Arugula Pear Salad
Arugula Pear Salad is a light, fruity, and refreshing summer salad that’s great for serving as a side dish, light lunch, or as a potluck offering. The bitter arugula balances perfectly with the crisp, slightly sweet flavor of pears. Crumbled feta and walnuts also compliment this salad, along with the downright delicious homemade dressing!
We LOVE recipes that feature fresh fruits, especially during these hot summer months! If you also love fresh fruits, you’ll love our fruit-first recipes like Jalapeño Pineapple Salsa and Apple Cranberry Walnut Salad.
Arugula Salad with Sliced Pears
Arugula Pear Salad is one of our favorites to make when you have dinner guests over! Once plated, this salad always looks stunning and so much fancier than it actually is.
It features 4 ingredients that vary in texture and flavor and compliment one another in a truly delicious way. The juicy pears, leafy arugula, crunchy walnuts and tangy feta cheese crumbles all go together beautifully.
What brings it all together is the simple dressing that’s made with olive oil, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, and just a few dashes of salt and pepper.
How to Make an Arugula Pear Salad
With just a handful of cooking staples (most of which are already in your kitchen now), this salad is super quick and easy to toss together!
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Assemble the arugula on a large serving plate or salad bowl. Toss with the pears, cheese, and walnuts.
- Drizzle with the dressing, and serve immediately.
Tips and Variations:
- Double the dressing if you’d like extra to serve alongside individual salads.
- Thinly slice the pears! Using a mandolin may be helpful, but we typically use a butcher knife and it gets the job done.
- In the dressing, it’s best to use pure maple syrup. Avoid using the super thick pancake syrup we’re all used to! Pure maple syrup lends real sweetness. In a pinch, it can be swapped out for organic honey.
- Not a feta fan? Replace it with blue cheese or gorgonzola.
Storage
Storage: We do not recommend storing this salad. However, the components can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator. Slice the pears just before serving.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Salad
- 6 cups arugula
- 2 pears, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup walnut, halves
Instructions
For the Dressing
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Set aside.2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon white wine vinegar1 tablespoon maple syrup1 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
For the Salad
- Assemble the arugula on a large serving plate or salad bowl. Toss with the pears, cheese, and walnuts.6 cups arugula2 pears3/4 cup feta cheese1/2 cup walnut
- Drizzle with the dressing, and serve immediately.
- See post for tips, variations, and storage options.