Arugula and Pear Bowl (Printable)

Peppery greens meet sweet pears with creamy cheese and crunchy nuts in this refreshing bowl.

# What You'll 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

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
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 faster than you can set the table, yet tastes like you fussed over it.
  • The contrast of textures and flavors keeps you interested with every bite—nothing gets boring here.
  • You can swap ingredients based on what's in season or what you're craving, so it never feels stale.
02 -
  • Slice your pears no more than ten minutes before serving—they oxidize faster than you'd think, and browning pears look less appetizing than they taste.
  • The dressing only needs whisking for about a minute; over-whisking won't ruin it, but you'll feel like you're doing more work than necessary.
03 -
  • Buy your cheese last and crumble it just before serving so it stays fluffy instead of settling into dense pieces.
  • Keep a small squeeze bottle of balsamic vinegar nearby while eating—a drizzle of extra acidity toward the end of the salad brings everything back to life if things start feeling heavy.
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