A fork rests on a dark bowl, filled with persimmon and pomegranate salad.

I am on a one-woman mission to introduce everyone to the gloriousness that is the persimmon. This little orange fruit is often overlooked on store shelves, and Iโ€™m determined to change that!

Persimmons are in season during the fall and winter monthsโ€”when many summertime fruits are looking lacklusterโ€”and they are packed full of sweet, tangy flavor. They work beautifully in sweet dishes (like my Bourbon Persimmon Bread), as well as in savory applications, like this bright and beautiful Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad.

Close up of a salad filled with pomegranates, persimmons, spinach, candied walnuts, and goat cheese.

What are the different kinds of persimmons?

When you hit up your supermarket in the cooler months, youโ€™re likely to find two different kinds of persimmonsโ€”astringent and non-astringent. The kind you grab matters because while both are delicious, they have very different textures and ripening patterns.

Astringent Persimmons

Most of us will see these listed under the name Hachiya at the grocery store. They are acorn-shaped, and these types of persimmons are very, very soft when ripe. They are called astringent, because if you eat them before they are ripeโ€”when they are at all firmโ€”they have a mouth-puckering astringent quality to them. When ripe, they are sweeter than candy and have a bit of a citrus flavor to them. Because they are so soft when ripe, these are good for baking. Youโ€™ll find them used frequently in breads, cakes, puddings, smoothies, and ice cream.

If you are lucky enough to have an American Persimmon tree nearby that you can forage for persimmons like we do, they are also astringent persimmons. This means that unless they feel incredibly soft (like pudding in a water balloon soft), donโ€™t pop them in your mouth! In fact, trying to get me to eat non-ripe persimmons was one of my big brotherโ€™s favorite childhood pastimes. That and getting me to smell his shoes. Brothers are weird.

Non-Astringent Persimmons

Next to the Hachiya persimmons in your grocery store, youโ€™ll probably see Fuyu persimmonsโ€”which are shaped more like a tomato. These are non-astringent, meaning you can eat them at any stage in the ripening process. You eat these more like an apple, slicing them into crisp slices. They tend to be a bit less sweet than astringent varieties, but still super delicious and flavorful! Non-astringent Fuyu persimmons are what we use here. Because of their firm texture, they hold up beautifully in a salad recipe.

Persimmons, pomegranates, and spinach sit next to salt, pepper, and garlic.

What if I canโ€™t find persimmons?

Persimmons are in season during the fall and winter months, so a large supermarket with a robust produce section should have them in stock starting in early autumn. If youโ€™re having trouble tracking them down, ripe but firm pears or apples would also work in this recipe.

Okay, now what about pomegranate? What are pomegranate arils?

Pomegranate arils are the seeds of a pomegranateโ€”and the part you eat! The little crunchy seeds are wrapped in a sack of delicious pomegranate juice. When you bite into one, you get a burst of juice and then the crunch of the seed. You can purchase whole pomegranates, and then cut them open to remove the seeds, or many grocery stores sell the pomegranate arils separately.

A fork rests on a dark bowl, filled with pomegranate and persimmon salad.

How do you make candied maple walnuts?

While the stars of this salad show are the pomegranate and persimmon, an incredible supporting actor is the candied maple walnuts. These crunchy, sweet, and salty walnuts take just a few minutes to make, and they add such an incredible texture and flavor burst to this salad! All you do is mix together walnuts with maple syrup and sea salt in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture has thickened up. Then, once the walnuts have cooled, you break them over your salad.

Maple candied walnuts are spread out on a piece of parchment paper.

What is a vinaigrette? Is it the same as vinegar?

For this salad, weโ€™re making a maple vinaigretteโ€”which is a salad dressing made with vinegar as a base ingredient. It is not the same as straight vinegar. This dressing is incredible on any sort of hearty salad, especially one that includes fruit.

To make a vinaigrette, itโ€™s as simple as combining vinegar (in this case, balsamic vinegar) with oil (weโ€™re using extra virgin olive oil) and ingredients to give flavor. We mix ours with maple syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic, and cinnamon. All of those ingredients go into a jar with a tight-fitting lid, and then you shake, shake, shake it up until the mixture is emulsifiedโ€”meaning it is mixed together until smooth and creamy.

A bottle of maple vinaigrette sits in front of a bowl of salad.

This salad is the perfect in-season option to add some colorful freshness to your fall or winter dinners, or even as a Thanksgiving salad! Enjoy.

Looking for more wintertime salad recipes?

 
A fork rests on a dark bowl, filled with persimmon and pomegranate salad.

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Maple Vinaigrette and Candied Walnuts

Yield: 6-8 side salad servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

This colorful Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad is topped with candied walnuts and maple vinaigrette dressing to make a perfect fall and wintertime salad!

Ingredients

For the Candied Walnuts

  • 1 1/2 cups whole raw walnuts
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Maple Vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Salad

  • 1 small head radicchio, chopped
  • 8 ounces baby spinach
  • 2 medium firm Fuyu persimmons, sliced
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
  • 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

Instructions

  1. To make the candied walnuts, in a small skillet, combine the walnuts, maple syrup, and sea salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the walnuts are coated thickly and no syrup remains in the skillet. Spread walnuts into a single layer on parchment paper to cool.
  2. To make the maple vinaigrette, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all vinaigrette ingredients. Close the lid and shake until smooth.
  3. To assemble the salad, layer the radicchio with the baby spinach. Then top with sliced persimmons, pomegranate, goat cheese, and candied walnuts. Drizzle on dressing, toss the salad, and enjoy.

Notes

  • Make sure to grab non-astringent Fuyu persimmons for this recipeโ€”astringent varieties (like Hachiya) will not work.
  • Canโ€™t track down persimmons? Firm but ripe pears or apples work well in this recipe, too. Just make sure to treat them with a product like Fruit Fresh to prevent browning.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 334Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 214mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 3gSugar: 17gProtein: 7g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

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