Easy Asian Pear Sauce (52 New Foods, Around the World Week 1) January 07 2013, 7 Comments

asian pear sauce


Pear sauce made with crisp Asian pears and a hint of ginger is an easy and fun twist on homemade applesauce.

It’s 2013 and Crunch a Color’s 52 New Foods adventure is setting off on a tour around the world! Like the sun, we begin our journey in the East, sampling and savoring foods from Asia. What better way to get ready for the Lunar New Year than a stop at the fresh market in Chinatown!

asian pears picking


A visit to San Francisco’s Chinatown would not be complete without heading home with a bushel full of sweet, crunchy Asian pears. Their flavor and texture is like a cross between an apple and a pear, and they are delicious sliced into wedges as a snack. But on this brisk January afternoon, my kids were craving a warm treat, so we whipped up a batch of Asian pear sauce with a hint of ginger, and not a drop of refined sugar: an easy and fun twist on homemade applesauce.

Asian Pear Sauce

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 to 30 minutes
Yield: Makes 6 cups
Crunch a Color points: 5 yellow

Ingredients:

asian pear sauce ingredients


2 pounds Asian pears
2 pounds Fuji apples
Juice from 1 lemon
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
1½ cups water

Directions:

1. Wash, peel, and core the Asian pears and apples. Chop the fruit into ¼” size pieces. This is a fun job for the kids to do!

asian pear sauce step 1

asian pear sauce step 1b


2. Load all of the ingredients into a large pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the fruit is soft. The Asian pears will remain slightly crunchy compared to the apples.

asian pear sauce step 2


3. Let the kids mash the fruit mixture with a potato masher until you achieve the texture you prefer. We made our sauce with small chunks of pear remaining.

asian pear sauce step 3


4. Let cool, then enjoy with friends!

asian pear sauce share

asian pear sauce


This delicious Asian pear sauce is a wholesome treat and an easy way to try something new alongside yogurt, roast chicken, or simply on its own as a healthy snack.

* What is your favorite way to enjoy Asian pears?

Craving more easy recipes to try? Catch up on last week’s recipe: Kumquat Jam

About the author: Jennifer Tyler Lee is a mom of two children and the creator of Crunch a Color® -- the award-winning nutrition games that make healthy eating fun. Like most parents, she struggled to get her kids to eat healthy, balanced meals, so she decided to make it into a healthy eating game and she’s giving back to support non-profit kids’ nutrition programs. Winner of the Dr. Toy and Parent Tested, Parent Approved awards, Crunch a Color® has been featured by Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Laurie David’s Family Dinner, Kiwi Magazine, Dr. Greene, and Yum Food & Fun For Kids, among many others, as a simple, fun and playful way to get kids to eat healthy and try new foods. Jennifer’s passion is making mealtime fun, easy and healthy for busy families. Her easy recipes, quick tips, and new food adventures are regularly featured at Pottery Barn Kids, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, The Huffington Post, and on her weekly recipe blog at crunchacolor.com.