Theseย roasted pearsย with balsamic and honey, made with only four ingredients, are a delight and a must-try this fall!
These caramelized roasted pears with balsamic and honey are a super easy-to-make dessert.
I didnโt even plan on making this recipe; it was not something that immediately caught my eye while perusing a cookbook.
So yesterday, after we finished lunch (we had these delicious German Meatballs or Kรถnigsberger Klopse again), I told my family to give me another half an hour, and then they could have dessert. A roasted pear dessert!
This roasted pears recipe was first published in 2017 and has had rave reviews over the years, especially on Pinterest. Check out a few of them below!
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Recipe ingredients
Pears for roasting: Choose slightly underripe and large ones. This recipe is perfect for using those stone-hard pears we all buy occasionally. The roasting process softens them without making them mushy, and the added honey makes them sweeter. Don't use very ripe fruit; it will get mushy.
The best ones for baking would be Bartlett, Anjou, or Bosc. They all retain their shape and flavor when baked or cooked.
Other ingredients: unsalted butter, honey (the clear, runny kind), and balsamic vinegar.
You will also need a cast-iron or another oven-proof heavy-bottomed pan.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Check out these Honey Pears with Greek Yogurt, too. Or make some Stewed Pears.
How to roast pears?
- Step #1: Halve and core the fruit carefully, but leave the peel on.
- Step #2: Melt the butter in the skillet. Place the pears in the pan with the cut side facing down and saute them for 2 minutes.
- Step #3: Transfer the pan to the hot oven and roast for 20 minutes.
- Step #4: Flip in the pan, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and roast for a further 5 minutes.
- Step #5: Remove the pan from the oven, drizzle each half with honey, and let rest for a few minutes. You can garnish with a small thyme sprig, but that is not mandatory. It just looks nice.
Variations
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts or almonds before drizzling with honey. The caramelized, roasted nuts really add lots of flavor. About 1 teaspoon per pear half should be fine.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.
How to serve baked pears?
Serve warm with some pan juices and more honey, if you wish.
Add a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top or the side.
Drizzle the pears with Greek yogurt or serve with strained yogurt.
Storage
You will probably not have any leftovers, but just in case. Keep them refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
You can chop the leftovers and serve them over oatmeal, porridge, or homemade muesli.
The pears are not suitable for freezing.
Reviews from delighted users
Trinette: Itโs fall and pear season. I Made this as written. It was Terrific! Easy, healthy, tasty, and inexpensive if you have a tree pick a few pears.
Cheyenne: Iโve made this twice so far and itโs fantastic. I added a touch of flakey sea salt and a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream - yum. Itโs fairly easy too, but makes a big impact presentation-wise.
Emilia: I used to make something almost exactly like this in the restaurant I worked in. The only difference was we splashed a little white wine in the cast iron pan before sticking it in the oven. So tasty!
Elisabeth: These were absolutely amazing and so simple to prepare. The best was they cooked while we had the main course. Easy & so delicious.
Roasted Pears
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet or another ovenproof heavy-bottomed pan
Ingredients
- 2 pears large and slightly underripe, Note 1
- 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar good quality
- 4 teaspoons runny honey or more to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF/ 200ยฐC.
- Cut pears: Halve and core the pears. Don't peel them.2 pears
- Melt butter in the skillet or ovenproof pan.2 teaspoons unsalted butter
- Cook on the stove: Add the pears, the cut side facing down, and saute them for two minutes on the stove.
- Roast pears: Place the pan in the oven and roast the pears for 20 minutes.
- Flip the pear halves and drizzle the balsamic vinegar on the pears. Continue roasting for a further 5 minutes.3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Drizzle pears: Remove the pan from the oven, drizzle each pear with some honey, and let the pears rest for another few minutes.4 teaspoons runny honey
- Serve warm with some of the pan juices and more honey, if you wish.
Notes
- Choice of pears: Make sure they are slightly underripe; they should not be soft, or the roasted pears will be mushy.ย
Diane says
I made these for the first time last night and they were delicious but after reading some of the comments I cooked them longer on the stove top to get them nicely browned before popping in the oven.
I had balsamic glaze remaining in the pan and poured that on top. Served with vanilla ice cream and they were a hit and very simple to make.
Adina says
I am happy it worked, Diane. Thank you for the feedback.
Joan Wilson says
Has anyone tried this recipe using apples?