Pear Pomegranate Salad

A salad using pears, about to be tossed and served, making it a delicious and healthy side dish.

4.93 from 14 votes

This seasonal Pear Pomegranate Salad is a winner! Mixed greens, candied pecans, juicy Bartlett pears, pomegranate arils, dried cranberries, and feta come alive with a drizzle of homemade raspberry poppy seed dressing. So fresh, so good!

Prep Time25

Cook Time45

Total Time1 10

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Pear Pomegranate Salad

Servings: as a side salad

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $8.12

Equipment

Sheet pan (15" x 10")
Parchment paper
Blender or food processor

Ingredients

Candied Pecans—See Note 1

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

Salad

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

Dressing

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

US - Metric

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!

Notes

Note 1: This recipe for candied pecans will yield more than you need for Pear Pomegranate Salad. Sugaring the pecans works best with this volume; leftovers store nicely! Store leftover candied pecans in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months or in the pantry for 2–3 weeks.

Nutrition Note: Nutritional profile does not include the candied pecans, as that can vary based on how much you add.

Storage: This salad doesn’t store well after being made. Enjoy soon after making, or the raspberry dressing will wilt the greens, the pears will brown, and the pecans will soften.

Nutrition