A delightfully refreshing winter salad with your favorite orange and persimmon.
Cara Cara oranges and Fuyu persimmon are my favorite winter fruits. It was not until I had a flat of both sitting on the counter that I thought of putting them together in this simple salad. If any two fruits below in the same bowl, it’s these two. We have been eating this salad a couple of times a week since November. By using different flavored sea salts, one can slightly alter the taste of the salad to best complement the meal and to provide a different finish.
This salad is the perfect salad for spicy food because it helps to calm the burn and cool the palate, getting it ready for another bite. Serve with carne adovada, tamales, enchiladas, and smoked meats. It’s also a nice salad for non-spicy meals such as chicken and turkey, fried fish, soups or pasta. When I serve it with a non-spicy meal, I sometimes use a spicy sea salt like Thai Sriracha. See my Kitchen Notes for suggestions of sea salts.
One really doesn’t need an entree to serve this salad. It makes a great lunch or light dinner.
Cara Cara Orange and Persimmon Salad
“*” See Kitchen Notes for more information or links to special ingredients.
- 1 Cara Cara Orange, peeled, wedges separated and cut into 2-3 pieces
- 1 ripe Fuyu Persimmon, peeled and sliced
- A few pinches of infused sea salt
- About 2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped, roasted peanuts
- Lettuce
- Transfer orange and persimmon pieces to a bowl.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and toss.
- Place the lettuce on two salad plates.
- Divide the fruit mixture between the two plates and top with the chopped peanuts.
- Serve.
Cara Cara Oranges – These are my favorite oranges, consistently sweet and juicy. However, you could use any sweet orange, tangerine, satsuma, or cutie.
Infused (Flavored) Sea Salt – Here is where you can really have fun with this salad. Over the past year I have purchased a variety of sea salts. The sea salts that I like best with this salad are Sichuan Pepper, Sweet Ginger, and Thai Sriracha. With a variety of salts in your pantry it is easy to match a salt to the meal.
Roasted peanuts – The peanuts can be salted or unsalted. If salted, just cut back on the amount of sea salt.
If you enjoyed this Cara Cara and Persimmon salad, here are some other citrus salads you will enjoy:
What a beautiful color that salad is! Do you know that in all the different areas that we have lived in that I’ve never seen persimmons for sale, not in the major grocery stores, small independent markets or at farmer’s markets.
Thanks Karen. Persimmons are seasonal, but when in season, I can find them everywhere. I’m surprised they are more available in your area.
I have never used persimmons. I think I’ve eaten one once (on a hike) but it was a bit too unripe. Can you get these in your area grocery stores? Such a beautifully colored dish!
Beautiful to have with spicy food ! I would pack it also for my office lunch ! Thank you so much MJ !
I do love persimmons. And I think they are nowhere to be found any time soon. I miss them! When they return I will make this. Sounds totally refreshing!
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Wow, I’m so glad you shared this MJ! I love Cara Cara oranges!!!! Very special and we enjoy it when they are in season. And you pair up with persimmons? THAT IS SO COOL!!! Very simple, my kind of salad as we can enjoy the flavor of fruits, not covered by heavy dressing. Ok my mouth already reacted as I look at these beautifully taken photography…. 🙂
Thanks so much Nami!! I love Cara Cara season as well. Just picked up my third large bag. 🙂
Orange persimon salad looks so colorful Mj, I am going to pin it. MJ I just added soaked chia seed to the smoothie.
Thanks for the comment and the pin Swathi…and for the info on the smoothie. I figured that was what you did.
I love the simplicity of this luscious seasonal recipe. The oranges and persimmons have the opportunity to shine and grace us with all their fantastic flavor!
This recipe sounds like a perfect flavor combination with the sweet and tart. It looks like a fun breakfast option, or a healthy side dish! Gorgeous, Hugs, Terra
Thanks Terra! You’re right..breakfast, lunch, side dish…it’s all good!
Sounds very refreshing.
I just recently discovered persimmons via my local vendor. Though he called him by some other name but I am sure they are persimmons. I haven’t given them a try yet and I am excited to try your recipe. thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Taruna! There are several types of persimmons. Some can be sliced and some are too mushy when ripe. Fuyu persimmon are the best for this recipe. How you can try some soon.
Extraordinary salad, MJ! And the colours are lovely too. I have never used persimmon in the kitchen… here we are unlucky to get bland, horribly sweet persimmon from Spain (or maybe I was unlucky… but after several buys that ended up in the bin I gave up), but I’m sure even the oranges alone could make this salad fantastic. The idea to serve it with a spicy meal is great too. I should really use more fruits in savoury salads… Thank you so much for inspiration!
