Quick Look: Fennel Arugula Pear Salad
- Ready In: 30 minutes
- Serves: 8
- Main Ingredients: arugula, pear, fennel, gorgonzola cheese, roasted pepitas, and homemade champagne vinaigrette.
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian with gluten-free and dairy-free adjustments available.
- Fennel Prep: don’t be intimidated, learn how to cut a fennel bulb into slices!
- Best For: a fresh and delicious side dish for any holiday or gathering.
Share and summarize this recipe:
Your Next Gathering Needs This Epic Side Salad
- Light & fresh flavors that have the bold bite of fennel, a touch of sweetness, and a creamy, homemade vinaigrette!
- Easily prep all of the cut, fresh ingredients and dressing ahead of time for easy assembly.
- A great side salad that will go with just about any main dish for holidays or any family gathering.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for a full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- Pears – we used Bartlett pears for their sweetness, but feel free to use any variety of pears that you love.
- Fennel – this crisp vegetable has a wonderful mild, sweet licorice flavor. Simply remove the leafy tops, bottoms, and the core in the middle. Thinly slice with a knife or mandoline slicer.
- Pepitas – a great option for adding some crunch to the texture of the salad. Highly recommend the honey roasted variety, but any type of pepitas or nuts (like walnuts) would also be delicious.
How To Make A Fennel Pear Salad
Step 1 – Blend all of the champagne vinaigrette ingredients in a small food processor.
Step 2 – Cut and add all of the salad ingredients to a large serving bowl.
Prep Ahead Tips
To make assembling the salad even easier, cook the couscous, cut the fennel, and mix the vinaigrette – store them in separate airtight containers in the fridge until ready.
Step 3 – Right before serving, pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to coat.
Erin’s Testing Tips: What We Learned
– Couscous: cook according to the package instructions, drain, and then make sure you let it cool to room temperature before adding to the salad. If it is too hot, it can cause the arugula to wilt.
– Vinaigrette: after testing, we found that the full amount of dressing was just right to coat all of the salad ingredients without getting too saucy or overpowering the other flavors.
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Ingredients
Champagne Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons light olive oil
- ¼ cup champagne vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- pinch kosher salt and ground black pepper
Fennel Pear Salad:
- ½ cup pearl couscous
- 3 cups arugula
- 1 cup fresh fennel, halved & sliced
- 1 pear, seeds removed & diced or sliced
- ⅓ cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
- ¼ cup honey roasted pepitas
Instructions
- Cook Couscous: Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook ½ cup pearl couscous according to the package directions. Drain and set aside to let fully cool.
- Make Vinaigrette: In a small food processor, add ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons light olive oil, ¼ cup champagne vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, and a pinch kosher salt and ground black pepper. Blend to combine and set aside. Alternatively, you can also whisk everything together in a small bowl.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, add 3 cups arugula, sliced fennel, diced or sliced pear, ⅓ cup Gorgonzola cheese, and ¼ cup honey roasted pepitas. Toss to combine.
- Serve: Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss to coat right before serving!
Notes
- Fennel: cutting a fennel bulb might feel a bit intimidating, so check out our tutorial on how to cut fennel.
- Dairy-Free: swap out the gorgonzola for a dairy-free alternative.
- Gluten-Free: use your favorite gluten-free couscous.
- Prep Ahead of Time: feel free to prep this salad ahead of time (especially if you are adding it to your holiday table), just make sure you wait to cut the pear until right before serving (to prevent browning) and also wait on the vinaigrette in order to prevent sogginess.
- Add Protein: option to turn this salad into a main dish by adding a protein, like air fryer chicken breasts or perfectly grilled steaks.
Nutrition
Original post published on 11/7/17. Recipe retested and new photos added on 10/9/26.
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