These Vegan Baked Pears need to be on your table! Soft, sweet, roasted pears, stuffed with creamy, salty, tangy vegan feta, scattered with toasty walnuts, and drizzled with spicy, sweet, hot "honey". So simple and delicious it will blow you away!
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Fake fancy recipe coming at you! This Vegan Baked Pears with Feta and Hot "Honey" recipe is really simple to throw together, but when you plate it up it looks so impressive and beautiful.
And it's full of big, bold flavour thanks to the tangy, salty vegan feta and swizzles of spicy, sweet, taste-bud tingling hot "honey"! That combination with the soft, sweet pear will just blow you away!
This recipe makes an incredible holiday appetizer, light lunch, or easy dinner with a big salad on the side.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll be needing at a glance along with some ingredient notes (see the recipe card for full and detailed ingredients & instructions):
For the pears:
- Extra virgin olive oil - Just a little for flavour, and to stop the pears from drying out or sticking.
- Pears - They should be just ripe but not too soft and ripe. I recommend buying them, storing them on the countertop, and when they feel just right, put them in the fridge to stop them over-ripening before you need them. Any variety will do such as Bartlett pears, Comice pears, Bosc pears, or Anjou pears, but red pears look particularly pretty and festive for the holidays!
- Feta - For this you can use my vegan feta cheese recipe (the unbaked version), or store-bought vegan feta. My favourite store-bought feta is Nafsika's Garden. It's so good (and the one I used when photographing this recipe). Violife feta is also great though.
- Walnuts - Important for crunchy texture and the toasty, nutty flavour really complements the pears and cheese. Pecans would make a good alternative. Pumpkin seeds would be a good nut-free option.
For the hot "honey":
- Hot "Honey" - We are using my vegan hot honey recipe which litreally takes a couple of minutes to make and is so simple. All you need; Maple syrup, bee-free honey, or agave syrup (my preference is maple syrup), thyme, red chili pepper flakes, and apple cider vinegar. Or if you're feeling lazy and can get your hands on some, buy ready-made vegan hot honey. Bee-Mindful Hot Hunnie is a good one!
Note that this baked pear recipe includes a scaled-back version of my vegan hot honey recipe so you will only have the amount needed for this pear dish. If you want to have lots of leftovers for drizzling over pizza, vegan chick'n, cornbread, biscuits, etc, then head over to my vegan hot honey post and use those quantities. It keeps for months so there are no worries about having lots left over!
How To Make Vegan Baked Pears
Can't wait to make them? Here's a quick rundown of how it's done. It couldn't be simpler. See the recipe card for the full and detailed version, and if you're a visual learner check out my recipe video:
- Cut the pears in half lengthways and scoop out the core area with a spoon or melon baller. Lay them in a casserole dish, rub with olive oil, and sprinkle generously with black pepper.
- Fill the little cavity with vegan feta, sprinkle over a generous handful of chopped walnuts, then bake until bubbly, golden, and tender.
- While the pears are baking make the hot "honey". Simply add the maple syrup, chili flakes, and thyme to a small saucepan and heat gently until it just begins to simmer. Turn off, cool slightly then pour into a jar.
- Remove the pears from the oven, serve them with a very generous drizzle of hot "honey", and let them wow!
It's worth noting that although the pears really need to be prepped and cooked at the time, the hot "honey" can be made well in advance. It keeps for months.
Serving Suggestions
I adore these pears on a simple bed of arugula. I usually toss it in a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil, a drop of white wine or apple cider vinegar, and a little of the cooled hot "honey". The dark green really makes the pears pop on the plate and the peppery leaves are amazing with all of the other flavours. Baby spinach would work well too.
One pear half is enough when serving as an appetizer, but if making for lunch or dinner I recommend 2 halves per person. Make it a meal with a big salad (my Lemon Orzo Salad works well), and some crusty bread, No Knead Focaccia, or baguette to mop up all of the spicy, sweet, pear juices!
Recipe
Vegan Baked Pears With Feta & Hot "Honey"
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- a drizzle of olive oil
- 2 pears
- 6 tablespoons vegan feta cheese , homemade or store-bought
- 4 pinches freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped raw walnuts
For the hot "honey"
- ⅓ cup (80 mls) maple syrup , or vegan bee-free honey or agave syrup
- 1 tablespoon red chili pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190 °C).
- Cut the pears in half lengthways. Use a teaspoon or a melon baller to scoop out the core from each half. We don't want to waste too much pear, but we also want to be able to fit in plenty of cheese so use your judgement ;O)
- Place the pear halves in a small casserole where they will fit quite snugly. Rub them with olive oil then sprinkle generously with black pepper.
- Crumble the feta cheese and pack lots into the scooped-out part of each pear half.
- Scatter over the chopped walnuts. I press some gently into the cheese to make them hold on.
- Drizzle with a little olive oil then bake uncovered in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Serve the pears fresh from the oven drizzled with lots of hot honey.
For the hot "honey"
- Make this while the pears are baking or it can be made ahead. Add the maple syrup, chili flakes, and thyme to a small saucepan and stir together.
- Place over medium low heat and bring to a simmer. Don't leave it unattended. It's a very small amount so hardly takes any time.
- As soon as it begins to simmer turn off the heat. Add the apple cider vinegar, stir, then leave in the pan to cool for 5 minutes or so before pouring into a jar.
NOTES
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Debbie says
Absolutely one of the yummyist 😋 appetizers I have made! Everyone loved it!
Melanie McDonald says
Love to hear that Debbie! Thank you!
Susan says
Looks scrumptious! All I can think about are the 5 lbs of apples in my fridge...So I may just try with them and try again with pears some other time. I love pears and walnuts in salads. Must try the hot "honey" I tried to make but why didn't I realize maple syrup would be even better! Thanks for your creative recipes. I love coming back here and getting inspired since I've been vegan for about five years now!
Melanie McDonald says
Love to hear that, thank you!
I'm sure it would be good with apples too. I'd probably pre-cook them a little before adding the cheese and walnuts as they will take longer to cook through and you don't want want the cheese to dry up or walnuts to burn. Enjoy!!