This salad with arugula, pears, bacon, walnuts and parmesan cheese is everything everything a simple fall salad should be! Serve as an appetizer, side dish, or main course topped with Juicy Baked Chicken Breast.
I can’t think of a better way to eat your fruits and veggies than in this salad! Anti-fruit Eric (I can’t wait for him to read this post HA!), is obsessed with this pear salad. The secret to getting Eric to eat pears? Bacon, walnuts, and parmigiano do the trick. Wink.
Besides teasing Eric, this salad is everything a fall salad should be. Opposites attract! Sweet pears, slightly bitter arugula, smoky bacon, salty parmesan cheese, and buttery walnuts…your taste buds are ready for the party!
Tossed in a simple, fresh vinaigrette is all you need to compliment pear season in the best way possible.
More Salad Recipes You’ll Love!
- Southwest Salad with Chili Lime Dressing
- Best Ever Green Goddess Salad (Healthy Dressing!)
- Italian Fennel Orange Salad
- Best Simple Arugula Salad With Mushrooms & Balsamic
Ingredients
- 5 ounces arugula
- ½ pound bacon diced
- ¾ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano finely grated
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 just-ripe Bartlett pear quartered and cut into slices
- 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook bacon in a dry pot over medium-high heat until crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove bacon from pot and set aside to let cool. Drain excess fat (juices), leaving just the bacon drippings in the bottom of the pot. Scrap bacon drippings into the bowl that you will make the dressing.
- In the bowl with the bacon drippings, add white balsamic, honey, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together.
- In a large salad bowl, add arugula, cooled bacon, walnuts, parmesan, and whisked dressing. Toss to combine.
- Plate salad, topping with pear slices and black pepper.
Video
Notes
- You can usually buy finely chopped walnuts in the baking section of your grocery store! If you can’t find them, you can chop them with a knife or a pastry cutter!
- Grana Padano cheese is a great, less expensive substitute for Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- If you can't find white balsamic vinegar, I recommend white wine vinegar.
