Simple, Scrumptious Ina Garten Roasted Pear & Apple Sauce Recipe

Roasted pear and apple sauce transforms ordinary fruits into an extraordinary culinary experience that delights the senses.

Warm spices and caramelized edges elevate this humble condiment beyond basic expectations.

Seasonal fruits mingle together, creating rich depth and complexity with minimal effort.

Soft, tender textures emerge as fruits slowly roast and intensify their natural sweetness.

Each spoonful promises a harmonious balance of rustic charm and elegant simplicity.

Home cooks can easily craft this versatile accompaniment with just a few kitchen staples.

The magic happens when familiar ingredients meet thoughtful technique: prepare to be amazed.

Why Pear and Apple Sauce Is the Sweetest Upgrade

• Elevate Fruit Flavors: The combination of roasted pears and apples creates a deeply caramelized, intensely rich taste that transforms ordinary fruit into an extraordinary culinary experience.
• Minimal Effort, Maximum Reward: This hands-off recipe requires simple preparation and lets the oven do most of the work, making it perfect for home cooks who want delicious results without complicated techniques.
• Versatile Comfort Dish: Enjoy this sauce warm as a cozy dessert, serve as a sophisticated side dish, or use as a breakfast accompaniment that brings natural sweetness and comforting warmth to any meal.
• Texture Lover's Dream: The gentle mashing technique creates a beautifully rustic sauce with smooth elements and subtle fruit chunks, providing a delightful contrast that keeps every bite interesting and satisfying.

Grab the Fruit That Makes Fall Sing

• Pears, Apples: Sweet autumn fruits with soft texture, best when ripe and firm without bruises.

• Orange, Lemon: Bright fruits adding zesty flavor and preventing fruit browning, fresh and organic preferred.

• Light Brown Sugar: Provides caramel-like sweetness and depth to the sauce, helps create rich flavor profile.
• Cinnamon: Warm spice that enhances fruit's natural sweetness and adds cozy aroma.

• Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and smooth texture, helps create a more complex flavor in the sauce.

How to Roast Fruit into Smooth Perfection

Step 1: Warm Up The Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C), creating a perfect cooking environment for your fruity dish.

Step 2: Prepare Citrus Base

• Orange zest
• Orange juice
• Lemon juice

Spread these zesty ingredients across the bottom of the pot.

Step 3: Prepare Fruit

• Peeling apples
• Peeling pears
• Quartering apples
• Quartering pears
• Coring both fruits

Toss the prepared fruit pieces into the citrus juice to prevent browning.

Step 4: Season The Mixture

• Light brown sugar
• Ground cinnamon

Add small butter pieces across the top of the fruit.

Step 5: Bake To Perfection

Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and slide into the preheated oven. Bake for 1¼ to 1½ hours until fruits become beautifully tender.

Step 6: Create Delightful Texture

Use a whisk to gently mash the roasted fruits. Aim for a mix of smooth and chunky consistency.

Step 7: Serve And Savor

Enjoy the sauce warm or at room temperature as a scrumptious side dish or dessert.

Sweet Tips for a Silky Apple-Pear Blend

• Pick Perfect Produce: Select ripe, firm Bosc pears and sweet Macoun or Empire apples for maximum flavor depth. Avoid bruised or overly soft fruits that could compromise your sauce's texture.
• Zest Up Your Citrus: Fresh orange and lemon juice with their zests will brighten the sauce, creating a vibrant taste profile. Store-bought bottled juices simply cannot match the fresh, intense flavor.
• Butter Boosts Flavor: A small amount of butter adds luxurious richness and helps caramelize the roasted fruit, developing deeper, more complex taste notes.
• Steam Seals Moisture: Covering your Dutch oven during baking traps essential steam, ensuring even cooking and preventing the fruit from drying out or burning.
• Customize Your Consistency: Control the sauce's texture by adjusting your mashing technique. Gentle mashing creates a chunky version, while thorough whisking produces a silky smooth result perfect for your preference.

