Fuyu Persimmon Salad with Sesame-Ginger Dressing All Recipes

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The Fuyu persimmon is one of my favorite cool-weather fruits. This autumn persimmon salad recipe is delicious and so easy to make—thanks in part to the sesame-ginger dressing. If you’re new to cooking with persimmons, it literally doesn’t get any easier than a quick salad like this one!

Why You’ll Love This Persimmon Salad

BIG FLAVOR WITHOUT THE FUSS – Very little is required of you to make an absolutely delicious persimmon salad. Easy, peasy and big on flavor? Yes, please!
SO HEALTHY – Fuyu persimmons don’t just taste delicious and look absolutely beautiful come fall when they’re in peak season, they’re also a full of essential nutrients including fiber and antioxidants, among many others.
PERFECT FOR ENTERTAINING – Persimmons are perfect for entertaining during the fall season when many families are gathering for harvest and Thanksgiving celebrations. From the vibrant shades of orange to the flavor profile that pairs beautifully with fall spices, persimmons impress for their taste and aesthetics.

Did you know?

You can eat the skin of persimmons. It’s full of nutrients, but ultimately this is up to personal preference. It is safe to eat the skin of the persimmon or sharon fruit. Note that the skin will begin to peel from the flesh if you cut into it when it’s overly softened.

Ingredients

Mixed greens (Try this Herbed Salad Mix)
Fresh Fuyu persimmons
Crumbled goat cheese
Sliced almonds
Sesame seeds
Fresh ginger or ginger paste
Mirin or rice cooking wine
Honey
Squeeze of fresh orange or lemon juice
Oil, toasted sesame, grapeseed or canola

For the full Ingredients List and Measurements, see the Recipe Card below.

Customize Your Persimmon Salad

Add Seasonal Fruit: Pomegranate arils, Bartlett pear, Honeycrisp apple, dried cranberries (go for no-added-sugar varieties) all make wonderful additions to this Fuyu Persimmon Salad recipe.
Make it Mandarin-Chicken Salad Style: Swap half of the mixed greens for shredded Napa cabbage and add shredded chicken, crunchy water chestnuts, mandarin oranges and crispy wonton strips or chow mein noodles for fresh spin on the traditional Mandarin Chicken Salad.
Make it Vegan: Omit the goat cheese or use a plant-based alternative. Instead of using honey in the Sesame-Ginger Dressing, try agave nectar. Add a kick of protein with edamame, crispy tofu, tempeh or chickpeas.

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How to Store Fuyu Persimmons

I wouldn’t necessarily say that Fuyu persimmons are high maintenance, but proper storage will ensure you can enjoy their crisp texture and sweet flavor in your salad for as long as possible, whether they sit whole on the countertop for a few days or you want to pre-cut them for meal prep.

Whole Persimmons

How to store whole persimmons depends on ripeness and how quickly you plan to use them. If they are still firm when you bring them home, leave them at room temperature on the counter for a few days. Once they have achieved their ideal bright orange color and remain firm (ready to eat like an apple), transfer to the refrigerator crisper drawer in a paper or breathable plastic bag.

How to Speed Up or Slow Down Ripening

Persimmons are highly sensitive to the ethylene gas produced by fruits like apples, peaches, bananas and pears, among others. If you want keep persimmons firm for longer (up to a month), store them in the refrigerator crisper far away from other ethylene-producing fruits. However, if you want to hasten ripening, place the persimmons on the countertop in a paper bag with an apple or banana. You can expect to have ripened persimmons in 1-3 days.

Cut Persimmons

When dealing with cut Fuyu persimmons, the focus shifts to preserving moisture and preventing oxidation, which causes browning. Persimmons can turn brown just like apples will after they are sliced.

Since the persimmon pieces for your Fuyu Persimmon Salad are best enjoyed crisp, it’s ideal to prepare them immediately before assembling the meal. However, if you need to store them, place the slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to limit moisture loss and contact with air. To maintain the beautiful orange color and prevent browning for immediate use or short storage, you can briefly dip the slices in a bowl of cold water mixed with a small amount of lemon juice before patting them dry and adding them to your salad.

Recipe Notes

My husband and I enjoy extra ginger in this recipe. I use two generous tablespoons of fresh ginger in the Sesame-Ginger Dressing. Go ahead and adjust based on your personal preferences. You can always add, but you can’t take away, so start small if you’re not sure.
We’re not big on toasted sesame oil. This is why I scale back and add an equal amount of grapeseed for a more delicate flavor. Play with the measurements according to your preferences. If you enjoy sesame oil, go all in.
Bulk up your salad with protein for a hearty, meal-sized salad. I enjoy this salad with edamame and chicken. I haven’t tried salmon or shrimp yet but they would be delicious options, too.

FAQs

Persimmons are in season during the autumn months, typically starting in October and running through December, but I’ve seen persimmons in our local markets as late as January.

Persimmons are often mistaken for a tomato-like fruit, but their taste and texture doesn’t compare to a tomato, in my opinion. Persimmons sweeten as they ripen and taste like a combination of honey, cinnamon and apricot. The sweetness of the fruit is very subtle, even when fully ripe.

Fuyu persimmons are subtly sweet and crisp, almost like an apple or pear in terms of texture. They soften and sweeten as they ripen. I find the crisp, not overly ripe, persimmon to be most enjoyable. It’s perfect for this persimmon salad recipe. You can tell a persimmon is ripe when the outside is firm but not hard as a rock. Overly ripe fruits are soft to the touch and work well in jams, soups, pies and smoothies.

Fuyu persimmons are squat (apple-shaped) and are non-astringent, meaning they can be eaten when firm and crunchy. Hachiya persimmons are acorn-shaped and are highly astringent; they must be fully soft and nearly mushy to be edible. You should only use firm Fuyu persimmons for this salad to ensure the best crunchy texture.

The skin of the Fuyu persimmon is thin and edible, so peeling is optional. If you prefer a smoother texture or have an exceptionally thick-skinned fruit, you can certainly peel it first.

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