Savory Pear Salad

October 23, 2023

This Savory Pear Salad is a must-make fall recipe featuring crispy bacon, earthy beets, nutty parmesan cheese, plus sweet dates and pears, dressed in a simple balsamic vinaigrette. It’s simple to enjoy for a weekday lunch, but special enough to serve when entertaining this fall.

Gluten Free, Grain Free, Nut Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free option

Last week I bought a big bag of multicolored pears from Trader Joe’s. I am a PEAR LOVER, but honestly, had to come up with some new ways to use this beautiful fall fruit.

I roasted some pears, made pear sauce, snacked on them, and then got creative with adding them to my salads.

But not just ANY salad. I made the most incredible combination of a sweet and savory pear salad.

To be completely transparent, this is NOT one of those recipes I planned in advance. As a recipe developer, I will usually plan my recipes in advance, write it out, then test and re-test to make sure it’s perfect for you. Not this time. I simply opened up my fridge, saw what I had to work with and made a delicious salad that I just HAD to share with you!

This Savory Pear Salad is…

Packed with FLAVOR
A mix of sweet and savory
A must-make fall recipe
Loaded with fiber to keep you full
Freakin’ DELICIOUS!

I consider this salad more of a side salad or appetizer salad than main entree energy, but you can oomph it up (see suggestions below) to make it more of a full meal salad because it has great bones and ingredients to do so.

Ingredients to Make this Savory Pear Salad

You only need 8 ingreients to make this salad, including…

Bacon
Baby lettuce or spring mix
Beets
Quinoa
Parmesan cheese
Pear
Dates
Balsamic vinaigrette

Yes, BACON can be a part of a healthy meal!

Is it a “lean protein”? NOPE!

However, just a bit of bacon does add some protein, but more importantly, it adds FLAVOR + SATISFACTION to your meals. And if adding a little bit of bacon makes your salad more enjoyable and helps you eat more veggies, it’s a WIN!

Can I make this salad dairy free?

Of course! Just omit the parmesan cheese or use a dairy-free substitution. However, if you’re eliminating dairy just for the sake of eliminating dairy, you don’t need to!

How to Make This Savory Pear Salad

This salad comes together in just a few easy steps!

First, cook the bacon. If you have leftovers from breakfast, great! If not, throw a few slices in the oven (my favorite way to cook it) and 18-20 minutes later you’ll have perfectly crispy bacon.

To make a meat-free version, you could even use shiitake bacon.

Next, assemble the salad. I love this salad because it uses a lot of shortcuts. Use…

Steamed beets (from LoveBeets, Gefen, or they sell them at Trader Joe’s)
Cooked quinoa (great if you make a big batch once and then repurpose all week)
Shaved parmesan cheese

Essentially, this is a perfect salad to make after going to Trader Joe’s.

Dress the salad with the best balsamic vinaigrette.

As much as I love creating new dressings, I really love to stick to what I love. This balsamic vinaigrette just works.

How to Turn this Savory Pear Salad into a Balanced Meal

I’m a big fan of balanced meals because they help keep you full, balance your blood sugar, are more satisfying, and much more.

This salad alone is NOT a balanced meal. Yes, it contains some carbs, protein, and fat, but not enough to truly be balanced.

Ideally, you want to aim for 20-30 grams of protein per meal. Therefore, ADDING additional protein can be helpful. This can include:

Grilled chicken (the pre-made grilled chicken from Trader Joe’s would be perfect)
Grilled shrimp
Chickpeas
Air fryer salmon

For more details about how to make this a balanced meal, grab my ebook BINGE TO BALANCED!