Citrus Pear Greens Salad (Printable)

Fresh pears and citrus blend with crisp greens and a zesty dressing for a light, vibrant dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Greens

01 - 4 cups mixed baby greens (arugula, spinach, watercress)

→ Fruit

02 - 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
03 - 1 large orange, segmented
04 - 1 small grapefruit, segmented

→ Toppings

05 - 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta (optional)
06 - 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped

→ Dressing

07 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
09 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
10 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - 1/4 tsp sea salt
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper until emulsified.
02 - Place mixed baby greens into a large salad bowl.
03 - Incorporate sliced pears, orange segments, and grapefruit segments into the greens.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese or feta and toasted nuts atop the salad. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It pulls together in minutes but tastes like you spent all morning prepping something fancy.
  • The citrus cuts through winter heaviness without leaving you hungry an hour later.
  • You can swap almost any fruit or nut you have on hand and it still works beautifully.
02 -
  • Dress the salad just before serving, if it sits for more than five minutes the greens turn soggy and sad.
  • Segment the citrus over a bowl and squeeze the membranes into your dressing, that juice is too good to waste.
  • If your pears are rock hard, let them sit on the counter for a day or two, they'll never soften once they're sliced.
03 -
  • Chill your salad bowl in the fridge for ten minutes before assembling, it keeps everything crisp a little longer.
  • If you're serving this for guests, prep everything ahead and toss it together right as they sit down, the freshness will speak for itself.
  • Don't skip the mustard in the dressing, it's the glue that keeps the oil and lemon from splitting into a greasy puddle.

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