This refreshing Asian pear salad with orange ginger dressing makes a healthy, delicious side dish. Crisp vegetables and pears are tossed in a sweet, tangy dressing.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Asian pears have a firm texture and high water content, which gives them their signature juicy crunch and makes them ideal for fresh salads.
- Slowly whisking the oil into the citrus and vinegar while constantly whisking breaks the oil into tiny droplets, creating a smoother dressing.
- The acids in citrus and vinegar gradually soften the plant cell walls, so dressing the salad at the last minute helps preserve the produce’s crisp texture.
Featured Comment 8
“I made this recipe tonight and it was delicious! I didn’t have any cucumber and I added mixed salad leaves and big shrimps, which tasted absolutely wonderful with the vinaigrette. I’m gonna do it again and give it a 5-star rating.”—Melanie
Why It Works
One particular fruit brings me back to my childhood: crisp, sweet Asian pears. My family’s backyard was lined with a row of Asian pear trees, and boy, did they produce the most bountiful fruit. Whenever I wanted an after-school snack, my grandpa would happily pluck a few for me to gobble up. I still love that signature crisp texture, which comes from the pear’s firm cell structure and high water content.
I saw them recently at the grocery store, and I stopped in my tracks. I knew I had to grab a few and make them into a recipe. You don’t need to do much to make these pears shine. You don’t need to do much to make these pears shine. Their natural sweetness and juicy crunch pair beautifully with bright citrus, fresh vegetables, and a zesty orange ginger dressing. This Asian pear salad is a refreshing, easy side dish full of contrasting flavors and textures.
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Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pears: Asian pears are in season typically from August to November, perfect for late summer or fall meals. They have a very crisp texture and burst of sweetness.
- Vegetables: I add a crunchy combination of red bell peppers, shredded carrots, red cabbage, cucumber, and edamame.
- Fruit: Sweet and juicy orange segments complement the pears and citrus dressing.
- Dressing: For a light and tangy flavor, I combine orange zest and juice, rice vinegar, shallots, pungent ginger, cilantro, and a neutral oil like grapeseed or olive oil for richness.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This Asian pear salad is easy to customize! Try these flavorful options:
- Pear Swaps: If Asian pears are not in season, try Bosc or Bartlett. Apples like Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious are good options.
- Greens: Add leafy greens like baby spinach, crisp iceberg lettuce, romaine, or peppery arugula.
- Dressing Additions: Add Dijon mustard for pungency, a tablespoon of mayonnaise for richness, fresh lime juice for tanginess, and honey or sugar to balance the tangy ingredients.
- Herbs: Add chopped mint, green onions, or scallions.
- Add Protein: Add baked tofu, grilled chicken, or grilled shrimp.
How to Make Asian Pear Salad
Step 1: Assemble the Salad
I designed this salad to be packed with crunchy, refreshing tastes and textures. In a large bowl, add the Asian pears, red bell peppers, carrots, red cabbage, cucumber, edamame, and orange segments. Eating a rainbow of colors has incredible benefits from the phytonutrients contained in each piece of produce- nutrients that you can only get from plants. Random fact: my Chinese name is Yee Weung Meon, which means “beautiful rainbow.”
Step 2: Make the Dressing
The dressing makes the salad ingredients really pop! Fresh orange juice and zest, combined with ginger, shallots, rice vinegar, and chopped cilantro, are tangy and savory, with a hint of natural sweetness. Gradually whisk the oil into the dressing base, breaking it into smaller droplets to create an emulsified dressing. I like to season the dressing with kosher salt and black pepper.
Step 3: Dress the Salad
Add a portion of the dressing to the salad and toss to coat. Add more dressing to your liking. You can enjoy this Asian pear salad as a light lunch, or I like to serve it as a side dish with spicy cedar plank salmon or sriracha honey chicken stir-fry. If this is your first time trying Asian pears, I would love to hear what you think!
Frequently Asked Questions
Dressings are all about creating an emulsion: a fine dispersion of small droplets of one liquid in another that don’t usually mix. In this case, grapeseed oil, orange juice, and rice wine vinegar serve as the dressing base. Often, mechanical force with the motion of fast, constant whisking until you get a homogeneous mixture creates the texture you are looking for. The best method is to add the oil slowly in a steady stream to the vinegar and juice while whisking to disperse the oil droplets. You can add other flavorings like shallots, ginger, salt, and pepper to enhance the dressing. The emulsion is semi-permanent, meaning the oil and water phases will eventually separate over time. No big deal, just whisk again before serving.
Asian pears are crisp, juicy, and naturally sweet, with a refreshing flavor that falls somewhere between a pear and a crisp apple. They have a mild floral sweetness, plenty of juicy crunch, and a delicate, slightly grainy texture near the core.
Crisp, sweet Asian pears are the base of the salad and can be combined with other vegetables and fruit for texture and flavor. My recipe adds sweet oranges, crisp bell peppers, carrots, cucumber, red cabbage, and edamame, paired with an orange ginger dressing for an Asian-inspired taste. You can add other leafy greens like arugula, baby spinach, or iceberg lettuce. Add nuts like sliced almonds, peanuts, walnuts, or pecans for a delicious crunch. Add creaminess with cheese like goat cheese or Parmesan cheese.
More Asian Salads
If you tried this Asian Pear Salad Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Asian Pear Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
Asian Pear Salad
- 2 cups thinly sliced asian pears
- 1 ¼ cups finely diced red bell pepper
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup thinly shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
- ½ cup edamame, cooked
- 1 large orange, cut into segments
Orange Ginger Dressing
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon minced shallots
- 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup grapeseed oil, or olive oil
- black pepper, to taste
- kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Assemble the Salad – In a large bowl, add the Asian pears, red bell peppers, carrots, red cabbage, cucumber, edamame, and orange segments.
- Make the Dressing – In a medium bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, rice vinegar, shallots, ginger, and cilantro. Gradually whisk in the oil until the dressing thickens slightly.
- Dress the Salad – Add the desired amount of dressing to the salad and toss to combine. Add more salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make Ahead: You can make the salad and dressing up to 1 day in advance; wait to add the dressing. Whisk the dressing before using.
- Storing: Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Carol Brown says
Absolutely delicious combination! So refreshing. Love the dressing too.
Jessica Gavin says
So happy to hear that you enjoyed the asian pear salad, Carol!
ruchi parmar says
can we add any lettuce and any kind of cheese
Jessica Gavin says
Baby spinach, arugula, gem, or bib would be nice with the salad. Fee free to add some shaved parmesan, or creamy goat cheese.
angela ford says
oh yum. so good.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you Angela!
Melanie says
I made this recipe tonight and it was delicious! I didn’t have any cucumber and I added mixed salad leaves and big shrimps, which tasted absolutely wonderful with the vinaigrette. I’m gonna do it again and give it a 5-star rating 🙂
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much for making the recipe Malanie! The salad and the shrimp addition sounds so yummy! So happy that you enjoyed the recipe and will make it again 🙂