Arugula Pear Salad with Blue Cheese and Pecans

This easy arugula pear salad with blue cheese and pecans is gentle, fruity, crunchy, and tossed in a easy maple Dijon French dressing. Excellent for fall, winter, or anytime of the 12 months.

I can’t get sufficient of this straightforward pear salad. For me, who’s at all times struggling consuming sufficient contemporary fruits, together with them in a salad is at all times very useful. This salad with blue cheese is each candy and salty, and loaded with fall flavors.

Arugula pear salad makes an awesome starter with a facet of crusty bread, resembling this Multiseed No-Knead Bread (my favourite). It will additionally do very nicely as a facet to a Vegetarian Pot Pie, a Roasted Garlic Butternut Soup or some Butternut Squash, some Spinach and Goat Cheese Lasagna or Baked Brie with Apples.

The recipe substances

• Arugula salad. It brings sharp flavors, giving this pear salad some character.
• Pears. Any selection works. Select them nonetheless agency and crispy (in the event that they’re too ripe, they are going to turn into mushy when sliced).
• Blue cheese. I like to recommend Gorgonzola, however ay blue cheese works.
• Pecans. They are often changed with walnuts if desired.
• Pomegranate. Or cranberry, if simpler to seek out (and cheaper).
• Shallots. Whereas elective, they bring about extra depth of taste to the pear salad.

Suggestions for achievement

There’s nothing simpler than assembling a salad one would say. It’s nevertheless necessary to at all times use contemporary substances (arugula salad right here) and slice the pears as near serving as doable. Blue cheese might be faraway from the fridge forward of time; it will assist its aroma to develop. Final however not least: at all times add the French dressing and toss proper earlier than serving. And voilà!

Storage and make-ahead directions

The maple-Dijon French dressing might be made as much as per week prematurely and saved within the fridge. When prepared to make use of, merely place the jar sideways underneath lukewarm operating water and shake nicely (with lid on) till emulsified.

Undressed salad might be saved in an hermetic container within the fridge for a few days. At all times add the French dressing proper earlier than serving.

Recipe variations

There are such a lot of doable variations to this arugula pear salad. Listed below are only a few examples that come to thoughts:

• Selection of nuts. Change pecans with walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts.
• Cheese. As an alternative of blue cheese, use feta, contemporary goat cheese, and even semi-hard and had cheese of selection (Gouda, Comte, Gruyère, you title it…).
• Fruits. As an alternative of pomegranate, you should utilize dried cranberries, or why not contemporary blueberries or raspberries! Additionally, pears are the core ingredient of this salad, however you may substitute them with apples for a fast variation.
• Selection of salad. I like arugula salad for its robust flavors, however the recipe works with spring combine, child spinach or every other greens you’d like.
• Make it extra nutritious! Add some roasted and diced butternut squash or French Puys lentils to make this arugula pear salad extra nutritious and satisfying.

Extra salads you’ll love:

Print

• Creator: Delphine Fortin
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Whole Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Class: Salads
• Weight loss program: Vegetarian

This easy arugula pear salad with blue cheese and pecans is gentle, fruity, crunchy, and tossed in a easy maple Dijon French dressing. Excellent for fall, winter, or anytime of the 12 months.

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For the arugula pear salad:

For the dressing:

1. Add the dressing substances in a small bowl or in a jar and shake or whisk nicely. Alter to style – extra oil to make it creamier, maple syrup for candy, vinegar for tart.
2. Lower the pears in half, take away seeds and slice thinly. Drizzle with lemon juice (to cease pears from browning) and toss nicely.
3. To assemble the salad, place salad arugula salad in a big bowl with the pear slices, shallots (if utilizing), pomegranate arils, pecans and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle with half the dressing then toss. Add the blue cheese, and toss gently. Drizzle with extra dressing if wanted, and serve instantly.

Notes

* You should use both pecans or walnuts. Flippantly toast the pecans in a small skillet positioned over medium-high warmth for just a few seconds, shaking the pan usually, till pecans are golden and aromatic. Take away instantly to forestall the pecans from burning in touch of the recent skillet.

Cheese, Fall, Gluten-Free, Wholesome, Nuts, Pears, Fast & Simple, Salads & Bowls, Sides, Thanksgiving, Vegetarian, Winter

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