Persimmon Salad Recipe: Tips for Making the Seasonal Salad

Persimmon salad is a seasonal side dish centered around sliced Fuyu persimmons. This fall and winter favorite may include bitter greens and herbs, cheese, nuts, and complementary fruits.

Persimmons are a rich source of vitamin A, calcium, manganese, and potassium. Look for different types of persimmons at farmers’ markets and grocery stores from October through November.

Persimmon salad is an easy way to showcase the best parts of the season. Here’s how to create a delicious salad:

1. 1. Use Fuyu persimmons. Non-astringent Fuyu persimmons, rather than astringent, acorn-shaped Hachiya persimmons, are the best types to use in a salad. Like an apple, you can eat ripe Fuyu persimmons while the skin is still firm, while Hachiya persimmons must be completely soft, cooked, or dried. All persimmon skin is edible, so there’s no need to peel the skin off before preparation. Simply slice off the dried leaves on top, and enjoy.
2. 2. Play with contrasts. The texture of Fuyu persimmons is simultaneously soft and crisp, with a mild sweetness. Instead of similarly mild baby spinach, pair them with bitter or peppery greens, like arugula, radicchio, watercress, or endive. Balance the bitter and sweet elements with crumbles or shavings of a rich, creamy, funky cheese like goat cheese, feta, blue cheese, or aged Parmesan. Add candied nuts, seed clusters, crispy homemade croutons, or a ¼ cup of pomegranate seeds to finish things off with crunch.
3. 3. Build the vinaigrette. A vinaigrette is an excellent way to punctuate a persimmon salad, with endless variations to try. Add sweetness with maple syrup or balsamic vinegar, or heat with stone-ground or Dijon mustard. Add lift and acidity with pickled shallots, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice. Learn how to make a classic vinaigrette with Chef Thomas Keller.
4. 4. Compose your plate. Persimmon slices are a great addition to a kale salad or large bowl of mixed greens tossed with a vinaigrette, but they shine in a composed salad carefully arranged on a plate or platter. First, layer persimmon rounds with cheese, thin slices of pear, or citrus, then finish the salad with chopped fresh herbs, dried cranberries, a squeeze of lemon juice, high-quality olive oil, and flaky sea salt.