My neighbor dropped off a bag of persimmons last week, which is how most of my fall recipes start.
I usually eat them like apples, standing at the counter, still crunchy. But I had burrata in the fridge and one persimmon with just a little give to it, and that combination turned into this persimmon burrata salad with honey balsamic.
Here's what I figured out after making it four or five times: the persimmon has to be firm. Not crunchy-hard, not soft. Firm with a slight give, so the slices hold their shape against the burrata instead of collapsing into it.
Ten minutes, no cooking, and it looks like something you'd order. It has been on my table for Thanksgiving two years running.
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Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love It
- Fuyu or Hachiya: Which Persimmon to Use
- Ingredients
- For the honey balsamic dressing
- Substitutions and Additions
- How to Make Persimmon Burrata Salad
- How to Serve It
- Make Ahead and Storage
- Rose's Tips and Troubleshooting
- Recipe FAQs
- More Fall Recipes
- Did you try this recipe?
- Persimmon Burrata Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing
Why You’ll Love It
- Ten minutes start to finish, and nothing goes on the stove.
- Looks like a restaurant plate, takes zero technique.
- Sweet, creamy, tangy, and crunchy all in one bite, which is why it holds up next to heavier holiday food.
- Works as a light dinner, a side, or a first course.
- The dressing is three ingredients you already have.
Fuyu or Hachiya: Which Persimmon to Use
This is the one thing that decides whether the salad works.
Use Fuyu. They're the squat ones, shaped like a small flat tomato. Fuyu are non-astringent, which means they're sweet and edible while still firm, so you can slice them thin and they hold up. That's exactly what this salad needs.
Skip Hachiya here. Those are the taller, acorn-shaped ones. They have to be almost jelly-soft before they lose their astringency, and at that point they can't be sliced. Save them for baking.
How to tell yours is ready: deep even orange with no green at the shoulders, glossy skin, and a slight give when you press near the stem. Think ripe peach firmness, not squishy. Rock hard is fine to eat but a little flat in flavor, so give it a few days on the counter first.
Do you peel them? Fuyu skin is thin and edible, so I leave it on. It holds the slice together and adds color. If yours feels thick or waxy, peel it with a vegetable peeler.
If you've never had one: sweet and honeyed, somewhere between an apple and a melon, with a texture much closer to the apple.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need:
- Spring mix. A light base that doesn't compete. Sturdier greens like romaine fight the burrata for attention instead of carrying it.
- Fuyu persimmons. Firm with a slight give, sliced thin. Thin matters: thick wedges read as fruit salad rather than as part of the plate.
- Burrata. The cream inside is doing the work of a second dressing. Fresh mozzarella will taste right but stays dry, so you'll want a little extra olive oil if you swap.
- Candied maple walnuts. Toasty crunch plus a little sweetness that echoes the honey in the dressing. Plain toasted nuts work, you just lose the sweet edge that balances the vinegar.
- Quick pickled onion. The one sharp, acidic thing on the plate. Thin-slice half a red onion, cover with warm vinegar and a pinch each of sugar and salt, and leave it 15 minutes while you do everything else. Skip it and the salad goes soft and one-note, since persimmon and burrata are both mild and rich.
For the honey balsamic dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil. The body of the dressing. Use one you'd taste on its own, because with only three ingredients there's nowhere to hide.
- Balsamic vinegar. Brings the tang that cuts the cream. A thicker aged balsamic clings better to the greens than a thin one.
- Honey. Rounds off the vinegar's edge. Without it the dressing tastes sharp against the sweetness of the fruit.
- Salt and pepper. Flaky salt on top of the burrata specifically, not just stirred into the dressing. It changes the whole bite.
My ratio is 3 parts oil to 1 part balsamic to 1 part honey. See the recipe card for exact quantities.
Substitutions and Additions
- No candied maple walnuts on hand? Candied pecans, toasted hazelnuts, or pistachios all work. Pistachios look the best against the orange.
- Pomegranate seeds add tartness, color, and a juicy pop.
- Arugula instead of spring mix gives you a peppery base that stands up to the honey.
- No burrata? Fresh mozzarella or a spoonful of whipped ricotta. Add an extra drizzle of oil to make up for the missing cream.
- Dried cranberries in place of pickled onion if you want sweet-tart instead of sharp-tangy.
How to Make Persimmon Burrata Salad
- Whisk the dressing. Olive oil, balsamic, and honey in a small jar, shaken until it comes together. Taste it now and adjust before it hits the greens.
- Slice the persimmons. Trim off the leafy top, then cut thin rounds or wedges, about an eighth of an inch. Use a sharp knife for clean, even slices.
- Build the base. Spread the spring mix across a wide platter or shallow bowl rather than a deep salad bowl. This salad is layered, not tossed, so depth works against you.
- Layer and tear. Scatter the persimmon slices over the greens, add the pickled onion, then tear the burrata open in the center so the cream runs out over the fruit. Tear it, don't slice it.
