Korean Pear Salad, also commonly called yuja cha, is a refreshing salad made up of fruits and vegetables making it a nutritious treat that can be enjoyed by everyone. I love salads! I really really really do. I could eat them all day. I also love Korean food. So, what did I do when my friends suggested going to a Korean restaurant? I ate salad for the first time in months of course! Koreans know how to make tasty foods and their salads are out-of-this-world delicious.

Asian Pear Salad With Peanut-Lime Dressing

This salad from recipe developer and fashion designer Peter Som is all about bringing the crunch factor to the Thanksgiving table. Shaved into thin slices, raw cauliflower provides excellent texture and structure, while crisp Asian pears bring a sweet-tart flavor with lovely floral notes. A bright citrusy dressing clings to every nook and cranny thanks to creamy peanut butter for just-enough thickness. When Som was growing up, Asian pears were a treat usually found in Chinatown (and instantly recognizable by their little foam-mesh protective sweaters) but now are more widely available. If you can’t find them, Bosc pears are a good substitute.

Ingredients

8 Servings

PEANUTS

1

Tbsp. unsalted butter

2

Tbsp. fresh orange juice

1

tsp. five-spice powder

½

tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt

½

tsp. sugar

½

cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

DRESSING AND ASSEMBLY

½

cup creamy peanut butter

½

cup grapeseed oil or vegetable oil

⅓

cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)

2

Tbsp. honey

1

Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. soy sauce

1

Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

Kosher salt

1

large head of cauliflower (about 2½ lb.)

1

large Asian pear, thinly sliced

2

cups arugula

1

cup (packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems

Preparation

PEANUTS

Step 1

Melt butter with orange juice, five-spice powder, salt, and sugar in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add peanuts and cook, stirring, until peanuts darken and orange juice mixture reduces to a glaze, 5–7 minutes. Scrape peanuts onto a plate; let cool.

Do Ahead: Peanuts can be prepared 3 days ahead. Let cool; store airtight at room temperature.

DRESSING AND ASSEMBLY

Step 2

Whisk peanut butter, oil, lime juice, honey, soy sauce, and vinegar in a large bowl until smooth. Season dressing with salt.

Step 3

Cut cauliflower into quarters through stem; trim core. Thinly slice on a mandoline or with a sharp knife; coarsely chop any stray florets. Add cauliflower, Asian pear, arugula, cilantro, and half of peanuts to dressing and toss to coat.

Step 4

Divide salad among plates or arrange on a platter and top with remaining peanuts

Asian Pear and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese

This simple salad has a perfect mix of bitter (arugula), sweet (Asian pear), tangy (lemon dressing) and crunchy (pumpkin seeds). Try it with green apples or Bosc pears if Asian pears are hard to find. 

Recipe Summary

Total:

20 mins

Yield:

10 servings

Ingredients

Ingredient Checklist

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 5 ounces baby arugula
• 3 Asian pears (1 1/2 pounds)—peeled, cored and very thinly sliced on a mandoline, cores discarded
• 1/2 cup salted roasted pumpkin seeds
• 3 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• Sea salt, for sprinkling

Directions

Instructions Checklist

• Step 1In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice, honey and chopped thyme. Season the salad dressing with salt and pepper.
• Step 2In a large bowl, toss the arugula with the pear slices and pumpkin seeds. Add the dressing and toss well. Top with the crumbled goat cheese, sprinkle lightly with sea salt and serve right away.

Make Ahead

The salad dressing can be refrigerated overnight.

How do I make my own homemade salad dressing?

Dressings are all about creating an emulsion, a fine dispersion of small droplets of one liquid in another which do not usually mix. In this case, grapeseed oil, orange juice, and rice wine vinegar serve as the dressing base. Often mechanical force with the motion of fast constant whisking until you get a homogeneous mixture creates the texture you are looking for. The best method is to add slowly in a stream of oil to the vinegar and juice while whisking simultaneously to disperse the oil droplets. You can add other flavoring ingredients like shallots, ginger, salt, and pepper to enhance the taste of the dressing. The emulsion is semi-permanent, meaning over time the oil and water phases will eventually separate. No big deal, just whisk again before serving.

Asian Pear Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing

A refreshing Asian pear salad with orange ginger dressing is a healthy and delicious side dish! Crisp vegetables and pears are tossed in a sweet, tangy dressing.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time0 mins

Total Time30 mins

Servings4 servings

CourseSalad

CuisineJapanese

Ingredients

Asian Pear Salad

• ▢1 large orange, cut into segments (8-10)
• ▢1 ¼ cups red bell pepper, minced fresh
• ▢1 cup carrots, shredded
• ▢2 cups asian pear, cut into thin slices
• ▢½ cup edamame, shelled, cooked
• ▢1 cup red cabbage, thinly shredded
• ▢1 cup cucumber, cut in half, thinly sliced

Orange Ginger Dressing

• ▢1 teaspoon shallots, minced
• ▢1 teaspoon orange zest
• ▢¼ cup orange juice, freshly-squeezed
• ▢1 teaspoon ginger, finely grated
• ▢2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ▢2 teaspoons cilantro, finely chopped
• ▢¼ cup grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil
• ▢black pepper, to taste
• ▢kosher salt, to taste

Instructions 

• Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.
• Whisk together all dressing ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, except for the oil. Gradually whisk in the oil, until a slightly thickened dressing is achieved.
• Add the desired amount of dressing to the salad and gently combine. Add more salt and pepper as needed. Enjoy immediately once dressing is added.