Thanks so much Darlin! That’s sad that you can’t find good persimmon there. I can usually find excellent Fuyu persimmon but other types are hard to find. I love fruit in savory salads and can usually be found adding apple, pear, dried cranberries, orange or persimmon to salads. Fruits in salads are quite refreshing. and…you are always welcome!
I have never cooked with persimmons and I am know wondering if I have ever eaten one?
They are really incredible fruits Debra.
This winter salad is so lovely, colorful, and healthy! I love persimmons!
What a fantastic combo! We all need a splash of color this time of year, and it sounds like the flavors here go perfectly together. Thanks, MJ!
Thanks Viviane! Yes, a splash of color on the table is nice during the cool months of the year.
What a brilliant color to warm our winter days MJ. Yes, the touch of sweet is perfect for bringing down the fire. Lovely pairing with your NM chile dishes I’m thinking :D. We have a Hachiya persimmon tree in our backyard. Like many new discoveries, we had to learn about it… let’s just say that I will not be biting into an unripe Hachiya persimmon again (I actually thought I was going into anaphylactic shock! major tingling of the tongue). But the ripe Hachiya? Dreamy. Soft, creamy and gorgeously sweet — I made bread with it. Our 4 fruit harvest is now all done for the year 😉 but I’m hoping with a little TLC, we can do better next year. For this lovely salad, I would pair it with mandarin me thinks (gotta use up what you’ve got, right?).
Thanks so much Kelly! That’s funny about the unripe Hachiya because I had that same experience many years ago with one from my sister’s tree. YUCK! Unfortunately, I haven’t had the privilege of trying a ripe one. That’s a goal I’ll set for next year. Mandarin paired with fuyu persimmon – perfect!
I don’t think I have had a persimmon let alone a flat of them. They are gorgeous
with the orange. I am going to deliberately look for one at the grocery. I am waaaaaaaaaaaaay too old to be making that statement. Ha!
Oh…you’ve never had a persimmon!? Oh, they are SO good. I love the Fuyu persimmon which is what one more commonly finds because they can be sliced. There is also the hachiyu persimmon which is more elongated. It most be totally ripe and once ripe, it’s mushy so it works better in cakes, puddings, and breads. Good luck finding them at the grocer! 🙂
Simple yet very delicious, MJ. I love the salad and lighting of those photos.
Thanks so much Angie! Played around a little this time with the photos.
What a very nice simple, light and fresh salad. Yum!
Simply damn deliicous and refreshing!!!
You got that right! 🙂
Looks like a ray of sunshine in this cold! Looks yummy! 🙂
Definitely!
Cara cara are in my top fav citrus and I just adore persimmons too, what a great salad. Playing with salts sounds fun here.
Oh, playing with the salts is definitely fun! It’s amazing how much flavor just a little bit of infused salt can add to a dish. Have a great day Evelyne!
I love persimmons but would never have thought to combine them with oranges and peanuts! I had some extra spicy fish last night and I wish I had had some of this to go with it!
Thank you Shashi! You really should give this combination a try. It’s quite good!
Oh I never thought of making a salad with fuyu persimmon. It looks so vibrant and refreshing, I can picture myself having your salad MJ while listening to the crickets in the evening. =)
Or how about serving it with some enchiladas? Thanks for the cool recipe share MJ.
Thanks Helene! While you’re listening to the crickets, we’re listening to the cicadas. 🙂
I’ve never heard of a cara cara orange. Where have I been? I do know about persimmons and paired with a sweet orange in a salad sounds wonderful.
Well you are missing out Maureen! Cara Cara’s are awesome! But don’t hesitate to use any sweet orange in this salad. Thanks!
I so enjoy citrus at this time of the year! Can’t get enough of it. Haven’t thought to combine it with persimmons in a salad though — really inspired idea. This looks terrific. And you’re right, it’s perfect with a spicy dish. Thanks for this.
I’m with you John. There’s nothing like winter oranges. You really need to throw in some persimmon. thanks for your comment!
MJ, where can you get Fuyu Persimmons in Albuquerque? Thanks!
Diana, I get thm at Costco this time of year.
I would really like this beautiful salad. A perfect match with the fried catfish you cooked for us before. That salad looks amazing, MJ. I hope you and Bobby are having a wonderful New Year! 🙂
Happy 2015 Ray! Oh it is a beautiful match with the fried catfish, especially with the spicy dipping sauce. 🙂 Thanks my friend and have a great week!