31 Pear Recipes Because Why Should Apples Have All the Fun?
There are pear recipes that call for perfectly ripe fruit—dinner salads, antipasto plates, relishes. In these instances, the pears are served in their raw state, so you’ll want them at their crisp, floral, juicy best. Then there are recipes where you can get away with using an under- or overripe pear. When you’re applying heat to a piece of fruit, it doesn’t have to be quite so perfect. Here’s a good rule to keep in mind: If you want the pear to have some bite, say for whole roasted pears or baked pear blondies, using a harder, slightly underripe specimen is fine. Want it to collapse into nearly a sauce, like in the marinade for bulgogi? That’s the time for an overripe pear (the kind that dents when you press your thumb into it).
Now that you’ve got that trick up your sleeve, we challenge you—or encourage you, rather—to cook a pear dish this weekend. Just pick up an armful of Bosc pears. Or Anjou pears. Or Bartlett, Comice, or any pears that strike your fancy. They’re typically in season from late summer through early winter. Let your imagination run wild, or scroll on and pick from one of our very best pear recipes. We know what we’d choose.
Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophia Pappas1/31Pears and Radishes With Gorgonzola and Nori
Photograph by Rana Duzyol, Food Styling by Jesse Szewczyk, Prop Styling by Marina Bevilacqua2/31Easy-Fancy Pear Galette
Great desserts can rely on convenience products. Case in point: this tart uses canned fruit (essentially, poached pears) and frozen puff pastry. Serve it with our favorite store-bought vanilla ice cream.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Stephanie De Luca3/31Pear and Avocado Salad With Tajín
Photograph by Jenny Huang, Food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Martha Bernabe5/31Asian Pear Salad With Peanut-Lime Dressing
This recipe calls for Asian pears (an umbrella term that includes Korean pears, Japanese pears, and others). They bring a particular sweet-tart flavor with floral notes and a definitive crispness, which balances the earthy cauliflower and citrusy dressing.
Christopher Testani6/31Spiced Pear Upside-Down Cake
When you buy a jar of pomegranate molasses for this pear recipe, rest assured you can use what remains for all kinds of dishes, like our pomegranate-glazed chicken or pom-dressed tomato salad.
Photo by Gentl and Hyers, food Styling by Susie Theodorou, prop Styling by Nina Lalli7/31Fresh Fruit With Cheese and Peppery Nuts
Make this fail-safe combination of sweet-juicy fruit, crunchy-salty nuts (pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts—choose your adventure), and chewy-fatty cheese your all-season dinner party appetizer template.
Bobbi Lin8/31Winter Slaw With Red Pears and Pumpkin Seeds
Serve this crunchy, savory radicchio, brussels sprouts, and pear recipe alongside pork chops and mashed potatoes and you’ve got a near-perfect fall dinner menu. Okay, you’re right: It’s not near-perfect; it is perfect.
9/31Asian Pear–Shiso Salad With Quinoa
This is the seven-layer dip of salads: A mixture of creamy Greek yogurt, honey, lime juice, and black sesame paste goes on the bottom; then comes crisp Asian pear; and finally and a showering of quinoa.
Alex Lau10/31Spiced Pear and Bourbon Sparkler
The spiced pear syrup is the star of this show. The recipe calls for zero-kcal Brown Swerve, which measures and functions just like brown sugar and adds a rich caramel flavor, but you can swap in light brown sugar if preferred.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio12/31Chocolate-Almond Pear Tart
The dough for this decadent pear tart uses a clever technique called fraisage, which creates a flaky crust that rolls out with minimal cracking. One reader wrote, “I used gluten-free flour in place of [all-purpose flour] and that is the only change to the recipe I made. Having never made anything this complicated before, I followed the instructions and technique exactly. It was SO GOOD. So. Stinking. Good. Enjoy.” So, yeah: Enjoy, whether you eat gluten or not.
Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Kay Boytsova13/31Sesame Caesar Salad
If you’ve never thought to put thinly sliced Asian pears in your Caesar salad, then let this delicious recipe show you the pleasantly salty, savory, and juicy-sweet way.
Photograph by Breanne Furlong, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht15/31Pear Snacking Cake With Chocolate and Rosemary
This pear cake is for lovers of not-too-sweet desserts. Top each slice with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, or go a little more luxe and serve with crème fraîche.
Danny Kim16/31Chicken and Asian Pear Salad
A mustardy walnut dressing completes this easy salad. Use the last of a rotisserie chicken to make it and any firm ripe pear you’ve got on hand. (And here’s one more tip: For the most uniform slices, use a mandoline to shave the fruit.)
17/31Pear Upside-Down Cake
Pineapple upside, who? The concentric ring of caramelized pears will make you forget all other fruit. This cake is good at room temperature, so there’s no need to reheat leftovers (if there even are any).
Alex Lau19/31Crunchy Winter Slaw With Asian Pear and Manchego
Peppery, crunchy, crisp daikon provides just the right counterbalance for sweet, floral Asian pears and earthy celery root.
Christopher Testani23/31Sautéed Pears With Bacon and Mustard Dressing
The total time you’ll need for this unconventional holiday side dish is less than 30 minutes: 2 minutes for slicing, 15 for crisping the bacon, and 5 or so for searing the pears. That leaves you about 8 minutes to spare for unforeseen circumstances.
24/31Poached Pears With Cardamom and Saffron
This make-ahead fall dessert is begging to be accompanied by a stiff whiskey drink and a roaring fire. Spoon the pears over ice cream or serve with a slice of pound cake in a pool of crème anglaise, with the syrup drizzled all over.
Alex Lau26/31Ricotta Toast With Pears and Honey
This recipe calls for honey, but the fruit toast is also great with maple syrup. Similarly, it calls for Bartlett pears, but any will work. Make it your own! For a savory version, try this Peppered Butter and Pear Toast.
Photo by Elinor Carucci27/31Harvest Pear Crisp With Candied Ginger
If a dessert could embody fall, this would be it. One whiff and you’re walking in an orchard of pear trees on a crisp morning, wearing a cozy sweater and carrying your favorite warm beverage. (Hot apple cider? Hot chocolate? PSL? Go forth and live your autumnal dream.)
Alex Lau29/31Cranberry-Pear Mostarda
The sweet and sour flavors in this condiment are a perfect accompaniment to a cheese board—and we’d happily spoon some inside a grilled cheese sandwich, a ham sandwich, or frankly, any sandwich.
31/31Roasted Pear Crumble
