Classify this Persimmon and Apple Salad under Peak Spa Meal Vibes. It’s fresh, sparkly and bright, and will leave you feeling more self-actualized than Gwyneth.
Truly, this is the salad you reach for when you want to eat a meal with pure, vibrant flavors. This is some seriously high frequency food here, folks.
And if you’re ready to transform more than just your plate into a wellness spa, check out this playlist. It’s full of ambient, calming sounds that I play on repeat around my house.
Feel Good Vibes
- Antioxidant-Rich: Persimmons, apples and pomegranate bring vitamins, plant compounds and a whole lot of color to the party.
- Plants on Plants on Plants: Meyer lemon, mint, cilantro and serrano pile even more fresh produce and phytonutrients into an already very plant-forward plate.
- Fiber + Healthy Fats: Fresh fruit brings fiber while extra virgin olive oil adds satisfying fat, making this more than just a pretty plate of fruit.
Ingredient Substitutions
- No Meyer lemon? First choice: yuzu juice. Second choice: lime or conventional lemon will work.
- No red onion? First choice: shallot. Second choice: yellow onion.
- No serrano? First choice: poblano. Second choice: jalapeño (if it has any spice to it).
- No pomegranate seeds? Pomegranate molasses for flavor, toasted pumpkin seeds for a little crunch.
- No fresh mint or cilantro? First choice: Thai basil. Second choice: conventional basil.
Persimmon and Apple Salad Recipe Tips & FAQs
- Alchemy in Action: Slicing the persimmon, apple, serrano and onion as thin as possible will really transform this salad from good to great.
- When slicing a serrano pepper it’s a great idea to wear gloves. This way you avoid transferring the oil to your hands and risking possible discomfort if it comes in contact with sensitive skin later.
- This is the time to let that great bottle of olive oil shine! Use the best you’ve got!
- Meyer lemons are available during the winter months at Publix, Whole Foods and other grocery chains.
- Persimmons are available at the farmers markets from October through November, as well as Publix, Whole Foods and other grocery chains.
- The two types of persimmons you’re most likely to find at the grocery store are Fuyu and Hachiya. Hachiya persimmons need to become completely soft before eating, while Fuyu can be eaten while they’re still firm. For this salad, make sure you buy Fuyu. If you get confused, Fuyu are squat and round, while Hachiya are more elongated and acorn-shaped.
Persimmon and Apple Salad Serving Suggestions
- Good as Gold: Add thin slices of raw sushi-grade hamachi or tuna, and you’ll have a crudo that will give the best restaurant in town a run for its money.
- Light Lunch: Serve alongside Curry Chicken Salad lettuce wraps for a chic ladies-who-lunch vibe.
- This Persimmon Salad works great as a first course for a dinner party, because you can assemble it a few hours ahead of time. It’s always nice to have a few “aces in the hole” when you’re entertaining, trust me, it helps keep your blood pressure stable!
Storage and Shelf Life
Refrigerate: Holds well in the refrigerator for 8 hours.
Freezer: No, it’s never a good idea to freeze a salad.
Final Thoughts
This Persimmon and Apple Salad is a feast for the eyes and the mouth. The combination of the mellow persimmon with the juicy sweetness of the pomegranate, brightness of the lemon and herbs and sparkle of the serrano pepper makes this salad one of my absolute favorites.
Truly, something about this salad feels a little aspirational, no? Taking the time to slice a few pieces of fruit and pick some fresh herbs feels like such a luxury, even though you’d be surprised to learn that it takes about 8 minutes to assemble this salad from start to finish.
I think because it looks like “spa retreat” food, we tend to box a dish like this in the self-care category, and that can bring up a whole lot of baggage for some people. So for those of you saying you don’t typically find yourself eating this type of salad, I would say “dress for the job you want, not the job you have.”
So try this dish on for size, and see if it suits you. Then come back and let us know how you felt about it in the comments below!
Persimmon and Apple Salad
Special Equipment
- Mandoline optional
Ingredients
- 1 ripe Meyer lemon juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup red onion sliced very thinly
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 serrano pepper sliced very thinly
- 2 fuyu persimmon cored and cut into very thin slices
- 1 honeycrisp or fuji apple cored and cut into very thin slices
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 small handful fresh mint leaves picked
- 1 small handful fresh cilantro leaves picked
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the pickled onions: In a small bowl, combine the freshly squeezed juice of one Meyer lemon, ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion and ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Mix well and let marinate for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the salad.
- Make the Salad: On a platter, build the first layer with 2 cored and sliced persimmon and 1 cored and sliced apple.
- Build your next layer with 1/2 a thinly sliced serrano pepper, 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds, picked leaves of a handful of mint and cilantro, the pickled onions plus the Meyer lemon juice, and ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste right before serving.
- Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve within 8 hours.
Hi, I’m Julia.
I’m a chef and wellness advocate passionate about helping others live well through nourishing food. I trained at the Culinary Institute of America and now work as a personal chef and community food advocate in Atlanta.
Want to know what inspired me to start Everyday Alchemy? Click the link icon below to read more.