Pear Walnut Salad with Maple Cinnamon Dressing

4.87 from 15 votes

Pear Walnut Salad with Maple Cinnamon Dressing

A fall-inspired Pear Walnut Salad featuring peppery arugula, sweet juicy pears, crunchy candied walnuts and a simple maple cinnamon dressing to bring it all together.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Salad

Cuisine: vegan

Servings:

Calories: 298kcal

Author: Melanie McDonald

Ingredients

For the candied walnuts

62g / ½ cup walnut halves , or pieces
1 tablespoon maple syrup
small pinch of salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the salad

8 big handfuls arugula , (rocket in the UK)
2 large red pears (use green if you can't find red- red apples would make a good sub too)

For the dressing

60mls / ¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup balsamic or apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , omit to make oil-free
pinch salt

Instructions

For the candied walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F (175 °C)
Mix walnuts with maple syrup, salt and cinnamon. Spread out on a lined baking tray and bake for 7 to 8 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

For the dressing

Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small jar. Put the lid on and shake well.

For the salad

Wash the pears gently and half them lengthways. Remove the cores with a teaspoon then cut each half into long thin slices.
Add the arugula and sliced pear to a large salad bowl
Sprinkle over the cooled walnuts.
Drizzle generously with the dressing just before serving

Notes

Success Tips

Red pears look best but green will do
Make sure the pears you use are really ripe
Dress just before serving to keep the greens fresh and vibrant and the nuts crunchy
If made in advance store the nuts in an airtight container so they stay nice and crunchy.

Possible variations

Not got pears? Use red apples instead
Spinach or romaine lettuce works well in place of the arugula
Add some vegan feta cheese crumbles for a tasty, creamy, salty hit
Add some chewy dried fruit for more texture. Cherries, cranberries and dates work well
Use pecans instead of walnuts
Add some avocado
Add some pomegranate arils for an extra burst of flavour and colour
If you don't have time to candy the walnuts in the oven just toast them gently in a pan on the stovetop instead
Omit the oil to make it oil-free

Nutrition