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This southern pear salad is the perfect old-fashioned recipe. Juicy canned pears topped with creamy mayonnaise, shredded cheese, and a sweet maraschino cherry. It might sound odd, but it’s a vintage classic!
If there is one thing I love, it’s a classic old-fashioned vintage recipe! And this pear salad is just that!
If you’re unfamiliar with pear salad, you likely didn’t grow up in the South or the Midwest. This beauty was served at family reunions, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and sometimes birthday parties. It was an anytime-any-activity recipe.
However, I always thought this recipe was just a little funny. Who sat down and thought, “Yeah, canned pears, mayonnaise, cheese, and cherries. A match made in heaven?” For real. Who was it? The 1950s was a wild time, but they made up some delicious (although odd) recipes!
This is also a classic “that’s not a salad” salad recipe. Similar to my Pineapple Pretzel Salad or my Sweet Grape Salad. Both are delicious, but neither is a salad.
Trust me, this funny little Southern pear salad might sound like an odd pairing, but it’s a match made in flavor heaven.
Ingredients for pear salad
- Canned pear halves
- Lettuce leaf
- Mayonnaise
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Maraschino cherry
How to make
Want to know my favorite thing about this southern (and Midwest!) classic recipe? It’s easy to make!
- Open your canned pears and drain them.
- Add one lettuce leaf and top with a pear half on a platter or small serving plate.
- Fill the center of the pear half with mayonnaise and shredded cheese and top with a cherry.
- Keep cold and serve cold.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- You want to use canned pears for this recipe. They are soft and sweet and work well. Using fresh pears will not taste as good or as “classic.”
- I like to use extra sharp cheddar cheese, but anything from regular sharp to mild cheddar will work.
- Get fancy by using extra-rich mayonnaise such as Kewpie.
- Don’t get too fancy with this recipe. Use classic maraschino cherries. The fancy Luxardo cherries will overshine and stick out in this dish.
- Keep it simple by serving on an iceberg lettuce leaf, or go a bit fancier and use butter lettuce.
- My canned pears typically contain four pear halves. If they have more, use 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon shredded cheese, and 1 cherry per extra pear half.
FAQ’s
More old-fashioned recipes
Southern Pear Salad
Ingredients
- 1 (14-15 ounce) can pear halves, in pear juice
- 4 leaves lettuce
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 whole maraschinio cherries
Instructions
- Open pears and drain in a strainer.
- Add one pear half on a piece of lettuce, fill the inside of the pear with one tablespoon mayonnaise and one tablespoon shredded cheese, and top with one maraschino cherry.
- Continue until all pears have been made.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve cold.
Notes
- My canned pears tend to have 4 halves per can. However, occasionally, there are 5 halves per can. If this happens, you need a tablespoon of mayonnaise and shredded cheese, and one extra cherry.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
