Pear Autumn Salad with Sweet Maple Vinaigrette (vegan)
This Pear Autumn Salad with Sweet Maple Vinaigrette will be a great addition to your holiday spread. It’s healthy, easy to make, and delicious with the best fall produce. This salad is loaded with colorful vegetables, and sweet pecans, and covered in a sweet maple vinaigrette.
This effortless and tasty salad is just what you need on a fall night or at an autumn dinner gathering. It makes for a wonderful appetizer or can satisfy you as a meal.
Not to mention, isn’t it gorgeous? I love a pretty salad. I think that’s because I eat with my eyes, as most of us do. The prettier the salad, the more willing I am to eat it. Haha.
There are so many reasons to love this salad. It’s one of our family’s favorite salads of the season.
Spotlight on This Pear Autumn Salad with Sweet Maple Vinaigrette
- This salad is delicious. It’s a sweet salad with the perfect textures going on. It will definitely satisfy both a salad and a sweet craving, all in one. Now that’s a win-win!
- This salad is easy to make. Let’s face it, as busy moms, there really isn’t time to get gourmet on your lunch. That’s what I love about this salad. It’s simple and quick to throw together.
- This salad is healthy. It’s nice to know that, though this salad is on the sweeter side, it is still very nutritious. It’s packed with colorful fruit and vegetables and has a good amount of protein, thanks to the pecans.
- This salad is aesthetically appealing. You know how they say we eat with our eyes, that is so true! This salad makes anyone want to scarf it down. Yeah!
- This salad is seasonally inspired. I love eating with the seasons. That means that the produce that is naturally grown during fall, inspires me when I create recipes. This salad has all of that going on.
The Ingredients
Kale: Did you know that kale can taste much better if you massage the kale in olive oil first? Yup, you heard me. Drizzle olive oil over the top and then use your hands to massage the kale until the leaves become soft. Game changer!
Quinoa: I like to make a large batch of quinoa on my meal prep Sundays so it is ready to go for this salad. Easy peasy!
Pear: Always use a ripe pear for this salad. To me, a hard, unripe pear ruins this salad. And, there is no need to peel the skin. Not only is the skin filled with nutrients, but it is also soft and actually tastes great.
Red grapes: Go for the seedless varieties. I love the sweet flavor that red grapes specifically bring to this salad. Green will work but I prefer red.
Golden raisins: Have you tried golden raisins before? They are much sweeter than their brown counterparts. I highly recommend using golden raisins but if you have to use brown, go for it.
Candied pecans: If you are trying to cut back on sugar, skip the candied version and use regular, raw pecans. However, candied pecans are absolutely delicious in this pear salad.
Sweet maple vinaigrette: This dressing is the perfect addition to finish off this dish. The sweet maple brings out the fall flavors, and the best part is that it is easy to whip together!
Frequently Asked Questions
Look for pears that are ripe but still firm (Anjou, Bosc, or Bartlett are great choices). You want them juicy enough for flavor, but not so soft that they collapse in the salad.
After slicing, toss the pear pieces in a little lemon juice or a mild acid like apple cider vinegar to slow oxidation. Also, cut them as close to serving time as possible for best color and texture.
Yes, you can wash and dry greens, toast nuts, and make the dressing in advance. But wait to slice the pears or combine everything until just before serving so it stays fresh and crisp.
Yes! You won’t find any dairy or gluten in this salad. However, do check that your candied pecans are gluten-free.)
Yes, but keep the dressing separate until you are ready to serve. And, keep in mind that the pears can turn brown, so you might want to toss them in a little bit of lemon juice.
The Instructions
Step one: Start by cooking the quinoa on the stove. Grab a saucepan and add 1 cup of dry quinoa and 2 cups of water or vegetable broth. Allow it to boil and then reduce the heat to low-medium and secure the lid. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the lid, add salt, and fluff with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
Step two: Make the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar, secure the lid, and give it a good shake. This includes olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, maple syrup, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set it aside.
Step three: Prepare the kale. Start by adding the chopped kale to a large salad bowl. I like to remove any thick stems. Now, drizzle 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over the top of the leaves, and then use your hands to massage the kale until the pieces become soft. Don’t skip this step. It’s the secret to the best-textured kale!
Step four: Assemble your salad. After the kale, add the cooked and cooled quinoa, pear slices, sliced red grapes, chopped candied pecans, and golden raisins. Pour the Sweet Maple Vinaigrette over top and toss everything up. Enjoy immediately.
Storage
To save this salad as leftovers or for meal prepping, keep each ingredient in separate airtight containers in the fridge and prepare individual salads as needed. The ingredients should last about three days in the fridge.
Tips + Modifications
I highly recommend cooking the quinoa with vegetable stock instead of water for better flavor.
Slice pears just before serving or toss the slices in a little bit of lemon juice to avoid browning.
If you don’t have pears, you can easily swap them for thin apple slices.
I recommend chilling this salad for an hour before serving. Just make sure to leave the dressing off until you are ready to eat it.
More Vegan Fall Salads to Try
Fall Salad with Pumpkin Maple Vinaigrette
Baby Greens with Sun-Dried Tomato Walnut Vinaigrette
Thanksgiving Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing
Pear Autumn Salad with Sweet Maple Vinaigrette
Equipment
- 1 large salad bowl
- 1 mason jar with lid
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 3 cups chopped kale, stems removed or a 10oz prepared bag
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled
- 1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
- 1½ cups red grapes, halved
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 1 cup candied pecans, roughly chopped
For the sweet maple vinaigrette:
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by cooking your quinoa on the stove. Grab a saucepan and add 1 cup of dry quinoa and 2 cups of water or vegetable broth. Allow it to boil and then reduce the heat to low-medium and secure the lid. Allow it to simmer for 15 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the lid, add salt, and fluff with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
- Make the dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar, secure the lid, and give it a good shake. This includes olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, garlic, salt, and pepper. Set it aside.
- Prepare the kale. Start by adding the chopped kale to a large salad bowl. I like to remove any thick stems. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over the top of the leaves, and then use your hands to massage the kale until the pieces become soft. Don't skip this step. It's the secret to the best-textured kale!
- Assemble your salad. After the kale, add the cooked and cooled quinoa, sliced pear, sliced red grapes, chopped candied pecans, and golden raisins. Pour the sweet maple vinaigrette over top and toss everything up. Enjoy immediately.
