This vibrant Pear & Pomegranate Spinach Salad is filled with autumn flavors and elements: pecans, dried cranberries, feta cheese, and a Maple-Lemon Dijon Mustard Dressing. It is fast, wholesome, and excellent for each on a regular basis meals and vacation gatherings like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The Final Fall Salad: Pear & Pomegranate Spinach Salad
This Autumn salad brings collectively an exquisite mixture of candy, savory, and tangy flavors, that includes all of the elements we love for Fall. Toasted pecans present a crunchy texture, whereas pears and pomegranate arils add sweetness and tartness. Creamy feta enhances these flavors completely, all tossed with contemporary child spinach and a maple-lemon Dijon mustard dressing. It’s a superb addition to your vacation menu, proving that Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes might be mild but flavorful. This Fall salad is simple to arrange, festive, and ideal for the entire household. Serve it as a facet dish, or add protein for a whole meal on a busy weekday. When you’re on the lookout for extra inspiration to make use of pears in salads, try these two recipes: Pear Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese, Pecans, and Honey-Lemon Dressing and family-favorite Arugula Salad with Pears, Apples, Cashews, and Balsamic French dressing.
Components and Substitutions
- Pears – I used a big Asian pear and left the pores and skin on for presentation. The pores and skin additionally provides fiber. You should use another sort of pears: Bartlett, Bosc, Anjou, or Comice. Be at liberty to swap pears with apples or embrace each.
- Pomegranate arils – Reduce the pomegranate in half horizontally with a knife. Then, use your palms to softly separate the arils from the pith. Discard any remaining white piths or membranes.
- Child Spinach – Nutrient-dense and wealthy in antioxidants, child spinach is my favourite ingredient for inexperienced salads. You can too attempt a mixture of child spinach and arugula.
- Pecans – I purchase uncooked pecans and toast them at 350°F for about 10 minutes (simply till they begin to flip somewhat bit darker) to freshen them up and add crunch. Walnuts are a great different. You need not toast walnuts.
- Feta Cheese – It provides creaminess and tang. Goat cheese is a pleasant substitute, and Humboldt Fog goat cheese (one among my favourite cheeses ever!) works superbly right here.
- Dried Cranberries – I exploit Craisins and soak them briefly in scorching water to plump them up. You can too attempt dried cherries or blueberries – soak them in scorching water, too.
Home made Maple-Lemon Dijon Mustard Dressing
It’s made with simply 4 elements: maple syrup, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and contemporary lemon juice.
Be at liberty to substitute honey for maple syrup and use lime juice rather than lemon. All the time use freshly squeezed juice in salad dressing for the freshest taste. Merely mix all elements in a mason jar and whisk for a minute or two till easy and properly emulsified.
Easy methods to Make Pear & Pomegranate Salad
- Toast the Pecans. Place pecans in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes till golden and aromatic.
- Put together the Pomegranate Arils. Take away arils from an entire pomegranate by slicing it in half and utilizing your palms to fastidiously detach the arils from the pith, discarding the peel and membranes.
- Plump the Dried Cranberries. Soak dried cranberries in scorching water for a couple of minutes to make them tender and juicy.
- Slice the Pears. Thinly slice pears simply earlier than serving to maintain them contemporary.
- Make the Salad Dressing. Mix maple syrup, olive oil, Dijon mustard, and contemporary lemon juice in a mason jar. Whisk with a fork for 1-2 minutes till easy and emulsified.
- Assemble the Salad. Add child spinach to particular person salad bowls or a big serving dish. High with sliced pears, pomegranate arils, plumped cranberries, and crumbled feta. Add toasted pecans (some entire, some chopped) and drizzle generously with the dressing.
Useful Ideas
- Make it dairy-free through the use of vegan feta cheese or omitting it altogether.
- Do not wish to use nuts? Toasted pumpkin seeds (often known as pepitas) are an incredible fall substitute for pecans.
- If pomegranates aren’t in season, you possibly can both skip them or substitute them with contemporary raspberries. Raspberries present an analogous tartness and a pop of colour to the inexperienced salad.
- Add Prosciutto. The savory and salty prosciutto at all times pairs superbly with the sweetness of pears.
Make-Forward Ideas
This straightforward spinach salad is right for the autumn season and an effective way so as to add a wholesome facet to your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving menu. You can too share it with family and friends at picnics, potlucks, or barbecues. Merely double or triple the elements as wanted, and think about prepping some elements upfront. Listed below are my ideas:
- Make the salad dressing as much as 24 hours upfront and refrigerate till prepared to make use of.
- Toast the pecans as much as 24 hours upfront and preserve them in a zipped plastic bag, refrigerated.
- Put together the pomegranate arils by eradicating them from an entire pomegranate as much as 24 hours upfront. Retailer them in an hermetic container within the fridge.
- Slice the pears simply earlier than serving to make sure they keep crisp and don’t brown.
- Assemble simply earlier than serving. Do not add the pecans, child spinach, feta cheese, and salad dressing till proper earlier than serving to maintain the pear pomegranate salad contemporary and to forestall the nuts from getting soggy.
Different Fall-inspired Salads
- Spinach Salad with Sautéed Apples, Pecans, and Maple-Lime Dressing
- Christmas Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges, Pomegranate, and Cranberries
- Fall Pasta Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Maple-Lime Dressing
- Fall Harvest Salad with Pears, Apples, Butternut Squash, Pecans, Pumpkin Seeds, and Bacon
Pear and Pomegranate Spinach Salad with Maple-Lemon Mustard Dressing
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Components
Salad dressing
- ¼ cup additional virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice
Salad elements
- 1 cup pecan halves toasted
- ½ cup pomegranate arils
- â…“ cup dried cranberries
- 1 massive Asian pear (it’s also possible to use Bartlett, Bosc, and different sorts) cored and sliced
- 5 oz child spinach
- ⅓ cup feta cheese crumbled
Directions
Make the Salad Dressing
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Mix olive oil, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a mason jar. Whisk with a fork for 1-2 minutes till easy and emulsified.
Put together the Salad Components
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Toast the pecans in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, simply till they flip a bit darker.
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Take away arils from an entire pomegranate by slicing it in half and utilizing your palms to fastidiously detach the arils from the pith, discarding the peel and membranes.
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Soak dried cranberries in scorching water for a couple of minutes to make them tender and juicy.
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Thinly slice pears simply earlier than serving to maintain them contemporary.
Assemble the Salad
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Add child spinach to particular person salad bowls or a big serving dish. High with sliced pears, pomegranate arils, plumped cranberries, and crumbled feta. Add toasted pecans (some entire, some chopped) and drizzle generously with the dressing.
Vitamin
