Pear Fennel Arugula Salad is a simple side perfect for entertaining. A sweet and savory salad with a tangy lemon Dijon vinaigrette!
Pear Fennel Arugula Salad Recipe
This light and fresh salad is perfect for year round dinners and holiday entertaining. The combination of arugula, pear, fennel and creamy goat cheese with a sweet and tangy lemon vinaigrette is so delicious! I love serving this salad in the fall when pears are in season.
What to Serve with Pear Fennel Arugula Salad
This salad is a perfect side or pasta, chicken cutlets or soup:
- Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
- Fettuccine Alfredo
- Chicken Scampi (Olive Garden Copycat)
- Chicken Romano
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Zuppa Toscana
More Salad Recipes You Will Love!
- Dill Pickle Chopped Salad
- Strawberry Panzanella Salad
- Greek Feta Potato Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Olive Garden Salad Copycat
What is in Pear Fennel Arugula Salad?
- Arugula – also referred to as ‘rocket’. It has a peppery flavor that is perfect for salads, sandwiches and burgers. I have always loved arugula and it pairs perfectly with a lemon Dijon vinaigrette. If you are not a fan of arugula you can use spring mix instead.
- Pear – I love all varieties of pears but for this salad I prefer a crunchy green pear such as green Anjou. You can use any variety of pear you like but I recommend using a crunchy pear for a nice crispy and fresh salad.
- Fennel – commonly used in Italian cooking this vegetable has a very unique anise flavor. It is crisp, crunchy and a unique addition to salads.
- Pecans – you can omit the nuts in this salad for a nut free recipe but I love the nutty flavor of pecans paired with arugula and goat cheese.
- Goat Cheese – creamy goat cheese crumbled over top of a salad is simple divine!
- Vinaigrette
- Lemon Juice or White Wine Vinegar – you can use either one. They both have an amazing flavor but some people do not like lemon so you can use white wine vinegar instead.
- Olive Oil
- Honey – swap for agave or maple syrup for a vegan dressing
- Dijon – my favorite mustard!
- Salt
How to Make Pear Fennel Arugula Salad
Full Printable Recipe at Bottom of Page
1 Prepare the salad dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients to a jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake until evenly combined. Or, whisk the dressing together in a small bowl. Set aside while you prepare the salad.
2 Wash and dry the fennel. Cut the top stems off of the head of fennel so you are only left with the bulb. You can save some of the fronds for garnish. Slice the bulb in half and then slice into thin strips.
3 Wash and dry the pear. If preferred you can peel the pear but I recommend leaving the peel on. Slice the pear in half and remove the core. Slice into this strips.
4 To a large serving platter or bowl add the arugula. Scatter the sliced fennel, sliced pear, pecans and crumbled goat cheese over the arugula.
5 Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss. Serve immediately and enjoy!
FAQs Pear Fennel Arugula Salad
Store leftover undressed salad in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The fennel and pear will brown while in the fridge, to prevent browning, toss them in lemon juice before storing.
You can make the salad ahead of time by preparing the dressing and storing in the fridge. Layer the arugula on a serving platter and top with the nuts and goat cheese. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Just before serving slice the fennel and pear and place on top of the salad.
Yes! This is a healthy salad with a mix of fruits, vegetables, leafy greens and healthy nuts. The dressing is a light dressing made with extra virgin olive oil and vinegar (or lemon juice).
This recipe is vegetarian.
For a vegan recipe swap the honey for maple syrup and goat cheese for a vegan cheese of choice.
This salad is gluten free.
For a dairy free recipe use a dairy free cheese alternative or omit the cheese.
Enjoy!
– Sab
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission.
Pear Fennel Arugula Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 medium fennel bulb
- 1 medium pear, Green Anjou, or pear of choice
- 4 cups arugula
- 1/4 cup pecans, or walnuts
- 1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium lemon, juiced, or 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp salt, optional
Garnish
- Fennel fronds
Instructions
- Prepare the salad dressing by adding all of the dressing ingredients to a jar. Place the lid on the jar and shake until evenly combined. Or, whisk the dressing together in a small bowl. Set aside while you prepare the salad.
- Wash and dry the fennel. Cut the top stems off of the head of fennel so you are only left with the bulb. You can save some of the fronds for garnish. Slice the bulb in half and then slice into thin strips.
- Wash and dry the pear. If preferred you can peel the pear but I recommend leaving the peel on. Slice the pear in half and remove the core. Slice into this strips.
- To a large serving platter or bowl add the arugula. Scatter the sliced fennel, sliced pear, pecans and crumbled goat cheese over the arugula.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently toss. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Video
Notes
NUTRITION
