Fruit can add so much texture and flavour to a salad, without adding a lot of extra calories, which is why we love this Easy Pear Salad. This is a hearty and flavourful salad, suited to the colder months, that is made up of a bed of mixed greens, topped with roasted sweet potato, slices of pear and sprinkled with pecans and feta and a homemade balsamic dressing.
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This pear salad really does have it all, but it's easy to adapt too. Crunchy pear and roasted sweet potato on top of leafy greens and all tossed together in a homemade balsamic dressing for some extra sweetness.
It makes a great winter salad. If you are new to fruit in salads, then a pear salad is a good place to start. Serve a big portion as a main meal, or divide it up as a side to chicken or fish.
What makes this pear salad stand out is the balance of flavours. The sweet potato adds richness and sweetness, the pears keep it light and fresh, the feta brings a salty bite, and the nuts add crunch. It is a salad that actually feels satisfying and filling.
If you are looking for more ways to try pear, take a look at our comforting Apple and Pear Crumble or our nutritious Pear Smoothie.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Fresh pears - Pears should be ripe but still firm enough to slice cleanly. You want them sweet and juicy without being mushy. You could swap it for apple if you prefer.
- Sweet potato - This helps to make the pear salad nice and filling. You could swap it for white potato, or even butternut squash.
- Olive oil - Try to use the best quality olive oil that you can, as you really will be able to taste the difference in the dressing.
- Balsamic vinegar - As with the olive oil, try to use a really good quality one. Cheap balsamic tends to be really thin.
- Mustard - We used a good quality Dijon mustard for the dressing, however you could swap it for wholegrain.
- Honey - Honey and pears go so well together, and it adds a nice sweetness to the dressing.
- Salad leaves - The great thing about a salad, is that it is easy to adapt - especially with the salad leaves. We used a butterhead and spinach mix, however you can use your favourite mix. Rocket (arugula) will add a nice peppery flavour.
- Feta - Cheese and pear are delicious together and we think the creaminess of feta is perfect for this salad. You could use goat's cheese.
- Pine nuts and pecans - These add a lovely crunch to the salad. You can swap them for your favourite nuts and seeds.
Variations
Protein - If you want to make this a more filling salad, then leftover shredded chicken works well with it. You could also add crispy bacon, or cooked quinoa. That turns this pear salad into more of a complete meal.
Cheese - Goat cheese or blue cheese work as a good alternative to feta.
How To Make a Pear Salad
Prep: Preheat your oven to 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6.
- Step 1: Put the cubes of sweet potato onto a baking tray and add the oil. Mix well and bake for 25 minutes, stirring once.
- Step 2: Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing.
- Step 3: Put the salad leaves in a large bowl and add the dressing. Mix well.
- Step 4: Top with cooked sweet potato and slices of pear and then sprinkle over the feta, pecans and pine nuts.
Meal Prep and Storage
Meal prep - Roast the sweet potato in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let it cool fully before storing.
The balsamic dressing can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. Shake or whisk it again before using, as it may separate slightly.
Store - Once the salad is fully assembled and dressed, it is best eaten straight away. Leftovers can still be stored in the fridge for up to 1 day, but the lettuce will soften and the texture will not be quite as fresh.
Dannii's Top Tips
- If your pears aren't quite ripe yet, then you can speed up the ripening process by putting them in a brown paper bag with a ripe banana or apple at room temperature and it should ripen in a couple of days.
- Roast the sweet potato in a single layer so it caramelises rather than steams. If the tray is overcrowded, the cubes will go soft without getting those delicious golden edges.
- A sprinkling of dried cherries or cranberries would be a good addition to this salad.
- Take this salad to the next level by adding candied pecans rather than regular pecans.
- Toast the pecans and pine nuts if you have a few extra minutes. It makes a noticeable difference and brings out much more flavour.
- Add some finely diced shallot to the dressing for extra flavour.
- Cut the pears and dress the salad right before serving to avoid the pears browning and the salad leaves getting soggy.
Frequently Asked Questions
A light squeeze of lemon juice helps slow browning without affecting the flavour too much. This is helpful if you are prepping the pears a little in advance.
I serve them hot. It is actually a really nice contrast with the cold lettuce and pears. Just let it cool slightly after roasting so it does not wilt the greens too much.
More Salad Recipes
If you've tried this pear salad recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Pear Salad with Roasted Sweet Potato & Balsamic Dressing
Ingredients
- 110 g (1 cups) Sweet potato - peeled and cubed
- 3 tablespoon Olive oil
- 2 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
- 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Honey
- 100 g (3.5 oz) Mixed lettuce leaves
- 2 Pears - thinly sliced
- 50 g (0.33 cups) Feta - crumbled
- 2 tablespoon Pine nuts
- 10 Pecans - crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
- Put the cubes of 110 g Sweet potato on a baking tray and add 3 tablespoon Olive oil. Mix well and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, stirring once.
- Mix together 2 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Honey and 1 pinch Sea salt and ground black pepper to make the dressing.
- Put 100 g Mixed lettuce leaves in a large bowl and add the dressing. Mix well.
- Top with cooked sweet potato and slices of 2 Pears and then sprinkle over 50 g Feta, 10 Pecans and 2 tablespoon Pine nuts.
Recipe Tips
- You can swap the feta for blue cheese and the pecans for walnuts.
- Feel free to mix up the greens used. Rocket, spinach, kale and butterhead all work well with this.
- If you want to make this a more filling salad, then leftover shredded chicken works well with it.
- Although the salad is best made fresh, you could make the dressing in advance and it can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- A sprinkling of dried cherries or cranberries would be a good addition to this salad.
- Add some extra colour by using different coloured pears.
- Take this salad to the next level by adding candied pecans rather than regular pecans.
- Add some finely diced shallot to the dressing for extra flavour.
- Cut the pears and dress the salad right before serving to avoid the pears browning and the salad leaves getting soggy.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Jere Cassidy says
I totally love pears and I love fruit in my salads. Your salad is so full of all the goodies that makes a great salad.
Emily Liao says
This pear salad is so delicious and fresh! It was perfect for a warm day too.
henry says
wow delicious
jhon says
HELPFUL
Jacque Hastert says
This salad looks perfect for this time of year! I love that it is loaded with fresh flavors and has just the right amount of crunch.
Priya Lakshminarayan says
That salad looks absolutely stunning..I am making this when I get pears next
Mahy says
I haven't made a salad with pears for a long time now. So really excited to try your recipe - it certainly looks amazing!
Cathleen says
This is one of my favourite combos for salad. I almost always order it in restaurants but have never made it at home. Looks amazing!!
Irina says
Love this salad that combines everything possible and impossible: colors, texture, flavors, and taste. I have just made it for our lunch: it is delicious! I should double the recipe! :)
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
My favourite way to eat sweet potato is to roast it so this looks perfect for a salad, especially with the pecans too.
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food says
I'm not a fan of pears on their own (to me, they have a mealy texture), but they're phenomenal in this salad! There are so many flavors and textures going on, but they don't compete with each other. I'll have to try this with the butternut squash next: I'm sure that will be delicious too!
Kushigalu says
What a great salad recipe packed with full of flavor. Perfect for weather here.
Danielle Wolter says
The flavors in this were just incredible! The pear and sweet potato paired just perfectly with the feta cheese. Great recipe!
Emmeline Kemperyd says
What a great idea to put pears in a salad - I don't think I ever had that before. And of course I love the feta on top as well...
Michelle says
I love all the flavors in this salad. They go together so perfectly. I especially like the bites with pecans and pears