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This. Oh my goodness, this pear salad! I’m not sure who in the world ever came up with this fabulous combination, but I sure wish I could give them a hug!
I grew up with this family favorite appearing for Sunday lunches after church or suppers at my Grandparents’ house. It always had a place for any holiday or special celebratory meal, too.
{Hi! See my reflection in my dish? I’m the dorky one with the camera, in case your wondering…. Heh!}
When Grandmother served this pear salad, she’d always make a separate tray with some without the cherries on top for my cousin. You see, she wasn’t quiet as thrilled with cherries on top of her pear salad as I was. I loved them, she didn’t.
So, Grandmother would also let me eat the extra little cherries. She’d add them to a small bowl or when wanted to make something even extra special, she’d skewer a few onto a toothpick for me. Those little toothpick skewers of cherries became my absolute favorites!
Now, as a nod to sweet Grandmother’s who let you have more than one cherry for your pear salad, or who skewer cherries for your plate, I feel like I have to do the same.
I think it would only make her proud.
So, if you need a fun little side for a meal soon, give this pear salad, that really isn’t a salad, a try.
But don’t forget the skewer of cherries.
Here’s the recipe for this pear salad.
Pear Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 29-ounce can light pear halves
- 4 teaspoons mayonnaise divided
- 4 ounces grated cheddar cheese
- maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Remove pear halves from can, taking care to drain away as much liquid from pears as possible. Place pears onto a serving platter.
- Top each pear half with a bit of mayonnaise, then grated cheddar cheese, and top with a maraschino cherry.
- Serve cold.
Nutritional Information
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Anything is better with cheese!! Have to try this!! I was/am the kid who always wanted the cooked fruit off the ham….cherries and pineapple!!
My elementary school cafeteria always served this salad but I have never had it with cherries. Will give it a try. Thanks for the reminder!
Wow…..never thought to use pears. We made this with pinapple slices, but I think I prefer the pears. Adding lots of cherries!! Yummy-Yum-Yum! Thanks for this recipe. Happy Blessed Easter to you & yours!
Oh, the memories! I was married at age 19, and this is one of the special salads my mother-in-law often served at her dinner table, oh, so many years ago! I’m 56 now, and wishing I could be a grandma — you’ve reminded me of something I’d forgotten, so, Robin, I thank you! I will pin this on my Grandkids board and do this for my grandchildren one day and make special memories for them — cherries included!!
I think this is the first time ever that I’m stumped on whether or not I want to try a recipe. The thought of mayo with pears sounds kinda ick… and I’m not a fan of maraschino cherries unless I dip them myself in chocolate… and yet I am INTRIGUED. And I trust your taste for yumminess!
So I will have to try these… maybe tomorrow! 🙂
HA! I hope you love it as much as we do. It is certainly a staple side dish in my family since I can remember. The combinations of sweet, salty, tart, and the cheese is really perfect together.
I had this when I was a teen at a friend’s house. It sounded gross, but after I tasted it, I loved it! I hadn’t thought of it again until seeing this recipe. I will make this for my kids soon!
Seems quite simple to put together and it’s so pretty 🙂 I’d love to try this soon.
This has been a favorite in my family since I can remember! My mother preferred pineapple slices and she did place it on an iceberg lettuce leaf. I serve either fruit except I use healthier Romaine leaves. We omit the cherry and use ONLY Hellman’s full -fat mayo. Reduced or fat free tastes terrible in our opinion. I believe this salad originated in the 1940’s. We love it with pork or chicken!
I grew up eating this. It was one of the things Daddy would make when he cooked (which wasn’t often). I made it tonight for my family and my husband looked at me weird. I told him to google it. He was very surprised it’s an actual thing! Hahaha! Glad I made it tonight – brings back great memories of my Daddy.
This looks really good. I’m a big fan of pears as it is, but this is icing on the cake.
Does it taste the same if you use light mayonaise?
I never understood things like this referred to as a salad. Growing up salads were always leafy green things with veggies and dressing, or chopped up stuff swimming in mayo (potato, ham, eggs, etc.), and I had a friend whose grandmother would always serve something like this as a salad course whe. I had dinner at her house. I was always so confused.