Fresh and delicious Fuyu persimmon salad made with candied pecans, pomegranate arils, goat cheese, lightly coated with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. This salad is a fantastic addition to your holiday meal plan.

Fuyu Persimmon Salad

Are you starting to plan your holiday menu? I’m planning on several options.

Option 1 will be a menu for Alan and me, and the option 2 will be a menu for up to eight.

Although I’m hoping for a full house, I’m trying not to have any expectations. I mean, heck, it’s been a year of unpredictability, right?

What about you? Are you all set? I think the key for me is to remain flexible during the holiday season.

Each year my family has a list of must have dishes that we each look forward to.

Family favorites are my sweet potato casserole loved by all, and keto green bean casserole, which is my must have dish.

Both dishes are delicious and quite filling, so the rest of the side dishes will be a little lighter.

For instance, the roasted fingerling potatoes I shared earlier this week, and the persimmon salad I’m sharing today are on the lighter side.

Persimmons

Persimmons are a seasonal fruit that are available from late September through December in the United States.

There are two varieties of persimmons; Fuyu and Hachiya. For this recipe we use the Fuyu variety, which are shaped like little pumpkins.

I explain the difference between the two varieties in my persimmon cookie recipe.

What do persimmons taste like?

If you haven’t had persimmons, then you are in for a treat! There really is no other fruit like them.

Hachiya persimmons are sweet with a jelly like texture when super ripe.

The skin is edible like a peach and comes off easily. Although you can peel the skin off if you would like.

The fuyu has a slightly thicker skin, but also edible and just as sweet as the hachiya persimmon. The fuyu is easy to slice and holds up well in salad.

Ingredients needed to make persimmon salad

You will need the following ingredients for the salad:

• Mixed salad greens like any of the following; spinach, arugula, green oak, radicchio.
• Fuyu persimmons sliced. I left the skin on, but feel free to peel it if you prefer. Check out how to cut persimmons in this post.
• Goat cheese
• Pomegranate arils
• Maple glazed pecans – these can be made several days in advance or purchase them pre-made.

For the balsamic vinaigrette you will need the following ingredients:

• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• Honey
• Garlic
• Salt and pepper

Salad With Persimmons & Balsamic Vinaigrette

For this recipe you will want to assemble and dress the salad just before serving.

Although I make the balsamic vinaigrette several days in advance.

You can also slice the persimmons and deseed the pomegranate in advance. Also, I highly recommend making the homemade glazed pecans (5 minutes!) instead of purchasing them.

As I mentioned already, these can be made ahead of time too.

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

This balsamic vinaigrette brings all the flavors of this salad together.

A little tangy with a slight undertone of sweet. So delicious over greens!

This dressing will coat at least three to four salads, so there is plenty to pass around the table for those that would like to use more on their serving.

Just start out lightly dressing the salad with several tablespoons so you don’t overly saturate the salad ingredients.

Add vinaigrette ingredients to a jar with a lid

To make balsamic vinaigrette add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, salt & pepper to a jar and cover with a lid.

Shake until well combined. The honey helps emulsify the ingredients, but there will still be a separation of the oil and vinegar.

Just shake again or whisk the ingredients before serving.

Hope this persimmon salad becomes a favorite dish on your holiday table.

Be sure to check out the side dishes below. My friends are serving some tasty recipes too!

Holiday Side Dish Recipes:

• Air Fried Green Beans with Crispy Onions by West Via Midwest
• Apple and Kohlrabi Slaw by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Balsamic Brussels Sprouts with Bacon by Lemon Blossoms
• Buttery Pearl Barley Mushroom Pilaf by Food Lust People Love
• Cheesy Asparagus Bake by The Fresh Cooky
• Couscous with Cumin and Pine Nuts by Shockingly Delicious
• Cranberry Pecan Cornbread Mini Bites by The Freshman Cook
• Creamed Corn by Savory Experiments
• Creamy Cheesy Brussel Sprouts with Bacon by Blogghetti
• Farro Salad with Apples, Arugula & Feta by Sweet Beginnings
• Lemon and Garlic Roasted Brussels Sprouts by Palatable Pastime
• Loaded Cauliflower Casserole by Cheese Curd in Paradise
• Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes by Family Around the Table
• Persimmon Salad With Balsamic Vinaigrette by The Foodie Affair
• Rice Pilaf with Dried Cranberries and Almonds by An Affair from the Heart
• Roasted Beet & Goat Cheese Salad by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Roasted Carrots with Goat Cheese and Pecans by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples by Devour Dinner
• Sausage Stuffing by House of Nash Eats
• Wild Rice and Broccoli Casserole by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Wild Rice and Sprouts Pilaf by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

PIN TO YOUR SIDE DISH, SALAD AND HEALTHY RECIPE BOARDS