, sliced pears, walnuts, tossed with a 5-minute honey vinaigrette dressing. It’s both simple and elegant, with a nice flavor combination from the peppery arugula and sweet pears and honey.

I absolutely love making this salad when pears are in season, it makes the perfect starter or light lunch. Serve this salad with some toasted simple sourdough or alongside your favorite protein for a nice meal.

I absolutely love the flavor combination of pears and arugula – they balance each other so nicely tossed in this salad. The arugula has a wonderful peppery slightly bitter taste, which is a great vehicle for a sweet dressing and fresh fruit like pears.

I added some goat cheese to this salad too, for a wonderfully deep savory salty flavor in each bite.

Don’t be intimidated by making your own salad dressing, either! This super simple vinaigrette is made with pantry staple ingredients and only takes 5 minutes to make. Once I started making my own salad dressings at home, I haven’t bought any bottled dressings from the store. It’s amazing what a fresh dressing does to a salad!

This Arugula Pear Salad with Honey Vinaigrette Dressing Is

• Bright
• Fresh
• Sweet & Savory
• Easy to Make
• Requires No Cooking
• Ready in about 15 Minutes
• Vegetarian

A Fancy Salad Recipe You’ll Make Again & Again

We absolutely love big bold salads, with fresh flavors and bold dressings. This arugula pear salad is the perfect combination of savory with pops of sweetness from fresh fruit and raw honey.

There are NO boring salads here, we bring our best ingredients to each & every salad pairing. Some are light and delicate, some are hearty and satisfying. Browse through all our easy salad recipes to find your next favorite.

What’s In This Pear and Arugula Salad Recipe?

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

• Arugula – a bright fresh green, also known as rocket.
• Pears – use whatever kind you prefer. I normally use basic Bartlett pears for this recipe, but if I can find some nice red pears, I will sometimes use those instead.
• Walnuts: for a nice crunch. 
• Goat Cheese – I love the bright, salty flavor of adding plain chevre goat cheese to this salad. If you don’t love goat cheese, you can substitute it for a sharp English cheddar or even a soft tangy brie.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: I use apple cider vinegar to give this dressing a bright and fresh flavor!  I’d recommend using an organic variety “with the mother.”
• Raw Honey: As beekeepers, we have plenty of raw honey so I try to use it in all my recipes instead of sugar.  I’d recommend trying a local farmers market to find the best raw honey in your area. Or else, raw organic honey is the next best thing.

To make this salad vegan, omit the goat cheese or substitute in a plant-based cheese instead.

How Do I Make This Pear and Arugula Salad Recipe?

1. Add the arugula greens to a large serving bowl. Top with the sliced pears, goat cheese, and walnuts. 
2. In a small mixing bowl or mason jar (I prefer using a jar), add all the salad dressing ingredients and mix well to combine. 
3. Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss well to every leaf of arugula is coated in dressing.
4. Add fresh black pepper to the top of the salad, and serve immediately. 

Flavorful Salad Recipes You May Enjoy

• Thai Quinoa Salad with Peanut Sauce
• Spicy Pineapple Salad with Jalapeno and Lime
• Blood Orange Salad
• Apple Walnut Salad Recipe with Dijon Vinaigrette
• Orzo Pesto Salad Recipe

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If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

Arugula Pear Salad with Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

By Kelly Jensen

This arugula pear salad recipe is a bright and fresh appetizer or side dish, with arugula greens, sliced pears, walnuts, tossed with a 5-minute honey vinaigrette dressing. It’s both simple and elegant, with a nice flavor combination from the peppery arugula and sweet pears and honey.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6 people

Calories 250 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Mixing Bowl
• ▢
  Salad Tongs

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Arugula Pear Salad

• ▢ 5 ounces arugula washed
• ▢ 2 pears sliced
• ▢ 4 ounces goat cheese plain chevre, crumbled
• ▢ 1/2 cup walnuts
• ▢ Black Pepper for taste

For the Honey Vinaigrette Dressing

• ▢ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt

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Instructions

 

• Add the arugula greens to a large serving bowl. Top with the sliced pears, goat cheese, and walnuts.
• In a small mixing bowl or mason jar (I prefer using a jar), add all the salad dressing ingredients and mix well to combine.
• Pour the dressing over the salad, and toss well to every leaf of arugula is coated in dressing.
• Add fresh black pepper to the top of the salad, and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 183mgPotassium: 215mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 773IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 82mgIron: 1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below, let us know what you loved about it!

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