Ripe pears simmered in a fragrant red wine syrup make an easy, elegant dessert that’s as delicious as it is beautiful! These Red Wine Poached Pears also keep beautifully in the refrigerator, so you can make them several days in advance and take some of the stress out of entertaining.
🍷 Sweet & Simple Pears Poached In Red Wine
Looking for the perfect ending to an elegant meal? Need a recipe that won’t take all day to make? Red Wine Poached Pears are your new dessert secret weapon! With their jewel-like color and complex flavor, this is a striking recipe that’s deceptively simple to make.
The idea behind poached pears is beyond simple: just simmer peeled pears in sweet, flavorful liquid, and in half an hour or so, they’ll develop a wonderfully tender texture and aromatic flavor. In our classic Poached Pear recipe, we keep things simple by using water and adding cinnamon, anise, and vanilla flavors.
However, if you want to get a little fancy, you can easily swap wine for the water. This one little change makes a BIG difference. The pears absorb some of the wine’s flavor and color, turning a festive, deep red color on the outside.
You can serve these pears in their own sweet-tart juices, or dress them up with soft whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or a pair them with a slice of pound cake.
More Pear Recipes
Check out some of our most popular pear dessert recipes, like Pear Pie In A Jar, Puff Pastry-Wrapped Pears, Caramel Panna Cotta with Poached Pears, and much more!
Table of Contents
🧾 What You’ll Need
Ingredients
These beautiful pears only need a few ingredients, and very minimal supplies. Here are my top tips to keep in mind as you shop for this recipe. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Pears: Use pears that are ripe but still firm – if your pears are too soft, they’re more liable to fall apart while poaching. I recommend using Bosc or Anjou pears if possible, but other varieties will also work – see the best pears to use for poaching section below.
- Red Wine: The pears will take on the wine’s flavor, so my top tip is to use a red wine you enjoy drinking! Look for a fruity, medium-bodied red that won’t be too overpowering – think Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Zinfandel. Read more about the best wine to use below.
- Sugar: All you’ll need is regular granulated sugar to make the red wine sauce for the pears.
- Citrus juices: Orange and lemon juice brighten up the red wine syrup, adding a punch of flavor and keeping it from becoming too cloying or sweet. Whenever possible, I highly recommend using freshly squeezed citrus juices, but bottled is okay in a pinch.
- Vanilla extract: a touch of vanilla rounds out the flavor of the poaching liquid. Use a high-quality vanilla extract to get the best results.
- Cinnamon sticks: Cinnamon sticks provide a lovely, warm flavor to the red wine sauce. If you don’t have cinnamon sticks you can substitute 1/2-1 tsp ground cinnamon.
Equipment
- Saucepan: You’ll want to use a large saucepan that can accommodate 5 pears standing upright in the pan with the lid on. I like this 6 quart saucepan from Cuisinart.
- Vegetable peeler: A vegetable peeler makes quick work of peeling the pears.
🥇 What are the Best Pears for Poaching?
Because the ingredients and preparation for poached pears are so simple, it’s important to select the right kind of pears to get the best results.
The top choices are Bosc and Anjou pears. Bosc pears have a long, tapered neck, perfect for poaching whole and maintaining their elegant shape. They hold up well to cooking while still becoming tender.
Anjou pears are more rounded, but still firm enough to poach intact. They deliver a sweet, delicate flavor that pairs nicely with the poaching liquid. Other good options include Comice and Concorde pears.
Whichever pears you use, be sure to select pears that are ripe yet still firm, so they soften but don’t fall apart during poaching. This allows them to retain their shape while absorbing the flavors of the poaching liquid.
🍾 What Wine to Choose?
The wine you select is key for flavoring the pears and poaching liquid. The best choices are a fruity, medium-bodied red that will impart flavor without overpowering. Good options include Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Zinfandel.
Avoid using a full-bodied, oaky red wine, as it can make the poaching liquid bitter and astringent. Select a smooth, fruit-forward red that will gently infuse the pears with delicious flavor and color without masking their delicate sweetness.
💡 Tips and FAQs
- For the best flavor, serve these pears warm or at room temperature.
- Red wine poached pears pair really nicely with whipped cream, pudding or ice cream.
- Feel free to experiment with adding more warm fall spices like cardamom, nutmeg and allspice. You can also try different extracts like almond, lemon or orange.
Yes, a fruity white wine can be used instead of red. The pears will have a similar flavor, but won’t have the bright red coloring.
If you want a non-alcoholic option, I recommend trying our classic Poached Pears recipe. You can make it as-is, or use a fruit juice like apple or grape juice as the liquid, to mimic the fruity undertones of poaching in red wine.
This recipe is a GREAT make-ahead option. Here are some tips for storing and reheating your poached pears:
After poaching, let the pears cool completely in the poaching liquid. Then transfer them to an airtight container and pour the liquid over to cover. Refrigerate the container of poached pears for up to 5 days. The liquid helps keep them moist and preserved.
To reheat, remove desired number of pears from the storage liquid. Place them and a few tablespoons of liquid in a skillet over medium heat. Gently warm the pears for 5-10 minutes until heated through. Baste them with the liquid as they reheat. You can also reheat them in the microwave, covered, for 1-2 minutes.
Poached pears taste best served warm or at room temperature. The chilled liquid makes a great sauce drizzled over the top too.
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Red Wine Poached Pears
Ingredients
- 4 large bosc pears, I used Bosc pears but any firm pear will work
- 1 bottle red dry wine, (750ml), I used Merlot
- 5.25 oz granulated sugar, (¾ cup)
- ⅓ cup orange juice, (from approximately 1 medium orange)
- 2 TBSP lemon juice, (from approximately ½ large lemon), can use up to 2 ½ TBSP
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Whipped cream, optional
- Ground cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Start by peeling the pears. Make sure to leave the stem on the pears.
- In a medium sized saucepan over medium high heat, add the red wine, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil. Make sure to stir occasionally so the sugar dissolves.
- Once the wine mixture boils, add your pears. Place them in the saucepan with the stem side pointing upward. Bring the heat down to low and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the pears are tender.
- Let the pears cool completely before serving. You can serve them with whipped cream and cinnamon, or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Video
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?
Nutrition
📋 How to Make Red Wine Poached Pears
Here’s an overview of how to make Red Wine Poached Pears! Full instructions are included in the recipe card.
- Start by peeling the pears. Make sure to leave the stem on the pears.
- In a medium sized saucepan over medium high heat, add the red wine, sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla extract and cinnamon sticks and bring to a boil. Make sure to stir occasionally so the sugar dissolves.
- Once the wine mixture boils, add your pears. Place them in the saucepan with the stem side pointing upward. Bring the heat down to low and cover. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the pears are tender.
- Let the pears cool completely before serving. You can serve them with whipped cream and cinnamon, or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
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