Easy Pear Salad (One Bowl)
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Quick and easy pear salad recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in one pot in 10 minutes. Loaded with mixed greens, cranberries, pecans, balsamic vinaigrette and sometimes crumbled blue cheese.
Fresh fruit salads are a favorite for me. I love the combination of textures, color, and flavor! This Easy Kale Salad (One Bowl) and Thanksgiving Salad (One Pot) also feature dynamic vegetable and fruit duos.
How To Make Easy Pear Salad Recipe From Scratch?
- Whisk dressing– In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, poppy seeds, salt, pepper until combined.
- Add ingredients– Spinach, pears, cranberries, pecans and toss until combined.
- Enjoy!– Serve immediately.
Balsamic Vinaigrette/Pear Salad Dressing
Whisk together the following ingredients. Use immediately for the salad, or store in a sealed jar in the fridge for future use.
- 1/2 cup Olive oil
- 3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1.5 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Poppy seeds
- Salt To taste
- Pepper To taste
What To Serve With Pear And Walnut Salad?
Soup is an obvious and delicious pairing for a light meal. Serve this salad with any of the following:
- Cream of Broccoli Soup (One Pot)
- Italian Wedding Soup (One Pot)
- Turkey Noodle Soup (One Pot)
- Chicken Barley Soup (One Pot)
Chicken is another great option, which can be shredded, thinly sliced or diced. It can be served on the side on mixed into the salad.
- Lemon Pepper Chicken (One Pan)
- Grilled Chicken Breast (One Pan)
- Rotisserie chicken- This is very convenient when you are short on time.
Pasta makes a great addition to this salad too. Serve this Creamy Mushroom Pasta (One Pot), Garlic Lemon Pasta (One Pot), or Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta (One Pot).
Variations
Pear and blue cheese salad– Add blue cheese for additional flavor and texture.
Pear gorgonzola salad– Add gorgonzola for a more mild blue cheese flavor.
Use poached pears– This softens the pears adding a different texture to the salad.
Try roasted pears– This caramelizes the pears adding another layer of warmth and sweetness.
Pear and apple salad– Add apple slices for more fruit flavors.
Add other nuts– Such as walnuts, pistachios, or cashews.
Add candied nuts– Candy whichever nut you prefer and add it for extra sweetness.
Add croutons– This addition convinces my kid that salads are worth eating! Use store bought or homemade.
Use other dried fruit– Such as cherries, blueberries, raisins, or even a combination of dried fruits.
Add seeds– Add sunflower, pumpkin, coconut, pomegranate, or even chia seeds.
Try other types of cheeses– Such as goat cheese, white cheddar, or swiss.
Use other greens– Try mixed greens, romaine, arugula, or kale, or Spring mix.
Add bacon– For a salty, smoky flavor and a little more heartiness.
Add meat– Such as rotisserie chicken, leftover turkey, steak, or ham.
Add quinoa– Mix in 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa for a heartier salad.
Tips And Techniques
How do you cut pears for salad? Wash and pat dry the pear. Slice the pear lengthwise down the center. Cut out the core, Then thinly slice the pear lengthwise for beautiful pear shaped slices.
What kind of salad to use? I used spinach for this salad, but you can use any variety you prefer such as romaine, kale, mixed greens, etc.
For a beautiful salad presentation– Prepare the salad dressing/vinaigrette and keep it aside. Spread the spinach or any greens of your choice in a large salad bowl. Top it off with slices of pears and sprinkle cranberries, pecans, blue cheese. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top, just before serving.
Serve immediately– Once the dressing has been mixed into the salad, it must be served immediately for best flavor and texture.
Try not to omit the mustard– It can be replaced with dried mustard powder. It adds another flavor profile and cuts the sweetness.
Balsamic vinegar must be used– It can not be replaced with regular distilled vinegar. It is too strong and over-powering to use.
Use high quality olive oil– This provides the best flavor in the salad dressing! You won’t regret it.
Adjust sweetness– Add more or less honey based on your personal preference.
Adjust seasoning– Add more or less according to taste and preference.
Storage
Make ahead instructions- The salad and dressing can be prepared separately and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Combine just prior to serving.
Refrigerate– I do not recommend refrigerating leftovers once the salad and dressing have been mixed. The salad becomes very soggy and wilted and undesirable. You can refrigerate the salad and vinaigrette separately though.
Freeze– Salad cannot be frozen because of the water content and wilting of the leaves upon thawing. The salad dressing, however, would keep in the freezer in a sealed container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature and whisk together to serve.
More One Pot Salad Recipes
- Christmas Salad (One Bowl)
- Pumpkin Salad (One Bowl)
- Harvest Fall Salad (One Bowl)
- Tabbouleh Salad (One Pot)
- Thai Chicken Salad (One Bowl)
- Italian Chopped Salad (One Bowl)
- Mediterranean Chickpea Salad (One Bowl)
One Pot Pear Salad
Quick and easy pear salad recipe, homemade with simple ingredients in one pot in 10 minutes. Loaded with mixed greens, cranberries, pecans, balsamic vinaigrette and sometimes crumbled blue cheese.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Olive oil
- 3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Honey
- 1.5 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp Poppy seeds
- Salt To taste
- Pepper To taste
- 6 cups Spinach Or mixed greens, Washed, Patted dry
- 2-3 Pears Washed, Patted Dry, Cored, Thinly Sliced
- 1/2 cup Cranberries
- 1/2 cup Pecans Roughly chopped, Can be replaced with candied pecans too
- 1/3 cup Blue cheese Crumbled, Optional, I omitted it
Instructions
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In a large salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, poppy seeds, salt, pepper until combined.
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Add spinach, pears, cranberries, pecans and toss until combined.
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Optional: Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese on top. I did not do this.
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Serve immediately and enjoy.
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For a beautiful salad presentation (like shown in the picture), prepare the salad dressing/vinaigrette and keep it aside. Spread the spinach or any greens of your choice in a large salad bowl. Top it off with slices of pears and sprinkle cranberries, pecans, blue cheese. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top, just before serving.
Recipe Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Tastes best when served immediately. Leftovers cannot be stored for later because the salad will become soggy. However, you can store the salad and vinaigrette separately for 2 days in the fridge and mix right before serving.
