Pear Salad is a classic southern comfort food! These canned pears topped with mayonnaise, cheese, and a cherry will be a hit at the next potluck!
I know what you are thinking, pear salad?! Trust me, growing up in Michigan I'd never heard of pear salad. However, now that I live in Georgia, I hear about it ALL THE TIME.
It's kind of crazy in my honest opinion, but it's one of those things you just can't knock it 'til you've tried it. So, have you tried pear salad? Another southern classic we make all the time is Pimento Cheese, have you tried it?
Pear Salad is simple because it only has 3 ingredients, four if you want to get fancy.
How to make pear salad, the southern classic recipe:
**scroll down for full ingredients list and printable directions**
- Canned pears, mayonnaise, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- If you want to sweeten things up, add some maraschino cherries on top!
- Place the pears center side up, then scoop some mayo on top (my southern friend demands Blue Plate, however her southern friend says Duke's...), then add the shredded cheddar cheese and pop a cherry on top!
- Some people also like to serve it over a bed of ice burg lettuce- YUM!
What is Pear Salad?
This is a fruit salad with pears, mayonnaise, and cheese. Some people like to serve it with a cherry on top or over a bed of lettuce. Its origins aren't completely known, but we do know it started in the south.
I have heard from many southerners that they grew up with it served in their school cafeteria, and many stories about people's grannies bringing it to events, or serving it every Sunday.
Every story I hear about pear salad has comforting thoughts of childhood and growing up around family!
Pear Salad is Low Cost!
Not only is this easy to make and super delicious, but it's also cheap! It's about $1 for a can of pears, probably .50 cents worth of mayo for the whole can of pears, and maybe .75 worth of cheese! Can't get much cheaper for a quick and easy side dish!
I highly suggest you take this pear salad to your next potluck or get together. Even if you don't live in the south, this will be a HUGE conversation starter and it will be interesting who actually tries it! Make sure you tell them, 'don't knock it until you try it!'
When to serve pear salad:
- Having a holiday party?! No party is complete without other appetizers. Try serving it alongside some Cranberry Baked Brie.
- Pear salad is perfect for any potluck! Whip it up, throw it in a storage container, and then pop it in the fridge until party time. It's even good if you make it the night before!
- Couples game night?! Serve it while playing your favorite games such as Cards Against Humanity or Catchphrase!
- Sunday dinner! Pass this salad around with dinner and everyone will be blown away!
Looking for more potluck recipes? Checkout these popular options from Domestic Superhero:
- BEST Summer Potluck Recipes
- Honey Lime Fruit Salad
- Carrot Cake Trifle (shortcut and homemade recipes)
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings (super crispy)
- Oreo Fudge (3 Ingredients)
- Boozy Pina Colada Bites (alcoholic)
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Pear Salad is a classic southern comfort food! Don't knock it until you try it; with only four ingredients so you can whip it up in no time!
- 2 cans pear halves, drained
- ½-3/4 cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- maraschino cherries, optional
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Place drained pear halved center side up on a serving dish. Add about 1 TBS mayo to the center of each pear half. Then sprinkle cheddar cheese over the top. Top with maraschino cherries if desired!
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Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Video
- When not eating, keep refrigerated.
- Can be made night before and stored covered in the refrigerator.
Originally Published 12/2017
Gretchen M
My mom from SC used to make a salad of sliced banana on a small bed of lettuce topped with mayo and chopped peanuts. I loved it. I have tried to make it but it never tastes as good as my mom's!
Katerina @ diethood .com
Such an incredible dessert!! Can't wait to try this recipe!
Sara Welch
Love how easy and tasty these treats are! Looks like the perfect appetizer!
Beth Pierce
What a quick and tasty dish! I don't usually make many meals with pears, but this sounds deliciously sweet not to try!
Jade Manning
These look delicious, I will be making these soon!
Taylor
I need to give these a try! Sounds yummy!
Krista
Love the use of pear! I have to make these for our next gathering!
GAM
I grew up eating this - we usually had it when Mom made spaghetti!! Always served on a lettuce leaf with mayo and shredded cheddar, but no cherry on top. I’m 68 now and still eat it!!
Matthew
This sounds absolutely disgusting. Weird mid century convenience food should be left in there. It has no place in the modern era.
Allyson
Have you tried it?!?!?
Samantha
"Sounds disgusting" is not representative of how it tastes. Why would you make such a comment without trying it first?
Phyllis Howell
My mom used the canned pears. Then she would mix cream cheese with crushed pineapple and mayo and the pineapple juice and some cherry juice. Cherry on top served on lettuce.
Allyson
MMMMMM!!!!
Sandy W.
I'm from CA now in FL. My mom -in-law made it with mayo & cheese only. It's really good. I love pears anyway.
Sue
I am 71 years old and don't remember anytime I didn't know about this salad. It was one of the few salads we had while growing up. We only had cherries o top when we had company and then only a half topped the mayo and cheese. It was served on a leaf of iceberg lettuce. I make it now and we love it. Sometimes I make a pear tossed salad. I tear lettuce and cut pear slices in half. Toss together with shredded cheddar cheese and quarters of cherries. Dressing is mayo thinned with some cherry juice. I serve the dressing in a small pitcmher and let each person dress their own salad. Dukes is my Southern favorite. It is almost the same as Hellmann's which is a great dressing, too. I won't take the advice of the woman who said we should let this stay in the past. It's too good for that.
Allyson
Sue - I am SO happy to read your comment! Pear salad is such a nostalgic treat that everyone needs to know about and try! I am going to share your comment on my Facebook page, thank you!
Nelda
This reminds me of my granny and the holidays! Thanks for the fond memories, I’m going to make it and serve it to my kids!
Fran
I love this salad! Although I use cream cheese or cottage cheese instead of mayo. So delicious! A similar dessert I had growing up was sliced bananas tossed with mayo, and topped with shredded coconut and slivered almonds. Such a treat!