This Spinach, Pear, and Feta Salad is sprinkled with sweet pomegranate arils and earthy walnuts and is tossed in your favorite balsamic vinegarette. A perfect combination of sweet, tangy, and crunchy, it takes just 5 minutes to make!
Spinach and Feta Salad
This delicious spinach, pear, feta salad was originally published in 2015. It remains one of the most popular salads on The Forked Spoon, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Every year around November and December I remember this salad recipe and can’t get enough of it.
Made with sweet pears, tangy feta cheese, crunchy pomegranates, and mellow walnuts – this nutritious salad is what salad dreams are made of. It is my favorite salad ever. Like, ever ever. Beautiful to look at and so delicious, it’s also the easiest salad to throw together. In the past two months alone, I have made and served this salad at least six times usually with baked chicken or baked salmon for a high protein and veggie-packed dinner that’s easy enough to make any night of the week.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Fresh baby spinach – or spring mix or arugula
- Feta cheese – or goat cheese
- Pears (still firm, but ripe) – or sliced apples
- Walnuts – or slivered almonds
- Pomegranate Arils – or dried cranberries
- Green onion (optional)
- Salad dressing (homemade or store-bought, I used balsamic vinaigrette)
How to Make this Spinach and Pear Salad Recipe
Grab a large bowl and add the spinach, walnuts, pomegranate arils, sliced pears, chopped green onions, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle with your favorite dressing or vinaigrette (I love balsamic) and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately.
Recipe Tips
- To prevent the pears from turning brown after slicing, dip each slice of pear in a small bowl of orange juice.
- Spinach wilts very fast. For best results, serve immediately after tossing with salad dressing or vinaigrette.
What to Serve with this Spinach Salad
This easy spinach and pear salad is one of my favorite last-minute lunch or dinner options when I’m too lazy to cook. I like to serve it with toasted bread, hard boiled eggs, or rotessiree chicken. As a side dish this salad is great with pork chops, mahi mahi, and steak!
Most of all, this is my absolute favorite salad to share with family and friends during the holidays. Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter!
Have you tried making this Spinach, Pear, and Feta Salad Recipe?
Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes, I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.
Spinach, Pear, and Feta Salad
Ingredients
- 10 oz fresh spinach
- ½ cup walnuts - chopped
- ½ cup feta - crumbled
- ¼ cup green onions - sliced, optional
- ¼ cup pomegranate arils
- 2 ripe, yet firm pears - (ripe, yet firm) sliced or chopped
- ½ cup orange juice - optional
- salad dressing or vinaigrette - I served with balsamic vinaigrette
Instructions
- Place the spinach, walnuts, pomegranates, green onions, and crumbled feta in a large salad bowl. If preparing the salad ahead of time, dip each pear slice into a small bowl of orange juice and then add to the salad bowl; otherwise, add the pears with the other ingredients.
- Drizzle with your favorite store-bought or homemade salad dressing or vinaigrette just before serving.
Jessica’s Notes
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
I discovered this salad over a year ago and absolutely love it. Easy, beautiful and delicious!!!
Thank you for the delicious feedback and rating Sarah 😀
Loved this salad. Yes it was easy to prepare and refreshing in the dead of winter. I am also a fan of suggested substitutions. Thanks
Thanks for the 5 stars Liz 🙂
wonderful salad, and such a pleasure to eat on this hot day!
I made this for our Christmas dinner. It was healthy, delicious, and beautiful. The only modifications I made were packaged glazed walnut pieces and the option of a few complimentary dressings. Thanks for sharing!