I made this salad on a whim and it took 5 minutes, was so impressive and beautiful and DELICIOUS.  I know you love some healthful recipes on your Thanksgiving table to balance the rich ones, so I thought I would share this in anticipation of the holiday.  It’s also so great for a quick dinner party side dish.  Check the notes at the bottom of the recipe for swaps.  Also, if you need help with Thanksgiving, I highly recommend my Thanksgiving ebook for $15.  It has over 100 recipes and loads of tips and tricks to help you execute the best holiday with the least amount of stress!!

Why You’ll Love This Pear Carpaccio

• It’s nutritious and delicious
• Vegetarian (and vegan adaptable)
• It’s a light and fresh winter salad if you’re not in the mood for a warm dish
• It takes 5 minutes to make 
• It’s a great combo of salty and sweet

Ingredients

• Pears – it’s pear season! Pears are sweet, refreshing and full of antioxidants. 
• Arugula – I love using arugula in salads for a bight and peppery flavor which contrasts perfectly with fruit. 
• Nuts – I used walnuts here, but you can choose any nut you like! Shaved almonds or chopped pistachios would be good here too, as would toasted pumpkin seeds if you have a nut allergy. 
• Pomegranate seeds – it’s also pomegranate season! Oh how I love this delightful fruit, but it can be confusing how to remove the crunchy, juicy seeds from the fruit. Watch this video where I demonstrate my favorite method for how to do it.
• Dressing – use your favorite EVOO and balsamic vinegar for the dressing with some salt and pepper – we are keeping it simple.
• Cheese – I used feta because Hubs won’t eat blue cheese, but blue cheese, parmesan or manchego would also be fabulous.

How to Make Pear Carpaccio

1. Wash 3 pears and thinly slice (you can also use a mandoline like I did).
2. Arrange the pear slices slightly overlapping on a large serving plate.
3. In a large bowl, add 6 ounces of washed arugula. Add a pinch of flaky salt and black pepper and drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Toss gently (I use my hands).
4. Transfer the dressed arugula on top of the sliced pears. Top with pomegranate seeds, crushed nuts, and cheese of choice. 

Tips

• Wash your arugula and pears ahead of time.
• The pears should be ripe and fragrant but not soft.  They need to be firm enough to slice thinly.
• Check out this video for how to easily seed pomegranates!
• Might be delicious with hot honey on top! Give it a try!

Substitutions

• Arugula for kale (make sure to massage the kale with the dressing well!) or mixed baby greens
• Pomegranate seeds for dried cranberries or your favorite dried fruit
• Feta for blue cheese, parmesan, manchego, or a plant-based feta (you can also omit the cheese altogether for a vegan version)

Other recipes you may like:

Dandelion and Radicchio Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Fall Market Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette and Savory Granola

Fall Salad with Apples and Walnut Vinaigrette Recipe

Endive and Pear Salad with Walnuts and Parmesan Recipe

If you give this pear carpaccio a try, snap a pic and tag @pamelasalzman so I can see your beautiful creations. I also really appreciate readers taking the time to leave a rating and review! Subscribe for free to my site for the latest recipes,  updates and things I’m loving lately.  If you enjoy this recipe, chcek out my online class!  Give me an hour a month, and I’ll make you a better, healthier cook!