Classic Pear Salad recipe made with canned pears, mayonnaise, cheese, and topped with maraschino cherries. A crowd favorite recipe.

This pear salad recipe is always a favorite for Sunday suppers and holiday meals, especially Easter, Memorial Day, and throughout the summer. Still, it is delicious any time of the year.

Photo of pear salad on a white plate with a bowl of cherries in the center.

This pear salad recipe isn’t the type of salad recipe that many expect. The only time you’ll find lettuce involved in this salad is if you decide to add a bed of large lettuce leaves to the platter to nestle your pear salad on. But this no-cook side dish recipe is always a favorite!

How to Make Classic Pear Salad Recipe

Photograph of pear salad on a white plate.

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

Made with just four ingredients, this easy recipe comes together quickly.

Ingredients used to make pear salad recipe.

For this recipe, you’ll need canned pear halves, mayonnaise, cheese, and maraschino cherries.

Pears – Canned pear halves come in heavy and light syrup. Choose your favorite. Drain the pear halves well.

Mayonnaise – Use your favorite creamy mayonnaise. You’ll need about a teaspoon of mayonnaise per pear half.

Cheese – I love to use freshly shredded cheddar cheese for this recipe.

Cherries – I prefer to use maraschino cherries with the stems removed, but we all loved to play with the stems growing up!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Collage of two photos showing how to make pear salad.

Arrange pears and add mayonnaise. Drain the pears from their juices and place them onto a serving platter. Add a dollop of mayonnaise to the center of each pear.

Collage photos of final steps to make classic pear salad recipe.

Add cheese and cherries. Top the mayonnaise with shredded cheddar cheese and then with a cherry. Serve cold.

Photo of pears topped with cheese and cherries and a bowl of cherries on a white platter.

Make Ahead Instructions

To make ahead. Prepare the pear salad without adding the cherry to the top. Add the cherries right before serving.

Here’s the Southern Pear Salad Recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!

Pear Salad Recipe

5 from 6 votes
Classic Pear Salad recipe made with canned pears, mayonnaise, cheese, and topped with maraschino cherries. A crowd favorite recipe.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 1 (29-ounce) can pear halves, drained well
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 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 about a teaspoon of mayonnaise, then add a little cheddar cheese to the top of the mayonnaise, and top each with a maraschino cherry.
  • Serve cold.

Notes

To make ahead. Prepare the pear salad without adding the cherry to the top. Add the cherries right before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 31mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 0.03mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Recipe Review




16 Comments

    1. Felicia, I always think of my mother and grandmother making this pear salad when I was a child, too.

  1. I’m 65. Been enjoying this Classic since I was a little kid, watching my Grandmother prepare. Surely one of my All Time Favorites !!! Thanks for “reminder”. I’m off to grab ingredients from Food Lion and will enjoy over Easter Weekend !!!

    1. Thanks, Lucius. I always loved this when my grandmother and mother made it.