Homemade Pear Sauce is just like applesauce but made with fresh pears! Add additional layers of flavor with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon and vanilla to personalize your sauce. This easy recipe has a sugar-free option.
What can I make with lots of pears?
When pears are in season and plentiful you want to make as many pear recipes that you can! Here are some suggestions:
- Pear desserts
- Pear butter
- Poached Pears
- Pear Tart
- Pear sauce
What is pear sauce?
Pear sauce is the result of cooking down pears so that they become soft enough to be easily pressed, sauced or pureed. A single variety of pears could be used or a combination of pears to make the sauce. A variety of spices and sugar can be used but are not necessary.
Is pear sauce the same as apple sauce?
Pear sauce is very similar to applesauce with the exception that pear sauce is made with pears instead of apples. I fed both pear sauce and apple sauce to my babies as some of their first solid food. The pear sauce was especially good in helping to relieve a constipated baby.
Pear sauce ingredients:
- Pears
- water
- lemon juice
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon (optional)
- nutmeg (optional)
- star anise (optional)
How to make pear sauce:
- Dice pears into medium sized pieces.
- Combine the diced pears, water, lemon juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon, nutmeg, and star anise, if using, in a large saucepan.
- Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, until the pears are mush when pressed with a fork.
- Use an immersion blender to process the sauce until smooth.
- Once the pear sauce has cooled completely, portion into glass or plastic containers.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator. The pear sauce will keep in the fridge for one week. You can also freeze or can the pear sauce.
How to make pear sauce with a food mill:
- Dice pears into medium sized pieces. Leave skins seeds and stems in tact. The food mill will remove them.
- Combine the diced pears, water, lemon juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon, nutmeg, and star anise, if using, in a large saucepan.
- Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pears are soft, about 25-30 minutes or until the pears are mush when pressed with a fork.
- Ladle the soft pears into the hopper of the food mill.
- Turn the crank to pass the pears through the fine mesh.
- If desired, pass the skins through the mesh strainer for a second time.
- Once the pear sauce has cooled completely, portion into glass or plastic containers. Cover and store in the refrigerator. The pear sauce will keep in the fridge for one week. You can also freeze or can the pear sauce.
How to can pear sauce:
- Ladle hot pear sauce into a hot pint jar, leaving ½-inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles. Clean jar rim. Center lid on jar and adjust band to fingertip-tight.
- Place jar on the rack elevated over simmering water (180°F) in boiling-water bath, repeat until all jars are filled.
- Lower the rack into simmering water. Water must cover jars by 1 inch.
- Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner and bring water to a rolling boil.
- Process pint or quart jars 20 minutes. Turn off heat and remove cover.
- Let jars cool 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands if loose.
- Cool 12 hours. Test seals. Label and store jars.
Pears do not need to be peeled before making them into sauce but you are welcome to peel them if you like. I leave the peels on to add to the nutritional value as well as the fiber content. If you use a food mill you do not need to remove the seeds and stem but if you use an immersion blender or food processor you are going to want to remove the seeds before cooking down the pears.
I like to use Bartlett pears for their natural sweetness but you can add in other pears to make a sauce that is unique to your tastes. Use what is available in your area and what you find to be delicious. Also if you find ‘seconds’ or pears that are close to being over ripe, those are perfect for making into sauce and are absolutely delicious.
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Pear Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Pears
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon optional
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg optional
- 1 star anise optional
Instructions
- Dice pears into medium sized pieces. Remove the seeds and stem if not using a food mill. Peel pears, if desired.
- Combine the diced pears, water, lemon juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon, nutmeg, and star anise, if using, in a large saucepan.
- Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pears are soft, about 25-30 minutes or until the pears are mush when pressed with a fork.
- Use an immersion blender to process the sauce until smooth. If you prefer a chunkier, more rustic sauce, mash the soften pears with a potato masher.
- Alternatively you can transfer the cooked pear mixture to a food processor or blender to process, just make sure the pear sauce has cooled down.
- Once the pear sauce has cooled completely, portion into glass or plastic containers. Cover and store in the refrigerator. The pear sauce will keep in the fridge for one week. You can also freeze or can the pear sauce.
Video
Notes
How to can pear sauce:
- Ladle hot pear sauce into a hot pint jar, leaving ½-inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles. Clean jar rim. Center lid on jar and adjust band to fingertip-tight.
- Place jar on the rack elevated over simmering water (180°F) in boiling-water bath, repeat until all jars are filled.
- Lower the rack into simmering water. Water must cover jars by 1 inch.
- Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner and bring water to a rolling boil.
- Process pint or quart jars 20 minutes. Turn off heat and remove cover.
- Let jars cool 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands if loose.
- Cool 12 hours. Test seals. Label and store jars.
How to make pear sauce with a food mill:
- Dice pears into medium sized pieces. Leave skins seeds and stems in tact. The food mill will remove them.
- Combine the diced pears, water, lemon juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon, nutmeg, and star anise, if using, in a large saucepan.
- Cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pears are soft, about 25-30 minutes or until the pears are mush when pressed with a fork.
- Ladle the soft pears into the hopper of the food mill.
- Turn the crank to pass the pears through the fine mesh.
- If desired, pass the skins through the mesh strainer for a second time.
- Once the pear sauce has cooled completely, portion into glass or plastic containers. Cover and store in the refrigerator. The pear sauce will keep in the fridge for one week. You can also freeze or can the pear sauce.
Nutrition
Sarah Mock
CEO/Owner/Founder/Culinary Blogger
Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 12 years Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.
Phyllis N Brown says
A restrurant served a delicious sauce over chicken. It was pear, goat cheese and walnuts. I’m looking for a recipe and can’t find one anywhere. I guess i’ll have to try and make one up unless you have a suggestion.
Thanks, Phyllis