This Asian Pear Salad is all about nourishing refreshment. It includes spring greens, cucumbers, beets, carrots, nori, and sesame seeds. Dressed in a clean-tasting apple cider vinaigrette, it’s perfect for a warm day or any time you need a light detox.
The case for refreshing food
There are some times that I really crave refreshing food – typically things like watermelon, cucumber, celery, citrus, and greens. Sometimes it’s in the summer, when I may be dehydrated or overheated. Other times it may be in cooler weather, and I’ve been eating too much starchy food or salt. I’m not sure what exactly is going on, but these refreshing foods with high water content really do the trick. I immediately feel better after eating them.
The Asian Pear Salad was made to be refreshing
I recently found myself in one of these “parched” states, possibly as a result of testing too many pasta dishes? Who knows.
Anyway, I wanted to put together a simple and refreshing salad for lunch. Asian pears have such a great texture – it’s like a firm and sweet watermelon, crisp and super juicy. Cucumber has a similar but different refreshing texture and the shredded beets and carrots add color and crunch. Spring greens serve as the base. They provide a bit more variety, with no overpowering flavors. Sesame seeds add some nuttiness. The shredded nori seaweed adds a gentle umami and taste of the sea. And the apple cider vinaigrette dressing, tart and mildly sweet, ties the salad refreshingly together.
Cooking notes
If you don’t have access to Asian pears, you can try Western pears or apples, but the texture won’t be quite the same. Try to find the crunchiest pears (or apples) available.
The skin of the Asian pear can be relatively thick. You can peel the pear or leave the peel on, depending on preference. Slicing the pear very thinly
If you’re going to substitute the vinegar, try to use a fruity one, like white wine, balsamic, or clear rice vinegar.
You may not need all of the dressing prescribed, depending on personal preference.
Other plant-based Asian recipes
If you try this recipe out, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @gastroplant on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.
Asian Pear Salad
Ingredients
- 5 ounces spring mix salad greens (140 grams)
- 1 Asian pear sliced thin
- 2 small cucumbers (or 1 large cucumber), sliced thin
- 1 cup carrot (80 grams) shredded or julienned
- 1 cup beet (80 grams) shredded or julienned
- 1/2 cup nori shredded
- 2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
Dressing
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Combine the ingredients for the dressing in a small mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.
- Combine all the ingredients except for the dressing in a large salad bowl.
- Add the dressing to the salad, starting with 2 Tablespoons and mix well. Add more dressing as needed, mixing each time you add more.
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