Easy Pear Salad Recipe

Name: Easy Pear Salad Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: ⅓ cup olive oil; ⅓ cup white wine vinegar; ½ teaspoon minced garlic; ¼ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon pepper; 6 cups arugula; 5 ounces gorgonzola (anything but pre-crumbled); 2½ ounces candied walnuts; 1 bartlett pear ((approximately one cup) ripe, chopped)

5 minutes

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By: Julie Blanner9 Comments
Updated: 3/26/23

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This is an easy pear salad recipe with candied walnuts and gorgonzola. It’s the most perfect fall salad, but truthfully, we eat it all year long!

It’s the perfect dish for a light lunch, dinner or holiday meal.

Tossed in a homemade white wine vinaigrette, this salad is simple, crisp and completely irresistible.

A white bowl full of pear salad, with arugula, walnuts and gorgonzola.

A new season is upon us, and for me, that means a transition in our dinner menus. There is nothing more simple than making a fresh salad, and I love a delicious homemade dressing!

I’m always amazed that a homemade dressing can be ready in just three minutes. Actually, more often than not, less than one – especially when you get the hang of it. Once you’ve had it, you’ll never buy another bottle again!

Don’t Skip These: I love the flavor and texture of pears in the fall and winter. Don’t miss my crescent roll pear appetizer and this incredible homemade pear cider recipe!

Table of Contents

Pear Salad

This combination of greens, fruit, nuts, and cheese is just one of my favorite easy salad recipes. I make it time and time again as a starter for holiday gatherings or to enjoy as a light lunch or dinner.

Why You’ll Love this Pear Salad

Wholesome – This pear salad is made with wholesome, clean ingredients and fits into a variety of healthy lifestyle plans.
Feeds a Crowd – Perfect for picnics, potlucks and family gatherings of all kinds!
Fresh, Vibrant Flavor – The homemade salad dressing elevates this easy pear salad to a whole new level.

Visit the printable recipe card for complete ingredients and instructions.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Arugula – Tender, slightly spicy arugula is my go-to green of choice for this simple salad! Use any of your favorite salad greens – spinach or butter lettuce would be wonderful.
Gorgonzola – I top it with fresh gorgonzola, not pre-crumbled, which tends to be dry. Purchase an imported Italian gorgonzola in the cheese section of your grocery store for the best flavor.
Candied Walnuts – The candied walnuts give it a delicious crunch. You can often purchase them in the store, or you can make your own candied walnuts with my easy recipe!
Bartlett Pear – Ripe Bartlett pears are key – they are unbelievably tender and full of flavor!
Olive Oil – Use a high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
White Wine Vinegar – White wine vinegar offers a light, crisp flavor. Champagne vinegar would also be lovely.
Minced Garlic – Adds a slight savory, sharp bite which pears so well with the sweet ingredients.
Black Pepper – Fresh cracked black pepper is best here.

Variations

Swap the pears with dried cranberries or fresh diced apples for a sweet touch to balance out the savory flavors!
Switch the candied walnuts with pecans or almonds.
Blue cheese works well in this recipe instead of gorgonzola.

A variety of gold cake pans, loaf pans and muffin baking pan sizes laid out on a marble surface.

Tools to Use

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How to Make

In a jar with an airtight lid, shake the olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Toss with arugula and top with gorgonzola, walnuts, and ripe pear.

Tips

Don’t dress your salad until just before serving. If you add it too far ahead of time, the greens wilt and go soggy.
You can make this salad dressing ahead of time! While it’s refrigerated, oil and vinegar will separate into two layers. Shake it up well!
Fresh gorgonzola (not the pre-crumbled kind) makes a world of difference in this salad!

Make More (or Less!)

Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Best Pear for Salad?

Barlett pears are my go-to choice for this fruit and nut salad. I love their sweet, juicy flavor and soft texture. You can also try the popular Bosc pear which are wonderfully crisp and have a delicate, sweet flavor.
Or for the sweetest pear, go for the Comice pear, which are less grainy and have a clean, bright pear flavor. As long as it’s ripe – it’s good enough for me!

What Kind of Cheese Pairs Well with Pears?

Since pears are so sweet when in season, they pair wonderfully with intense, flavorful cheeses like a blue cheese or goat cheese. That’s why Gorgonzola is the cheese of choice for this salad! If you want to up the sweetness factor a bit more, look for Gorgonzola Dolce in the cheese section – it is more delicate in flavor and texture.

How to Store

Room temperature – You can leave this salad out at room temperature for up to two hours while serving.
Refrigerate – This fresh salad will store in the refrigerator for up to two days. However, the lettuce will get soggy as it stores and the chopped pears will brown – so if possible, separate ingredients and store in air tight containers to enjoy the leftovers.