Arugula and Pear Bowl (Printable)

Peppery arugula meets sweet pears, creamy cheese, and crunchy walnuts in a light honey-balsamic dressing.

# 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 - 0.5 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 - 0.5 teaspoon Dijon mustard
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

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.
04 - Gently toss ingredients to combine and serve immediately.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes flat, no cooking required, which means you can make it on your most chaotic weeknights.
  • The flavor balance feels almost magical—sweet, salty, peppery, creamy, and crunchy all happening at once.
02 -
  • Dress the salad at the last possible moment or your beautiful greens will become a sad, soggy pile within minutes.
  • If you're making this ahead for a gathering, keep all components separate and dress only what you'll serve immediately, then dress more as people come back for seconds.
03 -
  • Keep your dressing components in the fridge and assemble it just before eating—a warm dressing makes arugula wilt faster than you'd think.
  • If you're doubling this for a crowd, don't double the dressing; use about one and a half times the amount instead, since the pears and cheese release their own moisture as they sit.
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