Arugula and Pear Bowl (Printable)

Peppery arugula meets sweet pears, creamy cheese, and crunchy walnuts in this vibrant bowl. Ready in 15 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

# Steps:

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 15 minutes, which means you can actually make this on a weeknight without losing your mind.
  • The balance of peppery, sweet, creamy, and crunchy in every bite makes it feel fancy without pretending to be something it's not.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, so it works for nearly everyone at your table without needing separate versions.
02 -
  • If you dress the salad more than a few minutes before eating, the arugula wilts and releases water that dilutes everything—learned this the hard way at a dinner party where I prepped too early trying to look organized.
  • Slice your pears at the very last second, right before assembling, because they brown and oxidize faster than you'd think, and no amount of lemon juice really fixes it completely.
03 -
  • Chill your bowl before assembling if you have five minutes—a cold bowl keeps everything crisp longer and makes the whole experience feel more refined.
  • Make extra dressing and store it separately because it keeps beautifully for three days, and having it ready means you'll actually eat more salad throughout the week instead of letting greens wilt in guilt.
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