Food

Our 20 Best Pear Recipes Because Apple Shouldn't Have All the Fun

Poached, baked, pickled, or smoked—here are the best ways to celebrate fall's most underrated fruit

By SAVEUR Editors

Updated: September 9, 2018

Although autumn may mean you have to store away the strawberry recipes, it doesn't mean you have to give up on fruit. Pears are severely underrated: they're juicy and sweet and versatile, working beautifully in everything from a pie to a margarita to a marinade for lamb. Whether you're looking to spice up your traditional easy fall dinners with a hint of pear, or looking for a beautiful picture-perfect dessert, or want to get a head-start trying out recipes for Thanksgiving dinner, here are our very best recipes to try this fall.

Honey-and-Butter Baked Pears with Cold Cream — These sticky caramelized pears get served warm with a glug of fresh chilled cream for dessert at Henne Kirkeby Kro chef Paul Cunningham's holiday feast. He uses "double cream," a dairy product not available in the U.S. You can use chilled crème fraîche on its own, or thin it slightly with chilled heavy cream to approximate the texture. If you can find organic heavy cream where the fat separates and floats to the top, skim off this fat and use it. Get the recipe for Honey-and-Butter Baked Pears with Cold Cream »Anders Schonnemann

Poached Pears — With a little fernet, vanilla, and crystalized ginger, pears are the centerpiece of this simple Passover dessert. Get the recipe for Poached Pears »Matt Taylor-Gross

Lavender Rice Pudding with Pears — Lavender and delicately floral Bosc pears complement each other in this rich rice pudding, made fluffy and light with whipped cream. Get the recipe for Lavender Rice Pudding With Pears »Farideh Sadeghin

Pear Tarte Tatin — This tart is traditionally made with apples, but firm-fleshed pears make a delicate and delicious alternative. Get the recipe for Pear Tarte Tatin »Vanessa Rees

Baked Pears and Prunes — Taking poached pears to the next level, in this dessert, whole Bosc pears are cooked in a red wine syrup, with succulent prunes adding complexity to the sauce. Get the recipe for Baked Pears and Prunes with Red Wine Sauce »Andrea Wyner

Banana Split Gratin — A thick yet fluffy pancake full of creamy bananas, smooth hints of pear, and crunchy pine nuts over a heap of cool crème fraîche. "This is good with any ripe banana," Mallmann says, so if you have extra-sweet varieties besides the ubiquitous Cavendish available, use them. Get the recipe for Grilled Banana-Pear Pancake »Matt Taylor-Gross

Golden Chrysanthemum Champagne Cocktail — Tokyo native Kenta Goto pays tribute to the beloved Japanese golden chrysanthemum flower with this amber, pear-flavored Champagne elixir. Get the recipe for Golden Chrysanthemum »Matt Taylor-Gross

Pickled Asian Pears With Lemon — Developed by cookbook author Karen Solomon, this tangy, piquant Asian pear pickle tastes great on its own, on a chicken sandwich, in an arugula salad, or paired with blue cheese. If you can't find Asian pears, any kind of pear can be subbed in here; just look for specimens that are on the small side and rather firm. Get the recipe for Pickled Asian Pears With Lemon »Helen Rosner

Cucumber, Pear, and Sumac–Onion Salad — This twist on a classic Israeli salad, in which Asian pear stands in for tomatoes, is a refreshing counterpart to warm, spice-roasted meats like chicken or kebabs. Get the recipe for Cucumber, Pear, and Sumac–Onion Salad »Neal Santos

Pears — An essential ingredient in Zachary Stevens' Eros Elixir, use this spicy fruit syrup to flavor cocktails, enhance whipped cream, or drizzle over ice cream. Get the recipe for Spiced Pear Syrup »Vanessa Rees

Nelson Pear Pie — A pie filled with fresh pears, drizzled with cream, and sprinkled with sugar and flour makes an incredibly simple, elegant dessert. Get the recipe for Nelson Pear Pie »James Roper

Arugula, Pecorino, Pine Nut, and Pear Salad (Rucola con Pecorino, Pignoli e Pere) — Raisins add a subtle sweetness to this salad from Enoteca l'Alchimista in Montefalco, Italy. Get the recipe for Arugula, Pecorino, Pine Nut, and Pear Salad (Rucola con Pecorino, Pignoli e Pere) »David Hagerman

Korean Soba Salad — Don't be fooled by the vegetable-heavy spread; this dish is sure to fill you up. A medley of thinly sliced vegetables is piled up with a mound of cold buckwheat noodles. They're dressed with a slurpable spicy and savory gochujang sauce that makes for a Korean take on a chef's salad. Get the recipe for Korean Buckwheat Noodle Salad »Matt Taylor-Gross

Pear-Marinated Roast Leg of Lamb — The enzymes found in pears tenderize this roast lamb, while garlic and herbs add flavor. Get the recipe for Pear-Marinated Roast Leg of Lamb »Farideh Sadeghin

Endive and Roquefort Salad with Smoked Pepper Jelly and Hazelnuts — Green beans, herbs, endives, and pears are dressed in a sherry vinaigrette, sprinkled with Roquefort and toasted nuts, and drizzled with piquant pepper jelly in this salad from The Grain Store in London. Get the recipe for Endive and Roquefort Salad with Smoked Pepper Jelly and Hazelnuts »Moe Kafer

Pear and Cheese Ravioli (Cacio e Pere) — Nothing says love like homemade pasta. Lidia Bastianich's recipe mixes tender, sweet Bartlett pears with sharp pecorino and creamy mascarpone to make a rich filling for ravioli. Get the recipe for Pear and Cheese Ravioli (Cacio e Pere) »Ingalls Photography

Roasted Sugar-Glazed Pears — Roasted pears stuffed with almonds, currants, and raisins make a simple yet elegant dessert. Get the recipe for Roasted Sugar-Glazed Pears »Beth Rooney

Poached Pears — Poaching Bosc pears in port wine turns them a beautiful, vibrant red. Get the recipe for Port Wine Poached Pears »André Baranowski

Pear and Ginger Pie — Fresh ginger gives the filling of this pear pie a warming kick of spice, balanced by the buttery crumble of sweet streusel. Get the recipe for Pear and Ginger Pie with Streusel Topping »Ariana Lindquist

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