Festive Persimmon Salad
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
A festive salad combining the sweetness of Fuyu persimmons, the crunch of pomegranate and pumpkin seeds, all enhanced by a creamy maple vinaigrette.
Persimmons are the quiet stars of the autumn table, and this salad gives them the spotlight they deserve. Creamy goat cheese and tangy pomegranate seeds balance their honeyed sweetness while the greens stay fresh and crisp. It looks like a celebration on a plate and disappears just as fast.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 4 Fuyu persimmons, sliced (Note: do not use the Hachiya variety which must be very ripe to avoid astringency)
- 🫗 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 🫗 1 cup goat cheese, crumbled (4 oz)
- 🫗 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds (Pepitas)
- 🫗 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 🫗 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 🫗 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 🫗 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 🫗 1 small garlic clove, pressed or grated
- 🫗 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 🫗 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
**Prepare the vinaigrette:** In a bowl or small jar, whisk or shake together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt and pepper until a smooth emulsion forms.
**Assemble:** On a large serving platter, arrange the persimmon slices.
**Top:** Evenly distribute the pomegranate seeds, crumbled goat cheese and pumpkin seeds on top.
**Serve:** Drizzle the salad with the maple vinaigrette just before serving to preserve the texture of the ingredients.
🎥 Video Tutorial
Festive Persimmon Salad
Video credit: embedded from YouTube. All rights belong to the original creator, who allows sharing on other websites.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Type of persimmon: Using unripe Hachiya persimmons will make the salad very unpleasant due to their high tannin content (astringency).
🧊 Storage
- 📦
It is best to prepare the elements separately and assemble the salad at the last moment to prevent the goat cheese from mashing into the fruit.
💡 Chef Tips
Choosing persimmons: Fuyu persimmons are firm and can be eaten like an apple, unlike Hachiya which must be consumed very soft.
Texture: You can lightly toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes to intensify their flavor before adding them to the salad.
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About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →