Pear Pomegranate Salad combines mixed greens, candied pecans, pears, pomegranates, dried cranberries, and feta. Top with raspberry poppy seed dressing and enjoy!
author’s note
Fresh Pear Pomegranate Salad Guests Remember!
This Pear Pomegranate Salad has become one of the most-made holiday dishes in my home. I started making it a few years ago for Thanksgiving, and now I cannot picture a holiday meal without it. It’s fresh, colorful, crunchy, sweet, and salty with the feta. The raspberry poppy seed dressing ties everything together and is honestly the part people always ask about first.
I can’t count how many times someone has asked me, “What did you put on this salad?” The candied pecans also get a ton of attention. They taste like a treat all on their own, so they make this salad feel special without any extra effort on the day you serve it.
Pear Pomegranate Salad Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swap or Tip |
|---|---|
| Pears | Use ripe Bartlett pears. If unavailable, use thinly sliced canned pears in 100 percent juice. |
| Pomegranate Arils | Buy pre-seeded arils to save time. They are easiest to find from October to February. |
| Candied Pecans | Make them ahead or use store-bought candied pecans. Honey roasted almonds also work. |
| Dried Cranberries | Swap with dried tart cherries for a tangier bite. |
| Feta Cheese | Replace with goat cheese or leave the cheese out. |
| Raspberry Poppy Seed Dressing | Mix equal parts store-bought poppy seed dressing and raspberry dressing for a shortcut. |
Shortcuts
- Candied Pecans: Make them ahead for an easy assembly, or buy pre-candied pecans from the store.
- Pomegranate: Use pre-seeded pomegranate arils (see “quick tip” below).
- Pears: If fresh pears aren’t available, use canned pears in 100% juice and slice thinly.
- Dressing: Prepare 1-2 days in advance and store in a Mason jar in the fridge. Stir before using. If short on time, mix equal parts store-bought poppyseed dressing and raspberry dressing as a quick option.
Quick Tip
Already seeded pomegranates are typically sold in small plastic cups in the produce section of the grocery store. They can sometimes be tricky to find and are usually only sold in the US from October to February.
Storage
This pear pomegranate salad doesn’t keep well after it’s made. Eat it soon after making, or the raspberry dressing will wilt the greens, the pears will brown, and the pecans will soften.
If preparing in advance, store all the parts separately and slice the pear just before putting together.
More Delicious Salad Recipes:
Pear Pomegranate Salad
Equipment
- Sheet pan (15" x 10")
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 large egg white
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cups pecan halves 1 pound
- 6 to 8 ounces fresh spring mix 8 cups, baby lettuce and baby greens
- 1 cup pomegranate arils
- 3/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries or dried tart cherries
- 2 large Bartlett pears thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup feta cheese optional
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard not regular mustard
- 1/2 cup frozen raspberries completely thawed
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil canola or olive oil will work
- 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds
Instructions
For the candied pecans
- Preheat oven to 250°F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg white, water, and vanilla until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add pecans to egg whites and stir to coat the nuts evenly. With a slotted spoon, remove the nuts and toss them in the sugar and cinnamon mixture until coated. Spread the nuts on the prepared sheet pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring and tossing every 15 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Coarsely chop about 1/2 cup for the salad.
For the salad
- Very thinly slice the pears. In a large bowl, add the spring mix, pomegranate arils, dried cranberries, pears, and feta cheese.
For the dressing
- Combine all dressing ingredients except the oil and poppy seeds in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are well combined. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream. Blend until emulsified and smooth.
- Stir in the poppyseeds. This dressing is supposed to be pretty thick—when you toss it with the salad, it does thin out a little with the juices from the salad ingredients.
- Toss the dressing and candied pecans with the salad. Only dress and add pecans to what you will eat because leftovers don’t save well. You can store the salad, pecans, and dressing separately for delicious leftovers!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Variations
- Use dried tart cherries in place of the dried cranberries.
- Swap feta cheese for goat cheese, or simply leave out the cheese altogether.
- Use Fuji or Honey-crisp apples in place of the pears.
- Swap the raspberry dressing for a lemon–poppy seed dressing.
- Add some protein by tossing in some cooked and cooled quinoa or some leftover shredded chicken.
Can you use fresh raspberries instead of frozen? Thanks
Sorry just saw previous response regarding raspberries! Thank you will try!
I love the addition of the pomegranates and the candied pecans. YUM!
Thanks Amy! 🙂
Also how many servings is this recipe?
6-8 as a side. Enjoy!
Can you make the candied pecans ahead of time? Just trying to save time on Christmas Day!
Yes definitely! 🙂
Is there a reason for using frozen and thawed raspberries? Is using fresh raspberries okay?
Fresh is fine too! 🙂 Usually in the winter I’ll use frozen because they are (typically; at least where I’m at) sweeter than fresh.
Is there a substitute that coulf be used for red wine vinegar?
Yes! I’d use white wine vinegar in it’s place 🙂
I won’t have time to make the dressing. Is there something you can recommend a dressing that I can buy instead.
If you are able to make it ahead of time (it keeps for a week) this really is the star of the salad!
To make this a complete meal what meat or fish could I add
Grilled chicken breasts would be delicious with this salad!
The salad was a hit at my work Turkey Day lunch! Everyone went “nuts” over the candied pecans and the salad bowl is empty. I will be making it for a Sunday lunch and for next Thursday. Hope to post a pic before they devour those salad.
Thanks for a great recipe! Best, Patricia
Haha! I’m so thrilled to hear this was a hit 🙂 Thank you so much for the comment Patricia!
You are doing great work. I love reading your blogs and articles, I am a die-hard follower of your work. Thanks for giving so much knowledge to the readers through your inspiring words.