This pressure cooker pear applesauce is such a warm, tasty treat. I looove applesauce, and ever since I bought my Instant Pot pressure cooker I’ve been excited to try and make it from scratch. There is no added sugar in this recipe, it’s whole-foods-plant-based, and it can be made in less than 10 minutes!
Getting Creative With Ingredients
I wanted to try making this recipe unique somehow, so I decided to use Granny Smith apples. Granny Smiths are usually more tart than other apples, so I thought it might make for an interesting applesauce flavor. Trust me though, when I say that this pear applesauce still has plenty of natural sweetness to it! I honestly can’t even tell the difference between this recipe and a recipe that has added sugar in it. I’m someone who personally doesn’t like overly sweet, super fake-sugary tasting things though.
So even though applesauce is already considered pretty healthy, I didn’t want to add any extra sugar. I see a lot of recipes online for jams, preservers, applesauces, and other fruit-based recipes that call for additional refined sugar. Why though? Fruit is perfectly sweet on its own, and none needs to be added! So I didn’t add any in my recipe and I think it turned out great all on its own.
I also decided to throw in a few pears to see if it created an interesting combination with the Granny Smiths. Because Granny Smiths are less sweet than other kinds of apples, I thought adding pears (which are a sweeter fruit) might help keep things balanced. The final outcome was pretty awesome-sauce if I do say so myself! The Granny Smiths and apples ended up working really well together. It’s smooth, naturally sweet, cinnamon-y, and a perfect healthy mid-day snack.
Five Minutes To Healthy Pear Applesauce
So onto the preparation! Applesauce is stupid-simple to make. Really all you need to do is chop your fruit and throw it in a pot. I specifically decided to leave the skin ON my apples and pears. A lot of applesauce recipes online instruct you to remove the skin. Apples retain a lot of nutrients in their skin though. I didn’t want to miss out on any of that! So I took a chance and left the skin on. After they are done in the pressure cooker you blend the mixture anyway, so everything gets mixed very well. I didn’t taste anything different in the end, and I get to benefit from all of those great vitamins and minerals!
Once you chop your fruit and throw it in the pot with the rest of the ingredients. All you need to do is pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. FIVE MINUTES! That’s it! After it’s done cooking release the pressure from your Instant Pot or pressure cooker (warning, your house will start smelling HEAVENLY at this point!) and transfer contents to a blender. I realize the picture above looks a bit like mush in the pressure cooker pot, but trust the process – I promise it will turn out delicious! Blend on high for a few seconds, until all the chunks get mixed together and the mixture looks smooth.
Simple, But Delicious
Like I said, this recipe couldn’t be more simple. It’s also very forgiving. You could easily use 8 apples + 3 pears, or 10 apples + 2 pears (whatever you have on hand), and it will turn out great either way. I like to eat it hot right after it’s done blending and sprinkle some extra cinnamon on top. You can also store leftovers in the fridge for a great healthy snack, dessert, or breakfast all week.
It’s great to eat plain, but I also like mixing it with other things. For example, just the other day for breakfast I mixed some of this pear applesauce with rolled oats, soy milk, pecans and fresh mango slices. I heated it up and let me tell you, it was one of the BEST hot breakfast bowls I’ve ever made! Another great way to eat it is in a bowl on the side along with my apple cinnamon muffins! : )
However you like to enjoy applesauce, I hope you like this recipe just as much as I did. If you do try it, I would LOVE to hear feedback from you. Please feel encouraged to rate this recipe and leave a comment below!
Granny Smith Pear Applesauce
Ingredients
- 8-10 Granny Smith apples
- 2-3 pears
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1/2 cup of water
Instructions
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Leaving the skin on, chop your apples and pears into medium sized chunks
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Throw the chopped fruit in your Instant Pot or pressure cooker along with the rest of the ingredients
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Set venting mode to ‘sealed’ and pressure cook for 5 minutes
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After releasing the pot’s pressure, transfer the contents to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth
