Asian Pear and Pomegranate Salad

Have you tried Asian pears? They’re amazing. Sometimes called “apple pears,” they’re small apple shaped pears. A good one has the crunch of an apple, but the juiciness and flavor of a pear. They’re so incredible. We’ve seen them more available in our markets lately, so we’ve been scooping them up every week we can get our hands on them. I love them sliced for a snack or side, but I’ve also been tossing them into salads.

This combination is my favorite. The creaminess of the avocado, a bit of protein from chicken (if you like), the sweetness of the dried cherries, depth from the hazelnuts, and a bit of brightness from the pomegranate. The dressing is as simple as it gets–just a bit of balsamic and olive oil, with a bit of honey (if you like).

As is always the case with salad, these ingredients are flexible. Skip the avocado if you don’t like it. Using this as a main dish? Bump up the chicken. Vegan or doing a Whole30? Skip the drizzle of honey. If you can’t find Asian pears, ripe apples or pears would work perfectly well in this recipe.

It would also make a stunning Thanksgiving salad. Pomegranate seeds tend to have that beautiful effect. But it would also be a great meal for the day AFTER Thanksgiving, when you’re ready for something that doesn’t involve stuffing or sugar or marshmallows.

Delicious, beautiful, and simple. Everything a salad should be. I hope you love it like I do!

P.S. Need help with your pomegranate? Check out this step-by-step tutorial for how to seed a pomegranate. 

Asian Pear and Pomegranate Salad

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• Author: One Lovely Life
• Yield: 2-4

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Ingredients

For the salad:

• 3-4 cups salad greens or spinach
• 1/2-1 avocado, (peel and pit removed) diced or sliced
• 1 Asian pear, (cored) sliced or diced
• 1/2-3/4 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1/4-1/3 cup dried tart cherries (or dried cranberries, blueberries, or raisins)
• 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts (almonds, or pecans)
• Optional: cooked and shredded chicken

For the dressing:

• 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• a drizzle of honey, as desired (omit for vegan or Whole30)

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Instructions

1. Toss together the salad ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and honey, if using. Toss salad in dressing and serve immediately.