Enjoy this easy-to-make pear sauce on its own as a fruit snack or as a topping for pancakes or French toast.
Microwave Pear Sauce
![Bowl of chunky textured mashed pears topped with spices.](/sites/foodhero-prod/files/recipe-imgs/Microwave%20Pear%20Sauce_v_WM.png)
Ingredients
8 medium pears, peeled, cored and cut into about 1-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
½ teaspoon vanilla (optional)
Directions
- Wash hands with soap and water.
- Place pears and lemon juice in a large microwave-safe dish. Cover with a microwave-safe cover.
- Cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. Let the dish sit for a few minutes, then remove from oven.
- Mash pears with a fork, potato masher or hand-held blender. If you would like a smoother sauce, return bowl to the microwave for another 3 to 5 minutes and mash again.
- Stir in remaining ingredients, as desired. Enjoy warm or chilled.
- Refrigerate leftovers to use within a week or freeze for longer storage. To freeze, place in airtight containers and label with the date. For best quality, use within 2 months.
Notes
- Frozen and canned pears are easy to make into a sauce.
- Try other spices such as nutmeg and cardamom.
- You can leave the pear peels on the fruit for more fiber.
- No microwave? You can make the recipe in a saucepan on a stovetop or in an electric skillet. Bring pears and lemon juice to a simmer over medium heat. Stir a few times while cooking until the pears have softened, about 15 to 20 minutes. Mash or blend to the thickness you like and add other ingredients, as desired.
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Comments
We had a lot of pears this fall and I wasn't sure what to do with them in a short amount of time. Using the microwave to cook the pears was a perfect solution! We do prefer pears to be blended smooth so I used an immersion blender but you could easily use a regular blender. Our favorite spicing was a bit of ginger and vanilla. We enjoyed the sauce as a healthy dessert and also on pancakes. I froze some to use in muffins and quick bread. Thanks so much for the inspiration.