This pear salad bursts with flavor from juicy pears, greens, nuts, cheese, and a simple homemade dressing. It’s perfect for fall, summer gatherings, holidays, lunch, dinner, or meal prep.
Don't miss to check out our most loved pear bread or coffee cake.
Pear Salad with Walnuts, Cranberries, and Feta
If you are looking for a fresh, quick, and easy salad recipe, this pear salad is a perfect choice. Juicy pears are paired with crunchy walnuts, sweet-and-sour cranberries, creamy feta, crisp greens, and a light homemade dressing, creating a balance of sweet and savory flavors.
This salad is so flexible—substitute pears with apples or combine both. Serve as a healthy lunch, a side for dinner, for BBQs, picnics, potlucks, or holidays. The best part: it comes together in minutes with simple ingredients.
Check out our simplest apple salad and kale chickpea salad.
Ingredients
- Pears: Use firm varieties such as Bartlett, Anjou, or Bosc, individually or mixed.
- Lettuce: Use mixed greens, lettuce, spinach, or arugula.
- Walnuts: Provide crunch and texture to the salad.
- Feta cheese: Offers a creamy, salty flavor.
- Dried cranberries: add chewy texture and a sweet-tart flavor.
- Onions: Add sharpness and crunch, balancing the salad's sweetness.
For the dressing, simple, basic ingredients like olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper are all you need.
Check out the recipe card for the full list of ingredients.
Step-by-step instructions
- Whisk lemon juice, honey, pepper, salt, and olive oil in a small bowl.
- Combine lettuce, pears, onion, basil, walnuts, cranberries, and feta in a mixing bowl.
- Drizzle dressing over the salad before serving. Toss until combined.
- Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Tips
- Use ripe but firm pears for the texture.
- You can use pecans instead of walnuts.
- You can add spinach or arugula for a peppery taste.
- For a complete meal, add grilled or shredded chicken.
- Serve the pear salad fresh. To prep ahead, keep dressing separate until serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
- For a milder onion flavor, you can soak them in cold water for 10 minutes before adding them to the salad.
Variations
Pear walnut salad: Add an additional ¼ cup of walnuts and maple dressing for a richer flavor.
Pear and Goat Cheese Salad: Swap feta for goat cheese for added tang.
Pear Spinach Salad: Use baby spinach instead of lettuce.
Pear Cranberry Salad: Most popular during holidays. Use more cranberries for extra sweetness and festive flavor.
Serving suggestions
- This pear salad complements your holiday meals.
- Serve with grilled chicken, roasted salmon, soups, or sandwiches.
- This recipe works well for summer BBQs, potlucks, and picnics.
More salad recipes
Recipe card
Pear Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups Lettuce
- 3 cups Pear, diced
- 1 Onion small, sliced
- 5 to 6 Basil
- ¼ cup Walnuts toasted
- ¼ cup Cranberries
- ¼ cup Feta cheese
For the salad dressing
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 to 2 tablespoon Honey
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
- 3 tablespoon Olive oil
Instructions
- Whisk lemon juice, honey, pepper, salt, and olive oil in a small bowl.2 tablespoon Lemon juice, 1 to 2 tablespoon Honey, ½ teaspoon Pepper, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 3 tablespoon Olive oil
- Combine lettuce, pears, onion, basil, walnuts, cranberries, and feta in a mixing bowl.3 cups Lettuce, 3 cups Pear, , 1 Onion, 5 to 6 Basil, ¼ cup Walnuts, ¼ cup Cranberries, ¼ cup Feta cheese
- Drizzle dressing over the salad before serving. Toss until combined.
- Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.
Video
Notes
- Use ripe but firm pears for the texture.
- You can use pecans instead of walnuts.
- You can add spinach or arugula for a peppery taste.
- For a complete meal, add grilled or shredded chicken.
- Serve the pear salad fresh. To prep ahead, keep dressing separate until serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
- For a milder onion flavor, you can soak them in cold water for 10 minutes before adding them to the salad.
Nutrition
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