From tangy to sweet and crisp to buttery, pears vary in taste and texture based on the variety. These varieties range in shape from bell to spherical and green to golden yellow and red in color.
Furthermore, pears are a versatile fruit that can be eaten raw or cooked. This fruit offers subtle sweetness that pairs wonderfully with savory and sweet dishes for dessert, breakfast, and many more.
What to eat with pears? Pears taste good with ingredients such as cheese, wine, nut butter, yogurt, oatmeal, granola, pork, and chicken.
They add gentle taste to main entrees and blend well with herbs and spices such as allspice, anise, chives, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, mint, nutmeg, tarragon, and thyme.
When serving raw slices of pear, consider adding a dipping sauce like caramel, cream cheese, peanut butter, honey, greek yogurt, and chocolate. From protein to spices, pears are an easy fruit to pair with options such as smoothie, dessert, and salads.
The gentle sweetness of pears makes them a perfect pairing with various foods, spices, and herbs. No idea of what to eat with pears? Here are some excellent pairings to keep in mind.
What goes well with pears?
Pears are one of the best types of fruit because they have delightfully fuzzy skin and soft flesh with a crisp and juicy texture when eaten raw. This makes them perfect for snacks or dessert, but these advantages don’t stop there.
Fresh pears also complement meals that would usually be boring, such as salads, cakes, pies, tarts, pancakes, and smoothies. And dried pears can be added in stews and trail mix.
Pears are the perfect way to add some extra sweetness to savory dishes like pork and chicken because they can hold up against the more intense flavors in those foods.
Here are ingredients that have the flexibility to pair well with pears:
- Fruit: apples, berries, citrus, melons, bananas, blackberries, lemon, lime, orange, raspberries
- Vegetables: arugula, cabbage, celery, endive, fennel, lettuces, onions, parsnips, radicchio, rhubarb, shallots, spinach, watercress
- Dried fruits: cherries, plums, raisins, dates
- Grains: oats
- Cheese: blue, brie, feta, goat, parmesan, ricotta, mascarpone
- Herbs: sage, basil, rosemary, thyme
- Spices: cinnamon, ginger, allspice, anise, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg
- Condiments: caramel, chocolate, honey, maple syrup, molasses, brown sugar, vanilla, agave nectar
- Wine: red, white, dry, sweet
- Alcohol: bourbon, brandy, rum
What protein goes well with pears?
Typically, pork goes well with pears because it can be used as a foundation for many different dishes.
For example, pork and pears can be used in a fresh salad or sliced up and put on top of a pizza. The combo also makes an excellent sandwich filling when combined with lettuce, arugula, and tomatoes.
Since pears are known for being sweet and juicy, they balance out the meaty taste by adding fruity spices.
What flavor goes well with pears?
Compared to apples and bananas, pear do have a distinct juicy and smooth taste in every bite. With pears there are numerous ways to enjoy, preserve, bake, blend, and poach.
Here are classic sweet and savory flavor combination that goes well with pears:
- pears + flour + brown sugar + cinnamon
- pears + ricotta cheese + raw honey
- pears + pork chops + blue cheese
- pears + blue cheese + toasted hazelnuts
- pears + maple syrup + chicken + wild rice + broccoli
Eat with Pears: Conclusion
Pears are one of the best fruits because they are versatile and delicious. They can be eaten raw or cooked, and they can be eaten alone or paired with other foods.
Their flavor is strong yet subtle at the same time, which makes them an excellent fruit choice for many meals. While this guide provides many suggestions for serving pears with other foods, it’s important to remember that this is just a shortlist of what is possible.
Fresh, dried, or cooked pears can be served with virtually any food you can imagine such as cheese, wine, nut butter, yogurt, oatmeal, granola, and meats.
Pears are low in protein, therefore it is necessary to pair with protein such as meat, nuts, seeds, and dairy to fulfill the daily nutritional intake.
Whether you are preparing baked goods, salads, or sauces with pears, use this guide of ingredients and flavors. Pears are enjoyable to be eaten for desserts, breakfast, and mid-day snacks.