Roasted Pear Salad with Arugula and Spiced Maple Vinaigrette

This Roasted Pear Salad with Arugula and Spiced Maple Vinaigrette is a showstopper that brings together a winning combination of flavors and textures – a delicious salad worthy of your holiday table.

Tossed salads are the dinnertime workhorses. We throw them together without a whole lot of thought as an easy way to fill our bodies with extra vegetables.

Fair enough.

But entertaining, whether it’s friends over for a casual weekend dinner or family over for the holidays, calls for composed salads. These are salads that are not tossed – rather, they are thoughtfully presented for maximum appeal, not to mention exceptional flavors and textures.

Allow me to introduce you to my new favorite – my roasted pear salad.

Let’s get into it!

Want to know my other favorite fall salads? My Beet & Butternut Squash Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette has roasted beets with raw butternut squash ribbons on a bed of greens dressed in an incredible vinaigrette with fresh and crystallized ginger, and my Pear and Fennel Salad with Double Lemon Vinaigrette is simple, fresh, and crunchy.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this pear arugula salad:

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

The ingredients to make this salad are pretty easy to find and readily available at almost any grocery store.

Here are a few ingredient notes:

Pears: Use Bosc pears for their superior texture when baked and their mellow sweetness. Look for unblemished and firm pears (overly ripe pears will break down and become mushy when roasted). If you are unable to find Bosc pears, substitute with Anjou pears would be your next best option.

Delicata squash: Delicata squash adds a different sweetness to the salad, and I love how easy it is to work with – the kids are edible, and when you slice it, the pieces need no further cutting, as they are the perfect size. Easily substitute with sweet potatoes, acorn squash, honey nut squash, or butternut squash.

Arugula: Use peppery arugula as one of the greens to offset the sweetness of the pears and vinaigrette. If you can’t find arugula, you can substitute it with baby kale to great effect.

Belgian endive: From the chicory family, Belgian endive are tight, compact cylindrical heads that are about 5-6 inches long. They are white in color and yellowish-green at the tips, with a bitter flavor and a crisp and juicy texture. If you can’t find Belgian endive, substitute with frisée or escarole for a similar flavor, albeit a different texture.

Treviso: Treviso is a variety of radicchio from northern Italy, which is also from the chicory family. They look like a larger Belgian endive and are deep red in color. Look for firm compact heads, and if you can’t find them, you can substitute with radicchio.

Little gem lettuces: If you can find them use little gem lettuces, as they are the perfect combination of crisp texture and slightly sweet flavor. These little heads are tight and compact and hold up so well in a salad like this. If you can’t find them, substitute romaine or red leaf lettuce.

Spices: This vinaigrette plays to the season and uses cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and ginger for a perfect complement to the roasted sweet pears. Use pumpkin pie spice as a substitute for ease or if you don’t have all of the other spices.

Dijon mustard: Use Dijon mustard (this is the one that I used) in this vinaigrette for a touch of sharpness and its emulsification properties in keeping the vinaigrette mixed. Substitute whole grain mustard if you don’t have Dijon.

Maple syrup: Maple syrup pairs so well with the spices in the vinaigrette and takes the edge off the bitter and peppery greens. Use pure maple syrup for its superior clean flavor – that is to say, this is not the time for Log Cabin or Mrs. Butterworth’s. Substitute honey or brown sugar if you don’t have maple syrup.

Orange: Use the zest and juice of a large navel orange. Although the flavor will not be as sweet, you can substitute lemon.

Goat cheese: Use soft goat cheese to add a creamy and salty note to the finished salad. Substitutes might include feta cheese, ricotta salata, or a creamy blue cheese.

Pomegranate: Use fresh pomegranate seeds for pops of fresh, juicy, and tangy flavor. See the step-by-step photos below for how to seed a pomegranate.

Pistachios: Use bright green pistachios for added texture. The best substitutes would be walnuts or pecans.

Let’s Make Roasted Pear Salad with Arugula and Spiced Maple Vinaigrette Together: STEP BY STEP

Steps 1, 2 & 3:

First, cut the pears in half, lengthwise, and remove the cores using a melon baller or a paring knife.

Second, if any of the root end is left, remove it by cutting it in the shape of a V with a small sharp paring knife.

Third, slice each half of pear into 1/3-inch thick slices.

Steps 4, 5 & 6:

You should have a pile of cross-section slices of pears. Next, slice off the ends of a delicata squash and then stand it up on a cutting board and cut it in half, from top to bottom.

Then, remove the seeds, place them cut-side down on the cutting board, and slice them into 1/3-inch thick slices.

Steps 7, 8 & 9:

Place the squash on one sheet pan and the pears on another, drizzle them both with olive oil, and season them with salt and pepper. Finally, roast them in a 400-degree oven for about 25 minutes.

While the squash and pears are roasting, make the vinaigrette by whisking all of the ingredients in a small bowl until they are completely emulsified.

Steps 10, 11 & 12:

Prepare the Treviso by cutting it in half, lengthwise, and then in half again. Similarly, prepare the Belgian endive by slicing off the end and removing the leaves (keep them whole).

Remove the pears from the oven when they are nice and golden brown and let them cool to room temperature.

Steps 13, 14 & 15:

At the same time, remove the squash and let it cool, too.

Finally, assemble the salad by layering all of the greens by variety on a large platter and drizzle the vinaigrette all over them.

Steps 16 & 17:

Layer the squash down the center of the platter, and then repeat with the roasted pears. Lastly, drizzle more vinaigrette over the squash and pears, and then top with chopped pistachios, pomegranate seeds, and fresh goat cheese.

Technique: How To Seed a Pomegranate

I have seeded a pomegranate every which way that it can be done, but I find this way to be the easiest and least messy!

Serving Suggestions

• Serve this alongside your holiday main dishes to add something fresh and crisp.
• As an appetizer before this Cast Iron Ribeye Steak, these Pork and Apple Meatballs, or this Roasted Salmon with Butternut Squash.
• This salad and a delicious soup like my Curried Parsnip Soup with Brown Butter Drizzle or my Creamy Carrot and Red Lentil Soup with Garlicky Croutons, would make a lovely light meal.

Storage & Reheating

STORAGE:
This salad is best enjoyed the same day that it is made, but if you do have any leftovers, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

REHEATING:
If you want to reheat the pears to remove the chill or even serve them warm, place them on a sheet pan or baking dish and into a 350 degree oven until warmed through.

Recipe Card

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