- Finish. Walnuts over the top, dressing drizzled last, then flaky salt and cracked pepper. Serve right away.
How to Serve It
Serve it on a platter, undressed until the last second, if people are eating within a few minutes. That's how it looks best and how the burrata stays intact.
If you're taking it somewhere, bring the components separately and assemble on arrival. Dressed greens go limp in about fifteen minutes, and there's no rescuing them.
Variations and Serving Ideas
- Prosciutto version. Layer thin prosciutto between the persimmon slices. Salt against sweet fruit and cream is the reason this pairing shows up everywhere, and it turns the salad into a real first course.
- Crostini. Persimmon, a piece of burrata, a drizzle of the dressing on toasted baguette. The easiest holiday appetizer I make.
- Heartier. Add roasted beets, roasted sweet potato, or shredded rotisserie chicken to turn it into lunch.
- On the holiday table. It goes next to roast chicken, turkey, or a bowl of squash soup. The acid is what makes it work there, since everything else on that table is rich.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Up to a day ahead: the dressing and the pickled onion. Both actually improve overnight.
- A few hours ahead: Slice the persimmons and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. They can brown once cut, so a light squeeze of lemon helps if you're prepping them well in advance.
- Never ahead: dressing the greens or tearing the burrata. Both are last-minute steps.
- Leftovers: undressed greens keep about a day in an airtight container. Dressed salad doesn't keep at all.
- Leftover burrata: keep it submerged in its liquid in the fridge and use it within about two days of opening, and always by the date on the package. Fresh cheese doesn't hold. Leftover burrata on toast with honey is a good breakfast.
Rose's Tips and Troubleshooting
- Persimmon collapsing when you slice it? It's too ripe for this salad. Soft Fuyu are still good eating, just scoop them with a spoon instead. Buy firm and let them come along on the counter rather than starting soft.
- Dressing tastes sharp? Add honey a quarter teaspoon at a time. Balsamic varies a lot between bottles, so the ratio is a starting point, not a rule.
- Dressing tastes flat and syrupy? More balsamic. It usually means your honey is doing too much work.
- Greens went soggy? They were dressed too early. Dress at the table if you have to.
- Burrata not spilling? It was too cold. Take it out of the fridge twenty minutes before serving so the center loosens up.
- Salad feels one-note? You skipped the pickled onion or the flaky salt. Those two are carrying all the contrast.
Recipe FAQs
Fuyu. They're the squat, flat-bottomed variety and they're sweet while still firm, which means they slice cleanly and hold their shape. Look for deep orange skin and a slight give when you press near the stem.
Not for this recipe. Hachiya are the taller acorn-shaped ones, and they stay astringent until they're almost jelly-soft. By the time they're sweet enough to eat, they're too soft to slice. Use them for baking or pudding instead.
No. Fuyu skin is thin and edible, and leaving it on helps the slices hold together. Peel with a vegetable peeler only if the skin feels thick or waxy.
Sweet and honeyed, a little like melon, with a texture closer to a crisp apple. Mild rather than tart, which is why it works so well against the salt and cream in this salad.
Fresh mozzarella or whipped ricotta both work. Neither has the cream center, so add an extra drizzle of olive oil to make up for it.
Yes. Build it on a large platter and hold the dressing until people are ready to eat. Prep the dressing and pickled onion a day ahead, slice the persimmons a few hours out, and tear the burrata at the last minute.
More Fall Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Candied Maple Walnuts: the crunch on top of this salad, and worth making a double batch to keep in a jar.
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts: the hot, salty side that balances a cold sweet salad on the same plate.
- Butternut Squash Soup: serve a small bowl alongside this salad and you have a full fall dinner.
- Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole: for the Thanksgiving table, where this salad belongs next to it.
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Persimmon Burrata Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing
Equipment
- 1 MIxing Bowl
Ingredients
- 4 cups spring mix
- 2 Fuyu persimmons sliced
- 1 ball burrata cheese
- ¼ cup maple walnuts
- 2 tablespoon pickled onion
Honey balsamic dressing
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey to make the dressing.
- Arrange spring mix on a serving plate.
- Top with persimmon slices, pickled onion, and maple walnuts.
- Add burrata on top and drizzle dressing.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
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Notes
- Burrata makes this feel fancy fast. When you tear it open, it kind of becomes its own dressing.
- The maple walnuts are my favorite part. Make a small batch (or a big one, honestly). They keep for weeks and go on everything.
- A few pickled onions add the right amount of tang to balance the sweetness.
- Wait to dress the salad until right before serving so the greens stay fresh and crisp.
- You can prep the dressing and toppings ahead. Then just toss everything together when you’re ready to eat.
- No burrata? Fresh mozzarella or even whipped ricotta works great too.
- If you want to make it a meal, add a little grilled chicken, prosciutto, or roasted squash.
- I like serving it on a big platter so everyone can scoop what they want. It’s too pretty to hide in a bowl.
