Pear and Arugula Salad with Honey Vinaigrette Recipe
A fresh and vibrant Pear and Arugula Salad featuring sweet Bartlett pears, tangy goat cheese, crunchy walnuts, and fragrant thyme, all tossed in a luscious homemade honey vinaigrette. This easy-to-make salad is perfect as a light lunch or a refreshing side dish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 6 cups arugula
- 1 ½ cups Bartlett pears, chopped (about 2 pears)
- ⅓ cup goat cheese
- ¼ cup walnuts
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Honey Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Make the Vinaigrette: In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, honey, chopped shallots, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until the mixture is well combined and emulsified, creating a smooth and flavorful dressing.
- Prepare the Salad: In a large bowl, combine the fresh arugula, chopped Bartlett pears, crumbled goat cheese, walnuts, and fresh thyme. This combination balances peppery, sweet, creamy, and nutty flavors beautifully.
- Toss and Adjust: Drizzle the prepared honey vinaigrette over the salad ingredients. Toss the salad gently to ensure every leaf and ingredient is nicely coated with the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning by adding extra salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve: Transfer the tossed salad to serving bowls or a platter and enjoy immediately for the freshest taste and texture.
Notes
- Use ripe Bartlett pears for the best sweetness and texture. Unripe pears may be too firm and lack flavor.
- For added crunch, toast the walnuts lightly before adding to the salad.
- This salad is best served fresh to keep the arugula crisp and the pears from browning.
- You can substitute goat cheese with feta or blue cheese if preferred.
- Store leftover dressing separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keywords: pear salad, arugula salad, honey vinaigrette, goat cheese salad, healthy salad, easy salad recipe, fall salad
