16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (2024)

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From savory pizza to creamy tarts, these fresh fig recipes highlight the best of this summer delicacy.

By

Marie Viljoen

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (1)

Marie Viljoen

Marie is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com.

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and

Kirsten Nunez

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (2)

Kirsten Nunez

Kirsten Nunez is a writer who focuses on food, health, and DIY. She has been writing professionally for nearly 10 years and has contributed to digital and print publications such as Martha Stewart, Shape, Real Simple, Healthline, and SELF. She also creates original recipes, which have appeared on product packaging in stores.

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Updated on August 11, 2023

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16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (3)

Fresh figs are a delicacy. Their richly-colored skin, velvet texture, and floral flavors are a world away from the concentrated chewiness of dried figs. A heaping platter of ripe figs, with a couple gently squeezed open, is reminiscent of a Dutch still life—and one of the most beautiful things you can serve to friends around a supper table. Just add fruit knives and an excellent cheese.

Beyond the fruit bowl, fresh figs are versatile and surprising. They improve simple savory salads and snacks and add complexity to easy or slow-cooked entrées. Their famous sweetness is a foil for tart vinegars and a natural for decadent desserts. Rich in potassium and vitamins K and B6, they are also a nutritious ingredient.

Pounce on ripe figs when you see them in the summer and plan to use them quickly, since they don't ripen at home. Look for smooth, plump specimens when you shop; wrinkling or stickiness indicates over-ripeness and an under-ripe fig will feel woody. Don't squeeze them too hard, though: A light touch will tell you if it is ripe. Store figs for up to two days in the refrigerator, covered, in a single layer.

Read on for our favorite fresh fig recipes. They'll inspire your own delicious meals and desserts to come.

30 Cakes With Fruit Fillings and Toppings for Every Occasion

Caramelized Figs With Honey and Cheese

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (4)

This simple fresh fig recipe proves you don't have to do much to bring out the best of the fruit. It only takes 10 minutes on a hot skillet to coax out its complex flavors and syrupy texture.

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Fig-and-Plum Cake

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (5)

The best of early fall fruit is combined in one delectable cake, featuring frangipane and a buttery crust. Use dark-skinned mission figs for the best color.

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Figs and Prosciutto

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (6)

A classic that will never grow old, sweet figs and salty prosciutto make the quickest and most eye-catching of appetizers or light lunches.

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Grilled Pork Chops With Rosemary Gremolata and Figs

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (7)

Ripe figs perfumed by fresh rosemary skewers are the outstanding partner that top-quality pork chops deserve. The unusual, orange-inflected gremolata provides an intense finishing touch.

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Arugula Salad With Figs, Pine Nuts and Radicchio

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (8)

This bright, nutrition-packed salad looks as good as it tastes. Crisply bitter radicchio is made for the sweetness of fresh figs. Serve alongside a roast chicken or seared steak.

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Fresh Figs wWith Mascarpone and Warm Spiced Honey

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (9)

The flavors and textures of this quickly assembled dessert are sublime. Smooth mascarpone, cardamom-spiced warm honey, and fresh figs come together in the most delightful way.

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Broiled Green Figs With Pancetta

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (10)

Broiled green figs sprinkled with fennel seeds and wrapped in crisped pancetta are the perfect chaser for an evening's aperitif.

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Pickled Beet and Fig Salad

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (11)

Plump figs pull together the acid of pickled beets, the heat of mustard, and the pepperiness of watercress in a hearty and intensely flavored salad.

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Pizza With Fresh Figs, Ricotta, Thyme and Honey

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (12)

For an eye catching appetizer, assertively herbal thyme turns honey savory, and a careful seasoning with salt and pepper steers the sweet figs into grown up territory.

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Fig and Strawberry Tart

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (13)

This hazelnut-rich tart is an excellent excuse to combine those out-of-season strawberries you see at the supermarket with perfectly ripe figs. Live wildly—combine seasons!

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Prosciutto Crostini and Fresh Figs With Gorgonzola

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (14)

For a quick but substantial snack, raise the bar on the prosciutto-fig combination and add crusty baguette with vibrant, fresh herbs. The fresh figs tame the bite of gorgonzola.

