Enjoy this simple fall-inspired Pear Salad topped with bacon-wrapped dates, figs, walnuts, and a warm honey cinnamon dressing.
Is everyone feeling refreshed after the long weekend?! Sunday got the best of me and, between you and me, I’m still trying to get ahead on recipes since I got behind while in Italy. So, similar to last week, I’m posting today instead of yesterday. Forgive me? I’m making up for it by giving you an awesome fall-inspired pear salad recipe.
If you’re like me, you spent the weekend eating “cook out” food, aka burgers and chips and ice cream, so this salad is just what WE need. Yes, “we”. Rude to assume? Nah. After all, we could allll use a few more salads. Besides enjoying a cook out at my moms house, I also got to try the brand spankin’ new NatuRoll Creamery in Lawrenceville (you maybe saw this on my Instagram story). SO COOL. Have you ever tried a rolled ice cream place? It takes a LOT longer, but I liked being able to see the process of the ice cream being rolled.
…aaaand here I am talking about ice cream instead of salad. *shock*
This pear salad was the result of me, along with eeeeeveryone else I know, seriously craving fall food. Give me ALL the pears and figs and cinnamon everything please. Not only is it topped with pears, but it’s also topped with walnuts, gruyere cheese (<—my new fav!), figs, bacon-wrapped dates and a honey cinnamon dressing that’s made up of—wait for it—just honey and cinnamon. Mind blowing, I know. Salad dressings aren’t my forte, but this one is ON POINT (<—do people still say that?).
I opted to eat the pears as-is, but feel free to caramelize them with a bit of cinnamon sugar on a skillet if you want warm pears. …now I’m wishing I would have done that.
Oh! And I ended up using a mixture of spinach and arugula, but it’d be just as good using solely spinach or arugula, depending on what you have on hand.
Now, let’s eat some SALAD.
Ingredients
- 1 cup spinach or arugula
- 1 bartlett pear chopped
- 4 pitted dates
- 2 slices of bacon
- 2 tablespoon crushed walnuts
- 1 tablespoon gruyere cheese
- 1-2 figs
- Dressing:
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat the honey and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Place lettuce on a plate and add chopped pear, walnuts, cheese, and figs.
- Once the dressing starts boiling, reduce to a simmer and continuously stir until the cinnamon has completely dissolved.
- Once the bacon is cooked, place on a paper towel for a minute or two before cutting each piece in half, and then wrapping them over the dates.
- Add the bacon-wrapped dates to the salad and then pour the dressing overtop.
- Enjoy!
Kelly Scallion says
These kind of salads are my favorite! I love the combo of flavors. I just ate breakfast and now I already want lunch haha.
Erin says
Yes! That's exactly what I wanted to happen. Thanks Kelly!
Les @ The Balanced Berry says
This salad is EXACTLY what I need! I have been in a major cooking/salad rut, and this salad just has all of the best things on it.
Erin says
Girllll me too. I've made this salad twice and both times it's been exactly what I needed (aka an actual salad)
GiGi Eats says
THIS IS TOTALLY A FALL salad!!! Would be awesome to pair with all of the Thanksgiving staples!
Erin says
Yes yes agreed! Thanks friend.
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
Erin, I like how you say hello to fall - because those bacon wrapped dates have my name all over them! And LURVVVE your pairing of them with figs and pears and figs and walnuts and oooh that honey cinnamon dressing!!! It is indeed mind-blowing that that dressing is made of honey and cinnamon - so seriously "ON POINT"
Erin says
haha thanks Shashi! Honey and cinnamon are the BEST.
Bethany @ athletic avocado says
I've been craving fall foods since the beginning of summer lol! This salad is fall perfection! Those bacon wrapped dates are a wonderful addition 🙂
Erin says
Fall foods should be a 'thing' year round! Thanks Bethany 🙂