Anti Inflammatory Arugula Salad with Pear and Walnuts
This salad is the kind of thing that looks like it came from a nice restaurant but comes together in about ten minutes with zero cooking required. Peppery baby arugula forms the base, and it pairs beautifully with sweet, thinly sliced pear, crunchy dry-roasted walnuts, and delicate shavings of Parmesan. The dressing — a bright emulsion of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, honey, and Dijon mustard — ties every element together without overwhelming the fresh flavors. Each of these ingredients earns its place from an anti-inflammatory standpoint: walnuts are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil brings heart-healthy polyphenols, and arugula delivers a hit of antioxidant-rich greens. The trick to getting it right is dressing the arugula in two stages so the leaves stay lightly coated rather than soggy, then finishing with that last drizzle right before serving. It makes four servings, so it works equally well as a weeknight side or a light lunch you can feel genuinely good about eating.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 5 oz baby arugula
- 1 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced
- ½ cup dry-roasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 oz parmesan, shaved with a vegetable peeler
Chef's tipChoose a vegan parmesan in the form the recipe uses - grated for sprinkling and sauces, a firm wedge for shaving or melting.
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
Ingredient noteAdded sugar is limited on an anti-inflammatory diet. This recipe contains about 1.8 g of added sugar per serving, which is likely acceptable for many following the diet. If you prefer to always avoid honey, please tap it and change its rating to Red.
- ½ tsp dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
- 2
Add the arugula to a large salad bowl. Drizzle about two-thirds of the dressing over the greens and toss gently until the leaves are lightly coated.
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