Pear and Walnut Salad

Restaurants always seem to have the most interesting salad combinations, but those recipes aren’t impossible to replicate at home! I’ve always loved fruit in salads; nothing like some crisp apple or ripe pear on top of a bed of spring greens! To make it work, you need the right balance of sweet, salt, acid, and textures. Luckily for you, this pear and walnut salad doesn’t use any complicated ingredients and is topped with a simple and delicious lemon honey vinaigrette that you’ll want to put on everything!

I used a spring green mix as the bed of greens for this salad, and any mixed greens will work. I do love arugula in salads like this, so make sure your salad blend has a bit of that for a peppery bite. The pears I used for this salad are Bartlett pears, but you can certainly use any kind you like. The perfect pear for this salad is starting to get ripe but not too ripe–you don’t want it to be mushy and it still needs to have a bit of a bite to it. Mostly yellow but a hint of green is the perfect color and texture. Toasted walnuts at a bit of crunch, and creamy goat cheese is the perfect addition to this salad. A bit of red onion and this salad is done.

For the vinaigrette, the ingredients are simple but come together perfectly: honey, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and a splash of white wine vinegar. The perfect blend of sweet, salty, and acid for a salad that tastes like it came from a restaurant, but enjoyed in the comfort of your own home. Truly, this pear and walnut salad is one that you will enjoy again and again. Never tried fruit in salads? This recipe is for you! I promise it’ll convert you to a lover of fruit in salads.

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