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    Home » Recipes » Soups & Salads » Pear and Rocket Salad

    Published: Oct 2, 2022 by Linda Warren

    Pear and Rocket Salad

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Crispy, tangy pear and rocket salad is a fresh, sweet and peppery salad that satisfies both sweet and salty cravings.

    This arugula pear salad might have multiple layers of complex flavors, but it's an incredibly simple salad to make. This is the perfect dish to serve for an easy lunch or elegant enough to have with a steak dinner.

    Serving of Rocket Salad with Pear in front of full bowl.

    Table of contents

    • Pear Winter Salad
    • What is Rocket Salad?
    • Benefits of Rocket Salad
    • Why You'll Love This Pear Rocket Salad
    • Ingredients
    • Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
    • How to Make Rocket Pear Salad
    • Recipe Tips and Notes
    • Popular Salad Recipes

    Pear Winter Salad

    This pear rocket and parmesan salad has the ultimate combination of flavors.

    Pears are syrupy-sweet, with a texture that melts on your tongue. They are the perfect things to add on top of earthy and peppery arugula and woodsy almonds. The thin parmesan cheese shavings compliment the mellow saltiness of the salad. Then this arugula pear salad is dressed in a honeyed vinaigrette.

    It's a fancy salad that tastes exquisite with steak or a homemade steak and scallops with champagne butter sauce combination. Or save yourself time in the kitchen and serve it accompanied by air fryer chicken skewers for a fast lunch.

    Bite of salad on fork.

    What is Rocket Salad?

    Rocket is also called Arugula in the United States and Canada. It is green leaf lettuce that has a peppery flavor, which pairs nicely with many main dishes.

    Benefits of Rocket Salad

    Rocket salad, aka arugula, is a nutrient-dense leafy green vegetable with calcium, folate, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin K. It is full of antioxidants that can protect against cell damage. It also has glucosinolates that may protect against certain cancers.

    Overhead of arugula pear salad with serveware.

    Why You'll Love This Pear Rocket Salad

    This is such an elegant salad for your next girls' night in. Tons of flavor, but a great compliment to your main dish.

    The peppery kick from the arugula ties in so nicely with the sweet pear. The saltiness of the parmesan cheese along with the sliced onions takes the salad to the next level.

    The earthiness of the sliced almonds creates depth but allows the arugula and pear to take center stage.

    This pear and rocket salad recipe is super quick to make but comes off as so elegant.

    Ingredients

    Rocket and Pear Salad ingredients.

    Here's what you'll need for the arugula pear salad:

    • Arugula spring salad mix
    • Pear - make sure the pear is ripe but firm
    • Parmesan cheese - elevates the salad with its strong umami flavor
    • Red onion - adds color and has a milder taste than yellow onions
    • Sliced almonds - add a nice crunch
    • Salt
    • Pepper
    Vinaigrette ingredients.

    Here's what you'll need for the pear salad dressing:

    • Extra virgin olive oil
    • Rosé balsamic vinegar - is a lighter, brighter tasting vinegar than straight balsamic
    • Honey - adds sweetness to the dressing
    • Dijon mustard - gives a burst of tanginess
    • Salt
    • Pepper

    Not only is this the best dressing for rocket salad, it's also great on many other mixed green salads. You'll find it to be a staple and will use it often.

    Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

    • The best pears for salad are firm ones that are not over-ripe or mushy. Bosc, Anjou, and Bartlett pears are great choices.
    • Vinegar alternatives: red wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, or rice vinegar.
    • Cheese alternatives: feta, goat cheese, blue cheese, stilton, or gorgonzola.
    • Nut alternatives: walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, or pepitas (pumpkin seed kernels).
    • Arugula alternatives: all mixed greens or spinach.
    • Add grilled chicken for a hearty main dish salad.

    How to Make Rocket Pear Salad

    Steps 1-2 to make salad.
    1. Place rocket spring mix in a large bowl. Slice pear and red onion.
    2. Shave Parmesan cheese.
    Steps 3-4 to finish salad.
    1. Mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
    2. Place the sliced salad ingredients and cheese on top of the rocket spring mix.
    Drizzling vinaigrette on salad.
    1. For the finishing touch, drizzle the vinaigrette over individual servings of arugula pear salad. Serve while the salad is fresh and crisp.

    Recipe Tips and Notes

    • Use a vegetable peeler to shave parmesan into long strips.
    • If you want more dressing you can double the recipe. It is a light dressing. A spoonful is used for each serving.
    • Because dressing will wilt salad greens, it is best to dress the salad just prior to serving.
    • If you have leftovers and the salad has been dressed, the following day the salad will be wilted and wet.
    • The dressing can be made ahead of time. It can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Note the oil will solidify and you'll need to set it out to get it to room temperature. Shake it vigorously prior to drizzling it on the salad.

    Popular Salad Recipes

    • Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Harvest Chicken Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
    • Cucumber Tomato Salad tossed in olive oil and vinegar
    • Brussels Sprouts Apple Salad from A Cedar Spoon
    • Strawberry Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans and Raspberry Vinaigrette

    Find lots of healthy and easy salad recipes on 2CM.

    LOVE QUICK & EASY RECIPES? FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK, & PINTEREST FOR ALL THE LATEST RECIPE INSPIRATION! PLUS JOIN MY EMAIL LIST AND RECEIVE A FREE E-BOOK. 

    Arugula Salad with pear on plate with bowl in background.

    Rocket Salad with Pear

    Crispy, tangy pear and rocket salad is fresh, sweet, and easy to make. Great for lunch or elegant enough to serve with steak for dinner.
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    Print Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 187kcal
    Author: Linda Warren

    Ingredients

    Salad

    • 5 ounces arugula spring salad mix
    • 1 medium pear sliced
    • 3 ounces parmesan cheese shaved
    • ⅔ cup red onions sliced
    • ¼ cup sliced almonds
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper

    Vinaigrette

    • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 Tablespoons rose balsamic vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons honey
    • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    Instructions

    Salad

    • Add the arugula spring mix lettuce to a large bowl.
    • Season with salt and pepper then top with the sliced onions, pears, shaved cheese and almonds.

    Vinaigrette

    • Place all the vinaigrette ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until fully mixed. Drizzle a spoonful of vinaigrette for each serving.

    Notes

    RECIPE TIPS & NOTES
    • Use a vegetable peeler to shave parmesan into long strips.
    • If you want more dressing you can double the recipe. It is a light dressing. A spoonful is used for each serving.
    • Because dressing will wilt salad greens, it is best to dress the salad just prior to serving.
    • If you have leftovers and the salad has been dressed, the following day the salad will be wilted and wet.
    • The dressing can be made ahead of time. It can be kept in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. Note the oil will solidify and you'll need to set it out to get it to room temperature. Shake it vigorously prior to drizzling it on the salad.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 434mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 673IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 225mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Hey, I’m Linda, the recipe creator, photographer and cocktail lover at 2 Cookin Mamas. Here you’ll find easy recipes that are not only delicious but can get you out of the kitchen ASAP. Come and join me and let me take you on a tasty trip through your kitchen. Thanks for stopping by! Learn more about me

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