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This persimmon salad tosses crisp Fuyu persimmons with peppery arugula, toasted pecans, creamy avocado, and lemony red onion in a simple orange dressing. It’s ready in just 20 minutes and makes a fresh, colorful side for your holiday table. Planning the whole menu? Find more ideas in my vegan Thanksgiving recipes.
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When persimmons show up at the market in the fall, this is one of my favorite ways to enjoy them fresh. The sweet, honeyed fruit pairs beautifully with salty, tangy, and crunchy toppings, and it’s a lovely break from all the rich holiday dishes. Serve it next to my healthy Thanksgiving fruit salad for a fruit-filled spread.
Quick Glance
- Recipe Name: Persimmon Salad
- Why You’ll Love It: Sweet persimmons, peppery greens, and crunchy pecans in a fresh salad that looks beautiful on any table.
- Time and Difficulty: 20 minutes, with no cooking beyond toasting the pecans, easy.
- Main Ingredients: Fuyu persimmons, arugula, avocado, pecans, red onion, lemon, orange juice, and Dijon mustard.
- Method: Soak the onion in lemon juice, shake up the dressing, then toss and top the salad.
- Texture and Flavor: Crisp, juicy, creamy, and crunchy, with a sweet and tangy citrus dressing.
- Quick Tip: Use firm, ripe Fuyu persimmons for salads. Save soft Hachiya persimmons for baking.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Persimmon Salad So Good
Persimmons have a flavor all their own. They’re often compared to a cross between an apple, a mango, and an apricot, with a honeyed sweetness and a hint of cinnamon. In this salad, they get to shine with just a few simple ingredients.
- Quick: It takes about 20 minutes, and the only cooking is toasting the pecans.
- Seasonal: It celebrates fall and winter produce, when persimmons and citrus are at their best.
- Great for entertaining: It looks impressive on a holiday table, and it balances heavier dishes beautifully.
- Easy to customize: Swap the greens, nuts, or fruit for whatever you have on hand.
- Make-ahead friendly: The dressing and soaked onions can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Persimmon Salad Ingredients
You only need a handful of simple ingredients for this salad and its dressing. You’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card below.
- Red onion: Thinly sliced and soaked in lemon juice with a pinch of salt, so it turns milder and a little pickled.
- Lemon: Its juice softens the onion, and the leftover juices in the bowl season the greens.
- Fuyu persimmons: Their crisp, firm texture works best in salads. Look for deep orange persimmons that feel heavy for their size, with no soft spots. They’re in season from about October through January. The persimmons in my photos are cinnamon persimmons. They look like Hachiya persimmons, but they don’t have the bitter taste, so they’re sweet and crisp enough to slice into a salad.
- Pecans: Lightly toasted for crunch. Walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds are easy swaps.
- Citrus dressing: Fresh orange juice, Dijon mustard, a little olive oil, salt, and black pepper. I like to shake it up in a small mason jar.
- Arugula: Its peppery bite balances the sweet fruit. Baby spinach, mixed greens, or massaged kale work too.
- Avocados: They add creaminess. Slice them right before serving so they stay green.
Have extra persimmons? Save the soft, extra-ripe ones for my vegan persimmon bread, persimmon cookies, or persimmon muffins, or cook them into persimmon jam. They’re also delicious blended into a spiced persimmon smoothie.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few ways to switch up this persimmon salad:
- Sweeter dressing: Add a little maple syrup or agave to the dressing.
- Pomegranate: A handful of pomegranate seeds adds color and a sweet-tart pop.
- Beets: Steamed or roasted beets add earthy sweetness and gorgeous color.
- Apple or pear: Thinly sliced Honeycrisp apple or ripe pear adds crunch. I haven’t tested this salad without persimmons, but either one should work in their place when persimmons are out of season.
- Red pepper flakes: A pinch adds some heat.
- Tofu feta: Crumble on some tofu feta cheese for a creamy, salty bite.
- Candied nuts: Swap the toasted pecans for my rosemary candied walnuts.
- Different dressing: Try my basic balsamic vinaigrette or easy orange vinaigrette.
- Dried fruit: Dried cranberries or raisins add chewy sweetness.
- Make it a meal: I haven’t tested it, but a can of drained chickpeas or some cooked quinoa should turn it into a satisfying main dish.
How to Make Persimmon Salad
Step 1: Soak the onion. Thinly slice the red onion and juice the lemon. Mix the onion, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in a large salad bowl and set it aside for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Slice the persimmons and toast the pecans. While the onion soaks, remove the green tops from the persimmons with a spoon or paring knife and slice them into bite-size wedges. Lightly toast the pecans in a dry skillet until fragrant, then set them aside to cool.
