Skip to main content
Epicurious
Bon Appétit

Asian Pear Salad With Crispy Shallots

By Kendra Vaculin
A platter of matchstickcut pears tossed with shallots fresno chiles cilantro and mint all atop a vibrant green tablescape.
Photograph by Andrew B. Myers, Food Styling by Micah Morton, Prop Styling by Emma Ringness

Subtly sweet and extremely crunchy, Asian pears are an underutilized but deeply effective salad ingredient. Cut into batons, they look a bit like potatoes destined for the fryer, but they soak up a bright vinaigrette with ease and play very nicely with chiles and herbs. If you can’t find Asian pears, crisp apples or other varieties of underripe pears would make a great alternative. Also, store-bought crispy shallots work in a pinch if you’d rather not fry your own.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Crispy Rice Salad With Spicy Tahini Dressing
With crunchy cabbage, sweet mango, and ripe avocado, this salad will keep you full.
Chicken Breakfast Sausages
Give your favorite breakfast sausage a makeover with ground chicken. A blend of spices (fennel, smoked paprika) and some maple syrup makes these patties shine.
Brussels Sprout Pasta
This brussels sprout pasta recipe taps nutty brown butter, crunchy pecans, and hot Italian sausage to create an easy dinner bursting with fall flavors.
Dill Pickle Potato Salad
With homemade quick pickles, this will be your new signature side dish.
Salt-and-Pepper Shrimp With Crispy Polenta
Tingly, salty, and irresistibly crunchy, this salt-and-pepper shrimp with cubes of crispy polenta (yes, from those tubes!) is a weeknight MVP.
Sweet-and-Spicy Squash With Scallion Oil
Roasted squash loses its bland reputation and turns glossy and fragrant thanks to a gingery miso-glaze and a quick scallion oil.
Rosemary and Dried Cherry Pork Chops
Rehydrating dried cherries in hot water turns them plump and juicy—exactly what you want scattered throughout a rosemary-scented pan sauce for pork chops.
Giant Cheesesteak Focaccia
A game-day hero featuring focaccia slathered with Calabrian chili aioli, piled high with cooked steak, melted cheese, peppers, and onions.