This arugula pear salad is light and fresh with dried cranberries, goat cheese, and a pear vinaigrette! It's a simple side salad that goes with any main dish.
Arugula Salad:
I love a bright, fresh salad with crunch, zip, and sweetness. This arugula goat cheese salad checks all the boxes!
Sweet pear, crunchy walnuts, and a zippy homemade pear vinaigrette. Yes, please. I'm a firm believer in amazing salads. Life is too short for boring ones!
I quick-pickle red onions for that something extra! It's super simple and makes all the difference. If you want to make things even easier, buy store-bought dressing! No judgement here.
(Check out my parmesan arugula salad too!)
Key Ingredients:
- Baby arugula - Arugula has a strong, peppery taste. On its own, it tastes overpowering. Paired with a sweet, zippy vinaigrette, it is FIRE.
- Pear - Look for a ripe pear on the firm side. Soft pears get mushy quickly.
- Red onion - You don't have to pickle the red onion, but I highly recommend it. It's only 5 minutes of hands-on time and it adds a zippy, crunch to the salad.
- Maple syrup - To sweeten it up! You could also use honey or light agave.
- Olive oil - A vinaigrette is an emulsion of oil and vinegar. I used olive oil for added flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar - You can use any neutral vinegar here. White wine vinegar, rose vinegar, champagne vinegar, or lemon juice work great.
Substitutions & Swaps:
This arugula salad is easy to customize! Here's a few simple swaps you can make.
- Greens - Not a fan of arugula? Try mixed greens, baby spinach, baby kale, butter lettuce, or a combination.
- Toppings - Feel free to swap out the toppings with what you have on hand. Any nut works great! Pecans, pistachios, sliced almonds, etc.
- Cheese - Swap the goat cheese with feta or gorgonzola.
- Protein - Add sliced chicken, steak, or tofu to make this salad a main meal!
- Dressing - If you live for easy recipes, swap the dressing with a store-bought brand. I highly recommend Panera's balsamic or fuji apple dressing for this one!
How to pickle red onions:
You don't have to pickle the red onions, but I highly recommend it! And don't worry, the leftovers last for two weeks AND taste amazing on salads, sandwiches, burgers, tacos, and rice bowls.
It's EASY!!
- Peel and thinly slice the red onions.
- Transfer the onions to a bowl or jar.
- Combine the water, vinegar, salt, and sugar.
- Heat the mixture until the salt and sugar dissolves.
- Pour over the onions and let them sit.
Once the pickled red onions cool, transfer the onions and the liquid to a jar and store in the fridge for two weeks.
How to Make a Pear Arugula Salad:
1. Make the pear vinaigrette
First off, there's no shame in a store-bought vinaigrette! So if you decide to go that route, skip to step 2.
- In a mini food processor, add the chopped pear. Pulse until it's in tiny pieces.
- Add the maple syrup and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Pulse until the mixture is smooth, like pear sauce.
- Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until creamy.
- Taste for flavor, then set it aside.
If you prefer a sweeter vinaigrette, add more maple syrup!
2. Assemble the salad
You can assemble the salad one of two ways:
Tossed:
- In a large mixing bowl, add the arugula, sliced pear, walnuts, goat cheese crumbles, dried cranberries, and some pickled onions.
- Add enough dressing to moisten the salad (you can always add more!) and toss to combine.
- Serve with large salad tongs.
Individual bowls:
- Divide the arugula between four medium serving bowls.
- Top each bowl with dried cranberries, walnuts, sliced pear, goat cheese, and pickled onions.
- Let everyone dress their own salad.
Make-Ahead Tips:
- Pickled onions - Pickled onions last for up to two weeks, but they taste best within the first week when they still have some crunch! I like to make them the day before.
- Pear vinaigrette - You can make it up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Just let it sit at room temp for 30 minutes, then give it a good stir before you use it.
Storage:
Once a salad is dressed, it shouldn't be stored. There are exceptions to this rule, but most of the time the greens wilt and the salad doesn't taste fresh!
Salad Recipes:
- Summer Peach & Quinoa Salad
- Fall Kale Salad
- Spinach Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
- Green Goddess Shrimp Salad
- 35+ Creative Crunchy Salad Toppings
- Sweet Potato Kale Salad with Basil Honey Vinaigrette
Arugula Pear Salad with Goat Cheese
Equipment
- small saucepan
- Chef's knife
Ingredients
For the pickled red onions:
- 1 red onion peeled and sliced
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup white vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
For the pear vinaigrette:
- 1 pear peeled, cored, & diced (about ¾ cup)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
For the arugula salad:
- 5 ounces baby arugula
- 1 pear cored and thinly sliced
- ½ cup goat cheese crumbles
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
Quick pickle the onions:
- Place the sliced red onion in a medium bowl or jar. Combine the water, vinegar, sugar, and kosher salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir the mixture until it gets hot and the sugar/salt dissolves. Pour immediately over the red onion. Let sit for at least 20 minutes while you assemble the salad.
- Once the red onion mixture cools, cover or seal with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Make the vinaigrette:
- In a small food processor, pulse the pear until it's in tiny pieces.
- Add the maple syrup and two tablespoons of vinegar. Pulse again until smooth. It will look like pear sauce at this point.
- At the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
Assemble the salads:
- In a large bowl, add the arugula, goat cheese, pear slices, dried cranberries, and walnuts. Add some pickled onions.
- Add enough dressing to moisten the salad. You can always add more, but you can't take it out.
- Toss the salad with salad spoons, then divide into four bowls. Serve immediately.
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