Cranberry Pear Greens Salad (Printable)
Sweet pears, tart cranberries, crunchy nuts, and crisp greens combined with a bright vinaigrette.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Salad
01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (arugula, spinach, romaine)
02 - 2 ripe pears, thinly sliced
03 - 1/3 cup dried cranberries
04 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
05 - 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta (optional)
→ Vinaigrette
06 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
07 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large salad bowl, mix the salad greens, sliced pears, dried cranberries, toasted nuts, and cheese if using.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
03 - Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad just before serving and toss gently to combine.
04 - Present the salad immediately to retain freshness.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Sweet pears and tart cranberries balance each other in a way that makes you want another bite.
- Ready in 15 minutes, which means you can actually have this on a weeknight without stress.
- The vinaigrette is so easy that even a sloppy jar-shake counts as whisking.
02 -
- Dress your salad at the last possible moment or the greens will wilt—patience here actually pays off.
- If pears are still firm, slice them thinner so they're tender enough to enjoy without wrestling your fork.
03 -
- Rub your salad bowl with a cut garlic clove before adding greens for a whisper of flavor that makes people ask what's different.
- Keep the vinaigrette ratio in mind and scale it up—it works whether you're feeding two or a crowd, just taste and adjust for salt at the end.