In Search Of Yummy-ness

  • Recipes
  • Cooking
  • Seasonal Living 🌱
  • Subscribe
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cooking
  • Seasonal Living 🌱
  • Subscribe
  • About
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Cooking
  • Seasonal Living 🌱
  • Subscribe
  • About
×
In Search Of Yummy-ness » Recipes » Fall Recipes

Spinach Pear Salad with Pecans and Goat Cheese

Updated: February 8, 2023 • Published: May 18, 2016 by Shareba Abdul • 20 Comments

4.2 from 52 votes
JUMP TO RECIPE

Share or Save for Later ⤵

122.1K shares
  • 286

Who says salads have to be boring? This spinach salad with pears, pecans and goat cheese is easy to make and delicious!

A beige bowl full of spinach pear salad.

This spinach pear salad isn't exactly new or ground-breaking, but it's really delicious.

Even back when I didn't really enjoying eating salads, I would happily eat this one. The combination of sweet baby spinach, crunchy toasted pecans and juicy pears works together so well, you might even be able to convert the salad haters in your life!

A beige bowl with baby spinach, slices of pear, crumbled goat cheese and pecan peices.

🍐 Ingredients

This recipe is simple, but packs a ton of flavour. Here's what I used in my salad.

  • Baby Spinach
  • Pears
  • Pecans
  • Goat Cheese

For the dressing, I wanted a balance of sweet and tangy flavours. To achieve that, I went with a balsamic and Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Feel free to use your favourite homemade or store-bought vinaigrette instead, though.

🥬 Substitutions

While baby spinach works best in this recipe, you can also make it with flat-leaf (also known as smooth leaf) spinach. This is a sweet type of spinach that is best served raw, and it's usually what you'll find in bags at the grocery store.

I would avoid using savoy spinach (the crinkly ones), as those can be bitter and benefit from being cooked.

For the pears, you have a few options. Bartletts, the most-common pear worldwide, have a soft juicy texture that works well in this spinach salad. If you prefer a firmer texture, a Bosc or Green Anjou pear would be good options.

You can substitute walnuts, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for the pecans, and blue cheese or feta for the goat cheese.

An overhead view of a beige bowl of spinach pecan salad with pears and goat cheese.

🥗 Making the Salad

This salad is super easy to prepare, even if you toast your own pecans and make the vinaigrette from scratch.

If you opt to buy pre-washed baby spinach, pre-toasted nuts and a bottled vinaigrette, you're that much closer to eating!

Essentially, once you've washed your produce, all that's left to do is slice your pears, chop your pecans, and crumble your cheese. Assemble, top with your dressing, and you're ready to eat!

It's important to note that you don't have to peel the pears if you don't want to. Not only does this save time, but the skin is also a good source of fibre. Just be sure to give your pears a good wash before cutting them up.

If the skin on your pears is very tough (which is sometimes the case when you buy them out of season) you can go ahead and peel them. I had to do that when I took the photos for this recipe.

I hope you try making this salad, and if you do let me know what you think of it in the comments below!

Recipe

A beige bowl with baby spinach, slices of pear, crumbled goat cheese and pecans.
Created By: Shareba Abdul

Spinach Pear Salad with Pecans and Goat Cheese

4.18 from 52 votes
This delicious spinach salad gets crunch from toasted pecans, creaminess from goat cheese and sweetness from juicy ripe pears!
Print Recipe SaveSaved!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 15 minutes mins
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 453
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients  

For the Dressing:
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard optional (helps to emulsify the dressing)
  • pinch of salt and pepper
For the Salad:
  • 8 cups baby spinach washed and dried
  • ½ cup pecans toasted and chopped
  • 2 large ripe pears washed and sliced into wedges (peeling optional)
  • ⅓ cup plain goat cheese crumbled

Method
 

For the Dressing:
  1. Place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined. Alternatively, you can add the ingredients to a mason jar, screw the lid on tightly, and shake to combine.
For the Salad:
  1. Place spinach and pecans in a large bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of dressing, then use your hands to toss the salad to combine the ingredients. Add the pear slices to the salad, and toss again, gently.
  2. Divide the salad among serving plates, and top with goat cheese and extra dressing as needed. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 453kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 7gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 136mgPotassium: 514mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 5852IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 3mg

Notes

If you don't want to make the salad dressing, you can try this recipe with your favourite store-bought vinaigrette, or a simple homemade oil and vinegar vinaigrette. 
Substitutions:
  • Use flat-leaf (or smooth-leaf) spinach instead of baby spinach. Avoid crinkly savoy spinach, as it's best eaten cooked. 
  • Bartlett pears are great if you want a lot of juice and sweetness. Bosc or Green Anjou pears are better options if you want more crunch.
  • Walnuts, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds can be used instead of pecans.
  • Blue cheese or feta can be used instead of goat cheese. 

Tried this recipe?

Let me know how it was!

More Fall Recipes

  • A slice of pumpkin pie made with a graham cracker crust topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream on a matte white plate.
    Pumpkin Pie in Graham Cracker Crust
  • A collage of four fall drink photos with a text overlay that says 17 fall drinks non-alcoholic.
    17 Non-Alcoholic Fall Drinks
  • A collage of four different dishes with a text overlay that says 19 Easy Recipes for Thanksgiving.
    Easy Thanksgiving Recipes
  • A white bowl with a spoon and a cobbler square topped with vanilla ice cream.
    Plum Cobbler

Comments

    Leave a Comment: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate This Recipe:




  1. Tori says

    November 10, 2023 at 12:36 pm

    A tasty and easy way to eat some fruit and veg, what’s not to love? I used the blue cheese variation, and tossed in some pomegranate seeds for a fruity pop. Thanks for a great salad option!

    Reply
    • Shareba says

      November 14, 2023 at 3:33 pm

      That combination sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
« Older Comments
A photo of Shareba Abdul, founder of In Search Of Yummy-ness.

Hi, I'm Shareba!

I’m a home cook with a culinary arts certificate who shares seasonal comfort food recipes and cozy living inspiration.

Read More About Me

Seasonal Recipes

  • Bowl of Apple Crisp with Oats and Pecans covered in a scoop of ice cream with a spoon.
    Apple Crisp with Pecans
  • A blue plate with three folded pumpkin crepes on it. The crepes are topped with chocolate syrup and chopped pecans.
    Pumpkin Crepes
  • A slice of pumpkin pie made with a graham cracker crust topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream on a matte white plate.
    Pumpkin Pie in Graham Cracker Crust
  • Four roasted chestnuts on a baking tray with salt sprinkled on them.
    How to Roast Chestnuts in the Oven

Popular Recipes

  • A close up of a clear cup containing a mexican corn mixture.
    Mexican Corn Cups (Esquites or Elote en Vaso)
  • A square plate filled with tuna carpaccio and capers.
    Tuna Carpaccio with Lime
  • A stuffed mushroom filled with melted brie and crunchy Panko breadcrumbs.
    Stuffed Mushrooms with Brie
  • Persian rice on a green platter topped with crispy potato tahdig and tart barberries.
    Persian Rice with Potato Tahdig

Footer

In Search Of Yummy-ness Logo. Text says "In Search Of Yummy-ness".
↑ back to top

Explore

  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletter Archive
  • Links and Offers
  • My Favourite Gardening Supplies

About

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosures and Copyright
  • Terms of Service
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 • In Search Of Yummy-ness • All Rights Reserved • This website generates income via ads, affiliate links and sponsored posts. Which means that if you click on a product link, we may receive a commission in return. Please read our privacy policy and disclosures for more information.

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required