Arugula and Pear Bowl (Printable Version)

Peppery arugula meets sweet pears with creamy cheese and toasted nuts for a fresh, vibrant bowl ready in minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Greens

01 - 4 cups fresh arugula

→ Fruit

02 - 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced

→ Cheese

03 - 2 oz crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese

→ Nuts

04 - ½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped

→ Dressing

05 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon honey
08 - ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How To Make:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
02 - Place arugula in a large salad bowl. Add sliced pears, crumbled cheese, and toasted nuts.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Gently toss to combine and serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes flat, making it perfect for those nights when you want something elegant but not fussy.
  • The contrast between peppery arugula and sweet pears keeps your palate interested with every single bite.
  • You get to use good ingredients—really good olive oil, creamy cheese, toasted nuts—without any complicated technique to stress about.
02 -
  • Dress this salad at the very last second—the acidic vinegar will start wilting the arugula after five minutes, which sounds fine until you realize you've made mush instead of a salad.
  • If your pears feel hard when you slice them, they'll taste mealy and disappointing; wait an extra day or two for them to develop sweetness, or your salad will taste unbalanced.
03 -
  • Pat your arugula dry after washing—wet greens will dilute your dressing and make the whole salad taste wimpy instead of vibrant.
  • Slice your pears as close to serving time as possible; they oxidize quickly, but if you squeeze a little lemon juice over them as you slice, they'll stay pale and pretty for several minutes longer.
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