Burrata, Prosciutto and Red Wine Poached Pear Salad

This stunning, sophisticated salad is made with red wine poached pears, burrata, prosciutto, arugula, and a syrup made from the red wine poaching liquid! It's a beautiful side dish or appetizer for the holidays, or any fall/winter occasion.

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I came up with the idea for this salad months ago and it turned out even better than I imagined! We love making a fancy salad for the holidays (a salad that everyone actually wants to eat!) and this one really fits the bill.

The poached pears are beautiful (and so flavorful!) and none of that poaching liquid goes to waste – we reduce it to make a syrup that's similar to balsamic reduction for the salad. Serve this as an appetizer or a side dish for Christmas – it's sure to be a big hit!

Jump to:

• Burrata, Prosciutto & Pear Salad Ingredients
• How to Make this Red Wine Poached Pear Salad Recipe
• Substitutions and Variations
• What to Serve with This Salad
• Storage
• Tips and FAQ
• Top tip
• More holiday salad recipes
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

Burrata, Prosciutto & Pear Salad Ingredients

For the poached pears

• Pears: Bosc or Anjou pears are the best choice for this recipe. The pears don't have to be extremely ripe, but you also don't want them to be completely unripe. The more ripe your pears, the softer they will be after poaching, so we chose firmer ones for this salad (which are easier to slice).
  • We do not recommend using Bartlett pears in this recipe. They tend to get super soft and mushy when poached.
• Red wine: We like to use a fruity red wine, like Zinfandel, Shiraz, or Merlot. Choose something you would drink (the flavor will definitely come through!), but not something too expensive.
• Pomegranate juice: No sugar added juice is best for this recipe. If you want to make it freshly squeezed, check out this recipe.
• Sugar: You can use regular granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, or even our homemade grenadine (pomegranate syrup), which is what we used for extra vibrant red color. You can make this recipe without sugar, but the red wine syrup will be very sharp – the sugar really helps create more balanced flavor.
• Orange: We use the peel (remove just the orange part – not the pith – with a vegetable peeler), then freshly squeeze the juice.
• Cinnamon, cloves and vanilla: For extra flavor.

For the salad

• Arugula: Our favorite green of choice for this salad. You could also use spring mix salad greens.
• Burrata: We tear it into smaller pieces to distribute it evenly on the salad, so you get a little bit in every bite.
• Prosciutto: Arrange the prosciutto in little rosettes around the salad.
• Pomegranate arils for a pop of sweet, tart flavor.
• Pistachios: We love the pop of green, but this salad is also delicious with hazelnuts or pine nuts. You can also make this without nuts.
• Olive oil, red wine syrup, salt and pepper: These 4 ingredients make for the dressing. The red wine syrup is made with the leftover liquid from your poached pears, so nothing goes to waste! This is definitely an occasion to use good quality olive oil.

How to Make this Red Wine Poached Pear Salad Recipe

STEP 1: To a medium-large pot, add wine, orange peel and juice, pomegranate juice, honey, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla extract and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.

STEP 2: While the wine mixture is heating, prep your pears. Peel them, then slice in half lengthwise. Use a spoon or a melon baller to remove the seeds in the center, and remove the stem.

STEP 3: Add the pear halves to the wine mixture. They should be mostly submerged, but it's okay if the tops stick out of the liquid a bit.

Keep the heat at a gentle simmer (medium-low) for about 40 minutes, and turn the pears over every 5-10 minutes using tongs to make sure they cook evenly. You don't want the mixture to boil significantly, otherwise the outside of the pear will cook too quickly and they will start to fall apart.

STEP 4: After 40 minutes, your pears should be bright red. Remove the pears and set aside. Once cool, slice or dice the pears for the salad.

STEP 5: Strain the red wine mixture through a sieve to remove the solids, then return to the pot. Bring to a boil and boil over medium heat for about 10-12 minutes, until the liquid by more than half and looks syrupy. Let cool to room temperature – it will thicken as it cools. (You can speed this up by filling a medium bowl with ice, then setting a smaller bowl on top and pouring the syrup in the smaller bowl. Stir for a minute or two to release heat and it should be cool within 5 minutes.)

STEP 6: Assemble the salad with arugula on the bottom, followed by the sliced pears, burrata and prosciutto. Drizzle with olive oil and the red wine syrup (use as much as desired). Top with pomegranate arils, pistachios and finish with flaky salt and pepper.

Substitutions and Variations

• Alcohol free: If you want to skip the red wine, you can just use pomegranate juice instead. The color will be just as vibrant!
• Dairy free: Leave out the burrata, or substitute with a nondairy alternative.
• Vegetarian: Leave out the prosciutto, or substitute with a vegan alternative.

What to Serve with This Salad

This burrata, prosciutto & pear salad is the perfect pairing for other classic holiday side dishes, like:

• Dauphinoise Potatoes
• Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Pecan Brittle
• Roasted Carrots with Green Goddess Feta Dip
• Cheddar and Chive Biscuits
• Fondant Potatoes

Storage

You can make the pears and the red wine syrup ahead of time and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They don't need to be warm for this salad, so it's an easy way to prep ahead of time!

The rest of the salad is best assembled just before serving.

Tips and FAQ

More tips

• Make it alcohol free: Substitute the red wine with more pomegranate juice.
• Don't use Bartlett pears: In our experience, they get too mushy and soft when poaching. It makes it very difficult to slice them for the salad!
• You can also make this salad without arugula, and slightly increase the quantity of pears, burrata and prosciutto for a dish that's more appetizer friendly and less like a salad.

More holiday salad recipes

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

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