A dark teal plate holds two pear halves topped with whipped coconut cream and sprinkled with pistachios.

November 10, 2026

Cardamom Ginger Poached Pears

Name: Cardamom Ginger Poached Pears
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 can (14-oz) Whole30-compatible coconut milk (refrigerated overnight); 1/4 tsp Whole30-compatible vanilla bean powder or extract; 1/8 tsp ground cardamom; 2 cups apple cider; 2 Whole30-compatible chai tea bags; 2 green cardamom pods (crushed to release seeds); 1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger (peeled and thinly sliced); 2 tsp orange zest (grated ); 5 Bosc pears (halved lengthwise and cored); 1/3 cup raw pistachios (chopped)

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Our Cardamom Ginger Poached Pears are simple but incredibly satisfying. This Whole30 recipe is filled with cozy, festive flavors, the freshness of fruit, and zero added sugar. It’s the perfect side dish for a fall or winter dinner, and offers a light and refreshing dessert for the holidays. (Your guests will appreciate the option!)

This recipe comes from the Friendsgiving Menu in The Whole30 Friends and Family, created to help you navigate gatherings, provide tips and tricks to make every social situation a success, and offer full menus for special occasions. Having a dinner party? Hosting game day? Planning a baby shower? The Whole30 Friends and Family offers recipes for every occasion, perfect for any gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free guests.

Tips

Store a few cans of coconut milk in your refrigerator so you’ll be ready to make coconut cream.
You can also buy small cans of coconut cream at many grocery stores.
You can reserve the drained coconut milk (the non-solidified portion) for smoothies.
If you can’t find vanilla powder, you can use a splash of vanilla extract. (See more about extracts and the Whole30 here.)
If your pan is deep, add additional water and cider to cover the pears. Adjust your other ingredients accordingly.
This recipe can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Refrigerate the pears and coconut cream in separate airtight containers. Let the pears stand at room temperature for an hour before serving.

Servings 10

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Ingredients

Coconut Cream

1 can (14-oz) Whole30-compatible coconut milk refrigerated overnight
1/4 tsp Whole30-compatible vanilla bean powder or extract
1/8 tsp ground cardamom

Pears

2 cups apple cider
2 Whole30-compatible chai tea bags
2 green cardamom pods crushed to release seeds
1 piece (2 inches) fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced
2 tsp orange zest grated
5 Bosc pears halved lengthwise and cored
1/3 cup raw pistachios chopped

Instructions

OPEN the refrigerated can of coconut milk and drain off the liquid
SPOON the firm coconut cream into a large bowl
ADD the vanilla bean powder and cardamom; beat with an electric mixer on medium-high until fluffy, about 10 minutes.
TRANSFER to a serving dish. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
COMBINE 2 cups of water and the cider in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; remove from heat.
ADD the tea bags; let steep for five minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags.
ADD the cardamom pods, ginger, orange zest, and pears.
RETURN to a boil, then reduce the heat. Simmer, uncovered, until the pears are tender, about 10 minutes.
USE a slotted spoon to remove the pears and let cool to room temperature.
TO serve, top each pear with some of the coconut cream and sprinkle with pistachios.

Melissa Urban

Melissa Urban is an 8x New York Times bestselling author (including the instant bestseller, The New Whole30) who specializes in helping people establish healthy boundaries and successfully navigate habit change. She has been featured by the New York Times, People, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Today Show, and Good Morning America, and is a prominent keynote speaker on boundaries, building community, health trends, and entrepreneurship. She lives in Salt Lake City, UT with her husband, son, and two rescue doodles.