Winter Green Pear Walnuts Salad (Printable Version)
A refreshing mix of winter greens, pears, toasted walnuts, and a tangy olive oil dressing.
# What You Need:
→ Greens
01 - 4 cups mixed winter greens (kale, arugula, baby spinach, frisée)
→ Fruit
02 - 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
→ Nuts & Cheese
03 - ½ cup walnut halves, lightly toasted
04 - ½ cup crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese (optional)
→ Vinaigrette
05 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
06 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
10 - 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until well emulsified. Set aside.
02 - Place mixed winter greens in a large salad bowl. Add the sliced pears and toasted walnut halves.
03 - Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine all ingredients evenly.
04 - Top with crumbled cheese and pomegranate seeds if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in 15 minutes but tastes like you spent real time on it.
- The sweet pears and nutty walnuts against peppery greens create this unexpected balance that keeps you going back for another bite.
- It actually gets better when you make it for someone else—watching their face when they taste how crisp and fresh it is makes the whole thing worthwhile.
02 -
- Toast your walnuts—this is the step that separates a good salad from one that tastes like you just grabbed nuts from a jar and called it dinner.
- Don't dress the salad until the moment before you serve it, or the greens will wilt and everything becomes limp and sad.
03 -
- Keep your greens cold and slightly damp until the moment you dress them—that crispness is everything.
- If you're making this ahead for a gathering, prepare everything separately and assemble just before serving so nothing has time to wilt or weep.