PRO TIP: Or toast the pecans on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring halfway.
Step 3: Make the dressing. Add the orange juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a small jar with a lid and shake well, or whisk it in a small bowl. Move the soaked onion and its juices to a lidded container and chill it. There is no need to wash the bowl.
Step 4: Assemble the salad. Add the arugula to the same bowl and toss it in the remaining lemon and onion juices. Top it with the persimmons, pecans, avocado, and 2 Tablespoons of the red onion. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of the dressing and serve with more onion and dressing on the side.
Toni’s Recipe Tips
- Use Fuyu or cinnamon persimmons: Both are sweet while they’re still firm. Hachiya persimmons are very astringent until they are completely ripe, and by then they are too soft for a salad.
- Slice them thin: Thin wedges are easier to eat with the greens. There is no need to peel them, since the skin is thin and edible.
- Add the toppings last: Add the pecans and avocado right before serving so the nuts stay crunchy and the avocado stays green.
- Taste the dressing: Dip a persimmon wedge in the dressing and adjust it with a little more salt or a drizzle of maple syrup.
- Dress it lightly: Start with 1 Tablespoon of dressing and serve the rest on the side, so the arugula doesn’t wilt.
Serving Suggestions
This persimmon salad is a lovely light side for a holiday meal. Serve it with an easy vegan lentil loaf for Thanksgiving, or pair it with a bowl of soup for a simple weeknight dinner. For more fruity salads, try my grapefruit quinoa salad with avocado, peach salad, or quick and easy citrus salad.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make ahead: Shake up the dressing and soak the onion up to 2 days ahead, and keep them in the fridge. Toast the pecans and keep them in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Fridge: Store the undressed salad and the dressing separately in airtight containers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, and add the avocado when serving.
- Once assembled: Enjoy the dressed salad within a few hours for the freshest, crispest texture.
Persimmon Salad FAQs
Fuyu persimmons are best. They have a flattened, tomato-like shape and a crisp, firm texture, so they slice neatly and hold their shape. Cinnamon persimmons, which I used in the photos, work well too. Hachiya persimmons are acorn-shaped and only taste sweet once they are completely soft and pudding-like, which makes them better for baking.
No, the peel is thin and edible. You can peel them if you prefer a softer bite.
Look for a deep orange color and smooth skin with no soft spots. A ripe Fuyu can be firm like an apple or have a little give, and both are delicious in a salad. If it is pale yellow, leave it on the counter for a few days.
You don’t have to, but soaking the onion in lemon juice takes away some of its raw, sharp flavor and makes it milder while keeping it flavorful.
Yes! Make the dressing and soak the onion up to 2 days ahead and keep them in the fridge. Slice the persimmons and avocado and toss everything together right before serving so the greens stay crisp.
More Fall Salad Recipes
Vegan Appetizers
Pear Salad
Vegan Side Dishes
Apple Cranberry Pecan Salad
Vegan Side Dishes
Vegan Roasted Beet Salad (With Tofu Feta and Apple)
Salads
Fall Quinoa Salad
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Persimmon Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 small red onion very thinly sliced
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 ripe Fuyu persimmons sliced into wedges
- ¼ cup (28 g) pecans
- 1 orange juiced
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups (40 g) arugula
- 2 avocados sliced
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl, mix the onion, lemon juice, and pinch of salt. Set it aside for 10 minutes.
- While the onion soaks, remove the green tops from the persimmons and slice them into bite-size wedges.
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant. Transfer them to a plate to cool.
- After 10 minutes, move the onion and its juices to a lidded container and refrigerate. Don’t wash the bowl.
- Add the arugula to the same bowl and toss it in the remaining lemon and onion juices.
- Top with the persimmons, pecans, avocado, and 2 Tablespoons of the red onion. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of the dressing and serve with the remaining onion and dressing on the side.
Notes
- Use Fuyu or cinnamon persimmons, since both are sweet while they’re still firm. Hachiya persimmons are very astringent until fully ripe, and by then they are too soft for a salad.
- Customize it with your favorite greens, nuts or seeds, and add-ins. Sweeten the dressing with a little maple syrup if you like.
- I haven’t tested it, but a crisp apple or ripe pear should work in place of the persimmons when they are out of season.
- Make the dressing and soak the onion up to 2 days ahead. Add the pecans and avocado right before serving.
- Store the undressed salad and the dressing separately in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Such a fresh and yummy salad!