Stash This Sauce Without Losing Flavor

• Vacuum Seal: Lock in freshness by using a vacuum sealer for the roasted pear and apple sauce. Remove all air from the container to prevent freezer burn and preserve the vibrant flavors for up to 6 months. This method keeps the sauce tasting just as delicious as the day you made it.
• Portion Freeze: Divide the cooled sauce into individual serving sizes using ice cube trays or small freezer-safe containers. Once frozen, transfer the portions to a resealable freezer bag for quick and easy defrosting. Perfect for adding a burst of fruity flavor to breakfast or desserts.
• Glass Jar Storage: Choose high-quality glass jars with tight-fitting lids for refrigerating or short-term freezing. Clean the jars thoroughly before filling, leaving a small space at the top to allow for expansion.

Variations That Add a Dash of Spice or Citrus

• Spiced Autumn Medley: Enhance the recipe by adding ground nutmeg, cloves, and a touch of ginger for a warming seasonal flavor profile.
• Caramelized Maple Version: Replace brown sugar with pure maple syrup and add a splash of vanilla extract for deeper, richer sweetness.
• Berry-Infused Blend: Mix in fresh cranberries or diced raspberries during baking to create a tangy, vibrant fruit sauce with additional complexity.
• Bourbon-Spiked Comfort: Stir in a tablespoon of bourbon whiskey before baking to give the sauce a sophisticated adult-friendly depth and subtle warmth.

One Warm Spoonful at a Time to the End

Ina Garten’s roasted pear and apple sauce elevates home cooking with rustic charm and sophisticated flavor profiles.

Seasonal fruits dance harmoniously with citrus zest and warm cinnamon undertones.

Mediterranean-inspired techniques transform humble ingredients into culinary magic.

Homemade sauces carry memories of grandmother’s kitchen and modern gourmet sensibilities.

Rich aromas waft through kitchens, promising comfort and elegance in each spoonful.

Passionate cooks can savor this masterpiece, share its delightful recipe across social platforms, spark conversations with fellow culinary enthusiasts, and inspire kitchen creativity among friends and family.

Ina Garten Roasted Pear & Apple Sauce Recipe

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4.8 from 32 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s roasted pear and apple sauce brings rustic elegance to classic fruit compote. Caramelized fruit essences blend seamlessly, creating a sophisticated side dish that complements both sweet and savory plates while delivering pure seasonal comfort.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 3 lb (1.36 kg) sweet red apples, such as Macoun or Empire (8 apples)
• 3 lb (1.36 kg) ripe Bosc pears (7 pears)

Fruits and Zests:

• Zest and juice of 2 large navel oranges
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Sweeteners and Spices:

• ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F), ensuring the rack is positioned in the middle for even heat distribution.
2. Select a nonreactive Dutch oven and meticulously zest and juice both oranges and lemon, creating a fragrant citrus foundation.
3. Carefully peel, quarter, and remove the cores from the apples and pears, immediately tossing the fruit pieces into the citrus mixture to prevent browning.
4. Generously sprinkle light brown sugar and ground cinnamon over the fruit, then dot the surface with small, cold butter pieces to enhance richness and prevent sticking.
5. Cover the Dutch oven with its tight-fitting lid, transferring it to the preheated oven for approximately 1¼ to 1½ hours, allowing the fruits to soften and caramelize.
6. Remove from the oven and use a robust whisk to gently break down the roasted fruits, maintaining a rustic texture with some delightful fruit chunks.
7. Let the compote cool slightly, then transfer to serving dishes, appreciating the vibrant colors and aromatic blend of spices and citrus.

Notes

• Pick perfectly ripe fruits that are firm but not hard, ensuring they’ll roast beautifully and develop deep, caramelized flavors during baking.
• Squeeze citrus fruits moments before adding zest, capturing the most vibrant and intense aromatics that transform the entire sauce’s brightness.
• Gentle mashing creates rustic textures, letting each fruit chunk tell its delicious roasted story with varying levels of smoothness.
• Butter works magic by adding luxurious richness and helping fruits caramelize, creating complex layers of flavor that dance on your palate.
• Covering the baking dish traps precious moisture, allowing fruits to steam and roast simultaneously without losing their natural juiciness.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 90
• Sugar: 21g
• Sodium: 0mg
• Fat: 0g
• Saturated Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 0g
• Cholesterol: 0mg