Apple Pear Cucumber Salad with Balsamic and Arugula

Apple Pear Cucumber Spinach Salad is a light salad that packs a punch of flavor from sweet apples and pears. Tossed with a balsamic mustard dressing and served over arugula, this salad is simple yet flavorful.

Switch up your salad with some unique ingredients and fresh flavors! I love this salad because it's got a few ingredients that I wouldn't normally put in a salad.

My 'typical' salad is just lettuce and whatever vegetables I have around - carrots, bell peppers, cabbage, etc. I love that salad. It's easy, uncomplicated, and super nutritious. But this Apple Pear Cucumber Spinach Salad is fun and flavorful and a great switch up to your salad routine.

Plus, it's super simple.

Start by mixing a quick dressing of stone ground mustard (hello texture!), balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and salt.

Then toss the dressing with your sliced apples, pears, and cucumbers. If you have the time, refrigerate to let the flavors blend.

Serve over a bed of arugula.

And that's it!

It's unique. Yet entirely un-complicated.

Jump to:

• Why I love this Apple Pear Cucumber Salad
• Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
• How to make Apple Pear Cucumber Salad
• FAQ & Expert Tips
• Recipe Prayer
• Related Recipes
• Tried this recipe?
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why I love this Apple Pear Cucumber Salad

• Dietary needs - this salad is dairy-free, plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. It's also very high in fiber.
• Quick and easy - this pear cucumber salad is super quick! Just a couple minutes of prep for a tasty salad
• Bold and colorful - the apples and pears create a beautiful color
• Fruit forward - I love including fruit in salad, and this apple and pear salad is a delicious example!

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• English Cucumber: An English cucumber is a more salad friendly cucumber - it has less seeds and is less tough. But a regular cucumber will also work. If you use a regular cucumber, you may want to peel off some of the skin to make it less tough.
• Red Apples: I used gala apples, but any sweet apple will work.
• Pear: I used Bartlett pears, which are green and turn yellow as they ripen. But any pear variety will work - ideally your pear should still be slightly firm so it doesn't completely disintegrate in the salad
• Arugula: I like the peppery flavor of arugula. Spinach is also delicious as the base for this salad.
• Stone Ground Mustard: stone ground mustard adds a beautiful texture to the salad. If you don't have stone ground, you can use dijon instead
• Balsamic Vinegar: balsamic adds a sweet smokiness to the dressing.
• Maple Syrup: maple syrup adds sweetness. For a completely fruit sweetened dressing, use date syrup instead.
• Rice Vinegar: rice vinegar is a lighter vinegar that adds a subtle asian flair to the salad
• Salt

How to make Apple Pear Cucumber Salad

Step 1. In a medium bowl, mix the mustard, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and salt.

Step 2. Pour over the sliced cucumber and pear. Recommended: cover and refrigerate 20-30 minutes, to allow the flavors to blend.

Step 3. Arrange the cucumber mixture on a bed of arugula. Serve and enjoy!

FAQ & Expert Tips

Recipe Prayer

Thank you God for salad that nourishes our bodies and tastes good too! We are grateful for the abundance of food and flavors you have blessed us with. Amen.

Related Recipes

No more boring salad! Check out some of my other unique salad recipes:

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