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This easy recipe for pear salad with feta is made with fresh ingredients that need little preparation. That means that this tasty salad can be made in a matter of minutes! Fresh pears, pomegranate seeds, feta cheese, pecans, and pepitas are combined over a bed of arugula to give this salad it’s sweet and salty flavor.

This recipe for pear salad with feta is topped with a creamy poppy seed dressing. We provide a recipe for making a creamy poppy seed dressing for those who would like to make their own. You can also use your favorite store-bought creamy poppy seed dressing if you want to make this recipe even easier.

A salad made with arugula, pears, feta cheese, pomegranate seeds, and pepitas. There is a gray towel next to the pear salad. The salad is photographed from a side view.

What is in this pear salad with feta?

What ingredients are used to make this pear salad with feta? Here are all the ingredients you need to make this pear salad with feta.

Arugula. Arugula is the main base that is used in this pear salad with feta. Arugula has a slightly bitter flavor, which means that it pairs well with sweet toppings like pears and other fruits.
Pears. Fresh pears are sliced into pieces and added to the arugula. For best results, we recommend using sweet and tender pears. We generally use ripe Bartlett pears with yellow skin.
Pomegranate seeds. Fresh pomegranate seeds are added to this pear salad for an extra burst of flavor. The pomegranate seeds have a slight tartness. This prevents the combination of the pears and the pomegranate seeds from making the salad overly sweet.
Feta cheese. Feta cheese is the first salty element that is added to this pear salad with feta. The feta cheese helps to create a sweet and salty flavor combination. We recommend using full fat feta cheese and crumbling it into small pieces before adding it to the salad.
Pepitas. Pepitas are the second salty ingredient that is added to this pear salad with feta. For best results, we recommend using salted roasted pepitas. We love these pepitas from Oh Nuts!
Pecan. Pecans are the final ingredient that is added to this pear salad with feta. For best results, we recommend using crushed pecan pieces. This way, the pecans will be better dispersed throughout the salad. We buy these whole pecans from Oh Nuts and gently crush them into pieces.
Creamy poppy seed dressing. Finally, a creamy poppy seed dressing is used to finish off this pear salad with feta. You can either follow our recipe to make a homemade creamy poppy seed dressing or you can use a store bought dressing.

What is in the creamy poppy seed dressing?

What is in the creamy poppy seed dressing we use on this pear salad with feta? Here are all the ingredients needed to make this creamy poppy seed dressing.

Mayo. The first ingredient you need to make this creamy poppy seed dressing is mayo. The mayo gives the creamy poppy seed dressing it’s creamy texture and flavor. We generally use vegan mayo so that the dressing will be egg free.
Olive oil. The next ingredient you need to make the poppy seed dressing is olive oil. For best results, you should use a smooth, buttery olive oil such as California Olive Ranch olive oil. If you use an olive oil with a strong flavor, the flavor of the olive oil will overpower the creamy flavor of the mayo.
Red wine vinegar. In addition to the olive oil, you should also add some red wine vinegar. The acidity in the vinegar brightens up the flavor of the dressing and ensures that that dressing does not taste too heavy.
Sugar. Some sugar is also added to this creamy poppy seed dressing to give the dressing a little bit of sweetness. Poppy seed dressings tend to have a fair amount of sugar in them.
Poppy seeds. You can’t have poppy seed dressing without poppy seeds! We use these McCormick poppy seeds whenever we make poppy seed dressing.
Salt. Salt is added to the creamy poppy seed dressing to enhance all of the other flavors in the dressing.

How to make pear salad with feta?

How do you make this pear salad with feta? Here are all the steps you need to take to prepare this pear salad with feta.

Slice the pears. The first thing you have to do to make this pear salad with feta is slice the pears. We recommend slicing the pears into relatively small slices so that they get more evenly dispersed throughout the salad.
Make the dressing (optional). The next step in making this pear salad with feta is mixing all of the ingredients for the creamy poppy seed dressing in a small bowl. If you choose to use store bought poppy seed dressing, you can skip this step.
Mix the ingredients in a large bowl. After you slice your pears and make your dressing, all that is left is to mix all of the ingredients for your pear salad together in a large bowl. If you plan to eat all of your salad in one sitting, you can pour the dressing over the salad when you mix it. If not, we recommend only adding the salad dressing to the portion of the salad that you plan to eat immediately.

How to store pear salad with feta?

How do you store leftover pear salad? This pear salad can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight storage container. If stored properly, this salad will last for 2 – 3 days. For best results, we recommend storing the dressing separately from the rest of the salad. This will help to ensure that the arugula does not get soggy in the refrigerator.

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