Bright Pear Salad (Printable Version)

A fresh mix of pears, greens, nuts, and tangy honey-lemon dressing, perfect for light starters or sides.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
02 - 3.5 oz mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, baby lettuce)
03 - 2 oz crumbled goat cheese or feta
04 - 1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
05 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries
06 - 1 small shallot, thinly sliced

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
09 - 1 tablespoon honey
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make:

01 - Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
02 - In a large bowl, mix salad greens, sliced pears, shallot, dried cranberries, and toasted nuts.
03 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently to coat evenly.
04 - Transfer the salad to a serving platter or individual plates and sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese or feta.
05 - Present the salad at once to maintain optimal freshness and texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in minutes but looks like you spent an hour arranging it.
  • The contrast of sweet pear, salty cheese, and crunchy nuts hits every craving at once.
  • You can swap almost any ingredient and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Dress the salad just before serving or the greens will wilt and the pears will weep their juices.
  • If your pears are rock hard, let them sit on the counter for a day or two, unripe pears taste starchy and won't slice nicely.
  • Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, watching closely, they go from golden to burnt in seconds.
03 -
  • Slice the pears at the last possible moment to keep them from browning, or toss them lightly in lemon juice.
  • Taste your dressing before adding it to the salad, it should be bold on its own because the greens will mellow it.
  • Use your hands to toss the salad gently, it gives you more control and prevents bruising the delicate ingredients.

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