This simple Pear and Arugula Salad is made with fresh arugula, chopped pears, creamy goat cheese and crunchy pecans all tossed with a bright and lemony honey vinaigrette! The perfect fall salad that is super easy to throw together!
Transition into fall with this bright and crisp pear and arugula salad! Juicy pears combined with peppery arugula, crunchy walnuts and creamy goat cheese make this salad absolutely to die for and the honey vinaigrette just ties all these flavors together. Super simple to make and is always a crowspleaser among guests. This pear salad recipe is great for holidays, can be served as a side dish or you can add in some protein and make it a complete meal!
Why You’ll Love this Salad
- Quick, easy and delicious!
- Can easily be prepped ahead of time for quick assembly.
- You can also easily customize this salad to your liking. See the different variations below.
- The perfect fall salad, but we love this any time of the year!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- arugula – I love the peppery taste of arugula in this salad that balances out the sweetness of the pears, but any mix of leafy greens such as baby spinach or baby kale will work.
- pears – juicy Bartlett pears taste amazing with the honey vinaigrette and there is no need to peel them! Just make sure to use ripe pears for maximum sweetness. I chose to chop my pears as I find this salad is easier to eat that way, but you could also serve pear slices in the salad.
- walnuts – these add a nice crunch to the salad and you could even make my homemade candied walnuts! If you don’t have walnuts, you could also use chopped pecans, almonds or cashews.
- goat cheese – I used crumbled goat cheese, but feta cheese, gorgonzola or even blue cheese would all taste great in this salad. To keep this vegan, simply omit the cheese altogether or use your favorite vegan option.
- fresh thyme – gives this salad a nice earthy flavor
- honey vinaigrette – made with a delicious combination of extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, honey, garlic, chopped shallots (or red onion) and salt/pepper. A little dijon mustard added to the dressing is also a great addition and adds a little zip!
How to Make Pear and Arugula Salad
- Chop the pears. Wash and chop your pears, no need to peel the skin off, and set them aside along with the walnuts, goat cheese and fresh thyme.
- Make the honey vinaigrette. In a small jar or bowl, whisk or shake together the olive oil, white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar), fresh lemon juice, honey, chopped shallots, salt and pepper until emulsified.
- Assemble the salad. Combine the arugula, chopped pears, goat cheese, walnuts and fresh thyme in a large salad bowl and drizzle the honey vinaigrette all over the salad. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Variations and Substitutions
- Not a fan of this honey vinaigrette? Try this poppy seed dressing or this lemon dijon herb dressing.
- You can easily make this salad vegan by omitting the goat cheese (or using a vegan option).
- Instead of pears, you could try chopped apples, cranberries, pomegranates or even fresh blueberries.
- Make this salad more filling by adding nutritious grains like quinoa, rice or farro.
- I used crunchy walnuts in this salad, but you could swap that with other nuts such as chopped pecans, almonds or cashews. You could also try my homemade candied walnuts!
- Add in a protein like shredded chicken, fish or chickpeas to make this a more filling salad.
Prepping and Storage
To Make Ahead: To prep this salad ahead of time, chop the pears and store in a separate container from the arugula to prevent the lettuce from wilting. You can also make the salad dressing ahead of time and store it in a separate container (or mason jar with a tight lid) until ready to use.
To Store: This arugula pear salad will last 1 to 2 days stored in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge, but I recommend enjoying the same day as the salad will begin to wilt once it has been tossed with the dressing. Make sure to only dress the salad right before serving! This honey vinaigrette will last in the fridge for up to a week.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItFollow on Instagram
More Fall Salads You’ll Love
- Fig Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash
- Brussels Sprouts and Brown Rice Salad
- Fall Salad with Maple Tahini Dressing
- Roasted Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Kale Salad
- Healthy Broccoli Salad
Hope you all enjoy this Pear and Arugula Salad and if you love this as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
Pear and Arugula Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups arugula
- 1 1/2 cups chopped bartlett pears, about 2 pears
- 1/3 cup goat cheese
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
For the Honey Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a small jar or bowl, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar, fresh lemon juice, honey, chopped shallots, salt and pepper until emulsified.
- To assemble the salad, combine the arugula, chopped pears, goat cheese, walnuts and fresh thyme in a large bowl and toss with the honey vinaigrette. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is so delicious and easy to make!