Pear Arugula Salad
This simple salad is flavorful and vibrant, with a delicious combination of arugula, sweet juicy pears, dried fruit and almonds. It's a great option for fall gatherings and holiday tables. The honey mustard salad dressing is amazing on its own.
Servings 4 side servings
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 3 cups arugula leaves washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion or shallots
- 1 pear I used Bartlett
- 2 Medjool dates chopped into little pieces
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
- 2 tablespoons chopped almonds
For the vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ⅓ to ½ cup olive oil or sunflower oil
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
For the vinaigrette:
- In a large measuring jar or bowl, mix 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon honey and ½ teaspoon salt. I suggest using a blender (a glass jar is better so the oil and mustard don't permeate the plastic) or an immersion blender as this dressing/vinaigrette separates after a while.
- Slowly add ⅓ to ½ cup olive oil while mixing well. Add ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and check seasoning. Adjust if needed with more salt.
- Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the salad.
For the salad:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Brush a baking pan with oil or butter.
- Cut 1 pear in half and scoop out the center core. Cut each half into wedges.
- Bake half of the pieces for about 10 minutes, until they soften up but still retain the shape. (Alternatively, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium skillet and cook half the wedges until beginning to brown). Reserve.
- In a bowl, dress 3 cups arugula leaves with three tablespoons of vinaigrette. Mound half of the arugula on a serving platter or divide it among individual plates.
- Scatter 1 tablespoon thinly sliced shallots or onion on top.
- Add half the raw and half of the baked pear wedges.
- Scatter half of the chopped dates, cranberries and almonds on the arugula. Repeat with the remaining ingredients in the same order.
- Drizzle a few tablespoons of vinaigrette and serve with extra dressing on the side.
Notes
When to dress it: arugula can wilt pretty quickly, so I suggest you add the dressing just before you take it to the table.
Make ahead: the dressing can be made up to 2 weeks before, and the cooked pears can be made a day in advance. Keep both refrigerated and covered.
Double or triple the recipe for a large crowd.
Dressing: it separates after a while, so you might consider blending it right before serving.
Variations and substitutions: see the post above.