Pear, Manchego and Arugula Salad
Pear, Manchego and Arugula Salad recipe with homemade pear vinaigrette is so delicious. A great side to any nice meal.
I love salads that have important components like crunchy, sweet and salty. It makes a great salad. Usually nuts, chips, can be categorized as crunch factor. Fruits and dried fruits make up for the sweetness. Cheese can add that salt factor.
I have used Arugula as that’s one of my favorite greens. Arugula has slight spiciness and it is great to have it with sweetness of pears. Pomegranate add crunchiness and sweetness to the salad. They are also in season and available fresh these days. You can add something else also for crunchiness. I have also used dried and fresh cranberries. They also add nice tartness to the contrast the sweetness of pears.
I love using apples or pears in my salad. Use slightly firm fruit so that it does not mush up while mixing and holds up. I like to add them sliced but you can cut them into chunks if you prefer that way.
My salads always contain some kind nuts or seeds. I would have loved to add some candied pecans, but I didn’t have any, so I decided to add roasted salty almonds. They have smokiness. For nut allergies, you can use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. Or leave nuts on the side for people to add on their own.
I have used manchego cheese slices. You can use any other cheese of your choice think of blue cheese, gorgonzola, goat cheese, pecorino romano etc. I love how manchego pairs so well with the sweetness of pears.
The pear dressing comes together in just few minutes and is such a keeper. Use ripe pear for the dressing like Bartlett or Bosc. I haven’t tried any other pears. But you can give it a try!
It has all the elements of sweetness, tanginess and saltiness. I love this salad for lunch or light dinner or as side dish for a big celebration meal. I made this salad for a Friendsgiving potluck and people instantly loved it even though there were some other delicious dishes too. Often salad gets no attention when there is turkey or chicken and so many amazing desserts.
The pear should be ripe, not mushy and extremely overripe. Check out this easy recipe!
Pear, Manchego and Arugula Salad
Ingredients
Pear Vinaigrette
- 1 large firm but ripe pear peeled and chopped
- 1 small garlic clove optional
- 1 tbsp mustard preferably Dijon
- ½ fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
Salad
- 4 cups Arugula or mixed greens
- 1 Pear sliced
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils
- 2 tbsp cranberries fresh or dried
- 4 ounces manchego cheese, sliced
- Nuts – either roasted almonds, pecans or walnuts
Instructions
Pear Vinaigrette
- Chop the pears into pieces and add them in a blender with the lemon juice or vinegar.
- Blend it into puree, add salt and pepper. With the blender running, if possible, drizzle in the oil until you have emulsified dressing.
- The leftover dressing can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week. Mix well before using it.
Salad
- Take all the ingredients of the salad other than the cheese in a mixing bowl and add the 2 tbsp of dressing and toss it. Taste if you need more dressing. Add the cheese. Serve it immediately.
Notes
XO, Devangi