Easy Stewed Pears Recipe

Stewed Pears Recipe in a sauce pan with a spoon in it.

Easy. Simple. Delicious. Make these lightly sweetened Stewed Pears to top SO many things! Like my Easy Stewed Apples, you can enjoy these cooked pears on top of pancakes, Creamy Oatmeal, waffles, vanilla ice cream and much more. This stewed pear recipe is vegetarian, vegan and gluten free.

Course Condiment

Cuisine American, Vegan, Vegetarian

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Stewed Pears

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings Servings

Calories 27kcal

Author Traci York

Ingredients

5 cups (670 grams) Diced Pears peeled*, seeded and diced to about 1/4"- 1/2" (.6cm - 1.2cm). You'll need about 4 pears *See note
2 teaspoons Lemon Juice about half a lemon
1 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract vanilla paste, or one vanilla bean scraped
2 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar or more maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 Star Anise optional
1/8 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
1 1/2 teaspoons Corn Starch
2 Tablespoons Water

Optional Stir Ins:

2 Tablespoons Butter unsalted
1/2 cups (60 grams) Chopped Toasted Nuts such as pecan, hazelnuts or walnuts
1/2 cups (55 grams) Dried Cranberries rough chopped

Instructions

In a medium sauce pan, add diced pears, lemon juice, vanilla extract, maple syrup, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, 1 star anise (optional) and salt. Stir.
Bring the ingredients to a low bubble, stir, lid and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 8-10 minutes, checking at five minutes for texture and stirring occasionally. The pears should be fork tender, and soft but not mushy when they're done (although if they get mushy, they're still delicious! - this is the versatility of this recipe - cook em' how you like em'!). Cook for a few more minutes, lid on, if needed.
Meanwhile, whisk the water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Once the pears are done, remove the lid and pour in the slurry. Stir. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, stirring a few times until glossy. The pears will thicken further as they cool. If you prefer a little looser set, add a splash or two of water and stir.
Now is a good time to taste for cinnamon and ginger adjustment. If more spice is preferred, sprinkle in another 1/4 teaspoon of each. More sweet? Add a drizzle more of maple.
Stir in additions, if using, and/or share the pears warm on banana pecan oat waffles, pancakes, like these sourdough pancakes, in creamy oatmeal or spooned over ice cream.
To Store: Store the pears in a lidded container in the fridge for up to three days. Freeze for about three weeks for longer storage. Thaw in the fridge and gently rewarm on stove top adding a splash of water, to loosen as needed.

Notes

*Do You Have to Peel Pears Before Stewing? This is up to you. I like the texture of peeled pears, but if you prefer to leave the skin on, you can!

How to Slice/Dice: After you slice a pear in half and remove the seeds, you'll notice a tough stem that runs the length of the pear. Take a paring knife and cut this area out as it tends to be tough. Dice the pears for topping pancakes or waffles. If you'd like to serve stewed pears sliced, cut the pears in half, lengthwise, then slice each half, lengthwise into four equal pieces.

Which Pears to Choose: For this recipe, I like Bosc, green D'Anjou or red D'Anjou pears because they stand up to heat and hold their shape. Be sure to choose firm, ripe pears. Avoid Bartlett pears for cooking and enjoy them raw. They tend to turn to mush when cooked.

Nutrition