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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.

This Pear Walnut Salad with Maple Cinnamon Dressing is just full of beautiful fall flavours and colours. We're talking a combination of peppery arugula, sweet juicy pears, crunchy candied walnuts and a simple maple cinnamon dressing.

The red skins of the pears look so pretty against the deep green arugula and the pear juices seep into the dressing once the salad is mixed adding even more flavour. It's just a dream to eat.

How to make Pear Walnut Salad

For detailed measurements and instructions, scroll to my printable recipe card at the bottom of the page or click the "jump to recipe" button at the top of the page.

This Pear Walnut Salad comes together very quickly and easily. The only cooking involved is making the candied walnuts. Here's how it's done in 4 simple steps:

Toss the walnuts with the maple syrup, cinnamon and salt and bake for 5 minutes. Mix or shake up the dressing ingredients. Core and slice the pears. Put the arugula in a bowl, add the pears and walnuts and toss through the dressing.

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.

What goes with Walnut Pear Salad?

Eat this Pear Walnut Salad as a side with your evening meal or with some soup for lunch. It can also be enjoyed on its own as a light lunch or dinner and it's perfect served up as a side or appetizer on your holiday table.

Try bulking it out by serving on a bed of green lentils tossed with some of the dressing, or serve it with:

Ways you can adapt this recipe

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

Tips for making ahead

Fresh pears don't keep well once cut so it's best to make this salad just before you want to enjoy it. However, you can make the dressing up to a week ahead and store it in the refrigerator and candy the walnuts and store them in an airtight container. They will keep for a few weeks.

Hungry for more?

Looking for more tasty salads? You might also enjoy my:

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Pear Walnut Salad with Maple Cinnamon Dressing Melanie McDonald 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. 4.86 from 14 votes Print Recipe Pin Recipe Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 5 mins Total Time 20 mins Course Salad Cuisine vegan Servings 4 Calories 298 kcal Ingredients 1x 2x 3x For the candied walnuts 62g / ½ cup walnut halves , or pieces 62g / ½ cup walnut halves , or pieces

1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 tablespoon maple syrup

small pinch of salt small pinch of salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon For the salad 8 big handfuls arugula , (rocket in the UK) 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) 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 60mls / ¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup balsamic or apple cider vinegar ¼ cup balsamic or apple cider vinegar

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , omit to make oil-free 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil , omit to make oil-free

pinch salt pinch salt INSTRUCTIONS For the candied walnuts Preheat oven to 350°F (175 °C) 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. 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. 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. 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 Add the arugula and sliced pear to a large salad bowl

Sprinkle over the cooled walnuts. Sprinkle over the cooled walnuts.

Drizzle generously with the dressing just before serving 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 Serving: 1 serving Calories: 298 kcal Carbohydrates: 37 g Protein: 3 g Fat: 17 g Saturated Fat: 2 g Sodium: 4 mg Potassium: 258 mg Fiber: 5 g Sugar: 27 g Vitamin A: 76 IU Vitamin C: 5 mg Calcium: 56 mg Iron: 1 mg Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy only. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only. Tried this recipe? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @avirtualvegan on Instagram and hashtag it #avirtualvegan Get my Top 10 reader's favourite recipes e-Cookbook FREE!

This recipe was originally published on September 16th 2016. I've tweaked the post a bit and now I am republishing it for you. The actual recipe remains the same. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are you supposed to eat the skin of the pear? Yes. The skin is full of fibre which is really good for you. Also if using red pears, the skin adds a lovely colour contrast in this salad. Why does the salad dressing separate? It's natural for salad dressing with oil in it to separate. Oil repels other liquids and unless they are emulsified separation will naturally occur. Just give the dressing a good shake or whisk before pouring over the salad.