Persimmon Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing

Spinach and Persimmon Salad with Dried Cranberries, Pecans, Feta Cheese, and Honey-Mustard Dressing - in a white bowl.

Persimmon Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing

This Persimmon Salad with Honey-Mustard Dressing is ready in just 15 minutes and pairs well with any main dish—whether it's chicken, steak, seafood, pasta, or pizza. Featuring toasted pecans, dried cranberries, spinach (or your other favorite greens) and feta cheese, it’s a great choice for fall and winter, highlighting fresh, seasonal flavors. Enjoy persimmons from October through December, and consider adding this salad to your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu!

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword persimmon salad

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings

Calories 527kcal

Author Julia

Ingredients

Salad dressing

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or lime juice

Salad ingredients

1 cup pecan halves toasted
2 large persimmons sliced (choose Fuyu variety, not Hachiya - see the notes below for more details)
⅓ cup dried cranberries
5 oz baby spinach
⅓ cup feta cheese crumbled

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the salad dressing

Combine olive oil, Dijon mustard, honey, and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a mason jar. Whisk with a fork for 1-2 minutes until smooth and emulsified.

Prepare the salad ingredients

Toast the pecans in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, just until they turn a bit darker.
Rinse the persimmon under cool water and remove the leafy top with a sharp knife. The skin is edible for non-astringent varieties like Fuyu, so you can skip peeling. I left the skin on - it adds fiber and is delicious! Slice the fruit into rounds or wedges.
Soak dried cranberries in hot water for a few minutes to make them soft and juicy.

Assemble the salad

Add baby spinach to individual salad bowls or a large serving dish. Top with sliced persimmons, plumped cranberries, and crumbled feta. Add toasted pecans (some whole, some chopped) and drizzle generously with the dressing.

Notes

Choose the right variety of persimmons, or you'll be disappointed!

Fuyu persimmons are short, flat, and squat, shaped like a tomato, and can be eaten immediately—this is the variety you want to buy.
In contrast, Hachiya persimmons are more elongated and must be fully ripe before eating; otherwise, they’ll leave an astringent, “cotton-mouth” sensation. I personally don't like or buy Hachiya persimmons.
Take a look at the photo below to see the Fuyu persimmons I used in this recipe. I also recommend doing a quick Google search to compare the shapes of Fuyu and Hachiya—the difference can be subtle, but knowing it will help you avoid any disappointment!

Nutrition