Pear and walnut salad with hot cross bun croutons

Name: Pear and walnut salad with hot cross bun croutons
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 23 min
Yield: Serves 4 as a starter or side
Cuisine: British recipes
Ingredients: 2 hot cross buns, torn into small pieces (check they’re vegan if you need them to be); 50g walnuts; 3 celery sticks, finely sliced diagonally; ¼ cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scraped out, finely sliced diagonally • 2 pears, halved, cored and finely sliced; For the dressing; 2 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil; 1 tbsp cider vinegar; 1 tbsp capers; 20g chives, finely chopped

Tom Shingler
Head of food, delicious.

Published: 8 Apr 25
Updated: 26 May 25

Try our pear and walnut salad with hot cross bun croutons for an easy spring lunch. It might sound odd, but here’s why it works…

Easter twist: When you take the concept of a classic panzanella (Italian stale bread salad) but use hot cross buns and the flavours of a waldorf salad, it creates an explosion of freshness.
Balanced flavours and textures: This hot cross salad is packed with crunch, sweetness, savouriness and just the right amount of tang.
Sustainability points: Use up leftover hot cross buns to make this dish. This Easter salad is also plant-based (check the hot cross buns are vegan if you need them to be).

Browse more brilliant hot cross bun recipes.

Serves 4 as a starter or side
Prep time 15 min. Cook time 8 min

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Ingredients

2 hot cross buns, torn into small pieces (check they’re vegan if you need them to be)
50g walnuts
3 celery sticks, finely sliced diagonally
¼ cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scraped out, finely sliced diagonally • 2 pears, halved, cored and finely sliced

For the dressing

2 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp capers
20g chives, finely chopped

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Put the buns and nuts on a tray and toast in the oven for 8 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop the nuts.
For the dressing, whisk the oil and vinegar in a large mixing bowl with salt and pepper, then stir in the capers and most of the chives. Add the bun croutons and lightly toss so they soak up some of the dressing, then add the walnuts, celery and cucumber. Toss again to coat.
Arrange the sliced pears on each plate (or a large platter), then pile the salad over. Scatter over the remaining chives.

Recipe from April 2025 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 324kcals
Fat: 18g (2.2g saturated)
Protein: 5.9g
Carbohydrates: 32g (19g sugars)
Fibre: 4.8g
Salt: 0.3g

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Pear and walnut salad with hot cross bun croutons

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Or, how about...?

Tuscan panzanella

Pistachio and artichoke panzanella

Steak and charred pear salad with blue cheese and tarragon dressing

Hot cross buns

Orange hot cross bun treacle tart

Hot cross bun mackerel sandwiches

More to discover