Persimmon Salad

Sharing is caring!

This delicious persimmon salad with pear and kale is a real treat. This tasty salad makes a great side dish or wonderful light lunch.

Persimmons are a fantastic fruit that's only in season a few months of the year. They have a honey-like flavor and are usually mild. They're often juicy and their texture is somewhere in between a peach and an apple.

Why You'll Love This Persimmon Salad

This salad is perfect for fall or winter - when persimmons are at their height (from October through December).

It's juicy and fruity with a nice balance of crunchy and softer elements. The kale is massaged to provide a rich, green background that doesn't overwhelm the other ingredients.

This salad would make a wonderful addition to a holiday table - it's great for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Salad Ingredients You'll Need

• 1 head Lacinato kale
• 3 Fuyu persimmons
• 1 Red Anjou pear*
• 3 ounces crumbled goat cheese
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons pipits
• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

*You can use any kind of pear you'd like, but red pears are so pretty in a salad!

All About Persimmons

Fuyu and Hachiya are the main types of persimmons and are the ones most commonly found in the grocery store. Unless you are lucky enough to have persimmon trees in your backyard, you'll likely need to get them from a farmer's market or specialty grocery store.

Fuyu persimmons are short, a bit squat, and bright orange. They're eaten when ripe and firm - unlike Hachiya persimmons which are eaten when almost mushy. Hachiya persimmons are elongated and have a shorter season than Fuyus.

Fuyu persimmons are in season from early October to late December. Hachiya persimmons are in season in November and December. If you're lucky you might find some in January as well!

You'll use Fuyu persimmons in this recipe because they can be cut into sections and stand up well in a salad. They're perfect for eating raw.

If you have some Hachiya persimmons, use them in baked goods, like this persimmon bread.

More Seasonal Salad Recipes to Try

If you like this recipe, check out some of our other salads for winter and fall.

• Asian Pear Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese
• Kumquat Radish Salad with Dukkah
• Citrus Pomegranate Salad

Tips for Making this Recipe

Links on some posts are affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Specialty Ingredients - For this recipe, you'll need Fuyu persimmons. If you can't find them in a grocery store or farmer's market, you can buy them from Melissa's produce.

Storing Tips - You can save this salad in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you'd like to make this salad ahead, I would suggest adding the pepitas and almonds before serving. This will keep them crispier.

Diet/Allergy Alternatives - You can easily make this recipe vegan by leaving out the crumbled cheese.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos or leave us a rating.