Southern Pear Salad

Easy Southern pear salad with canned pears, mayo, shredded cheese, and cherries is an old-fashioned favorite for holidays and potlucks.

Do you remember your mother or grandmother making pear salad for Sunday Dinner? Growing up, without fail, we always had pear salad on our Sunday Dinner table. I remember clearly that it had to be served on a bed of iceberg lettuce. Any self respecting Southern cook wouldn’t dare forget that bed of lettuce!

My mother would assign the pear salad making job to my sister and me. Our favorite part was placing the cherries on top of the pears and eating the cherries. We ate a cherry for every cherry that we placed on the pears right out of the jar!  My mother never complained about the empty jar, in fact, she acted like she never even noticed. She just bought a new jar of cherries every week.

I’ve been making pear salad a lot lately for our Sunday Dinners, and I had forgotten how delicious and beautiful this classic Southern salad was. I’m so happy to rediscover it again. It’s just amazing how food can make you feel so nostalgic.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple, classic ingredients – just a handful of pantry staples come together beautifully
• Old-fashioned Southern favorite – the kind of recipe passed down through generations
• Quick and easy to make – ready in minutes with no cooking required
• Perfect for holidays and gatherings – especially Easter, Sunday dinners, and potlucks
• Sweet, creamy, and savory – that signature Southern flavor combination everyone loves
• Beautiful presentation – with the pear halves, cheese, and cherry on top, it’s as pretty as it is delicious

What You’ll Need to Make Classic Southern Pear Salad (Just a few simple ingredients!)

(Be sure to see the full printable recipe below this post for exact measurements.)

• Canned pear halves
• Mayonnaise (Duke’s or Hellmann’s recommended)
• Freshly grated cheddar cheese
• Maraschino cherries (with or without stems)
• Optional: iceberg lettuce or curly lettuce for serving

How to Make the Best Southern Pear Salad

• Use a good-quality mayonnaise – Duke’s gives it that rich Southern flavor, while Hellmann’s is a great alternative
• Grate your cheese fresh – it melts slightly into the mayonnaise and tastes so much better than pre-shredded
• Drain pears well – this keeps the salad from becoming watery (Drain the cherry juice to off the cherries. See my tip below.)
• Balance the topping – just enough mayo, cheese, and cherry to complement the pear without overpowering it
• Serve chilled – it tastes best cold and refreshing

Storage Tips

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator
• Best enjoyed within 1–2 days
• If possible, assemble just before serving for the freshest presentation
• Keep components separate if making ahead

Entertaining Tips

• Serve on a bed of lettuce for that classic Southern presentation
• Perfect side dish for Easter ham, church suppers, or bridal lunches
• Add to a Southern spread with congealed salads, deviled eggs, and potato salad
• Arrange on a platter for a beautiful, vintage-style table display

Important Tip!

Be sure to drain your cherries on a paper towel so the cherry juice doesn’t drip down on your pear salad.  Also a tip on the cheese, last time I made this, I grated my cheese extra fine and we loved it.

This is great to make for a busy weeknight. If you have small children, let them help make the salad. It’s a healthy side dish for them and they will have fun making it and eating the cherries too!

 

Thank you for stopping by. I’ll be back soon with more delicious Southern recipes.

Happy Cooking!

Aletia

More recipes for you to check out.
Classic Southern Deviled Eggs

Southern Potato Salad

Southern Ambrosia
The Original Watergate Salad

The Best Broccoli Raisin Salad

Be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions about the recipes.  I would love to hear from you and if you make it, be sure to use #deliciouslysouthern and let me know how you like it. Lastly, please follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.

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