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Fresh Fig and Feta Salad With Mint

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In this deconstructed, dramatic salad, the mouth watering saltiness of feta is tempered by the floral sweetness of fresh Smyrna figs and the bite of fresh mint. Add a hunk of bread for mopping.

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Roasted Chicken With Polenta and Balsamic-Poached Figs

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (16)

Here's a comforting start-ahead, quickly-assembled dish for cold evenings in a warm home. The rich pan drippings from a roasted chicken are blended with balsamic-poached figs for an unforgettable sauce that might make you lick your plate.

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Spiced Poached Figs

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (17)

The sweetly-tart botrytis character of Sauternes spiced with peppercorns and star anise, turns simple fresh green figs luxe.

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Fresh Fig and Almond Crostata

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (18)

A food processor is all you need to make this sweet and nutty crostata, or Italian baked tart.

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Fig Tart With Cream Cheese Filling

16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (19)

Equal parts creamy and sweet, this tart recipe is perfect for using up an abundance of fresh figs. Serve it with a generous dollop of homemade whipped cream for the ultimate treat.

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16 Fresh Fig Recipes to Make While This Special Fruit Is in Season (2024)

FAQs

Are fresh figs in season now? ›

There are two seasons for domestic fresh figs; the first or "breba" season is the first few weeks in June. The second or "new wood" season typically runs from August through October. The most common variety is the Black Mission fig followed by the Brown Turkey fig and the Green Kadota fig respectivly.

What can I do with too many ripe figs? ›

Top 12 ways to serve figs
  1. Jams and chutneys. Ripe and juicy figs are ideal for turning into homemade jams and tangy chutneys. ...
  2. Pies and tarts. Figs + pastry = endless possibilities. ...
  3. Salads. ...
  4. Cakes. ...
  5. Served with meat. ...
  6. Puddings. ...
  7. Served with cheese. ...
  8. Pizzas and breads.

What is the best way to eat fresh figs? ›

The best way to enjoy figs is raw, with the skin and seeds intact. You can also remove the peels and scoop out the seeds, if you like, or cook figs by baking, broiling or grilling them. But, the quickest and easiest way to enjoy these gems is by removing the stem and taking a bite right out of the raw fig.

What season is best for figs? ›

Typically, figs feature two main cropping seasons annually. The first, known as the “breba” crop, appears in late spring to early summer, while the second, or “main” crop, matures from late summer to early fall.

Should fresh figs be refrigerated? ›

Since fresh figs are perishable, they need to be kept in the refrigerator, between 32ºF-36ºF. Like strawberries, which can get moldy if exposed to too much moisture, it's generally not recommended that you wash figs as soon as you bring them home from the market.

Why not to eat too many figs? ›

Figs contain a lot of fibre, and eating too much fibre may lead to indigestion and constipation. Eating figs in excess may damage the intestines and liver. Regular intake of figs in large quantities along with its seeds can possibly cause bloating and upset stomach.

Can you freeze figs for later use? ›

Like many other fruits and vegetables, figs can easily be frozen and used in a variety of dishes. This year when fig season comes around, make sure to buy a few extra pounds to freeze and eat in the future. You can swap fresh for frozen figs in many recipes such as this one for easy Fig Bread.

What happens if you eat unripe figs? ›

Some people may experience mild digestive discomfort if they consume large quantities of unripe figs due to the high concentration of latex in the fruit. Latex is a natural substance found in the sap of fig trees and can cause gastrointestinal irritation if consumed in excess.

Why do you soak figs in baking soda? ›

Sprinkle the baking soda over the figs; cover with the 12 cups of boiling water. Soak for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This helps remove any latex from the skin of any slightly under-ripe figs.

Why do you soak figs in water? ›

Eating 1 to 3 soaked figs in water overnight helps in faster weight loss as fig has high fiber content, prevent wrinkles, make your skin soft and supple, boost immune system and promote hair growth too #driedfigs #healthylifestyle #dohaqatar🇶🇦

Are you supposed to eat the skin of a fig? ›

The entire fig is edible, from the thin skin to the red or purplish flesh and the myriad tiny seeds, but they can be peeled if you wish. Always cut off the stem. Wash the figs and gently pat dry to serve whole.

Why did Jesus cursed the fig tree? ›

In cursing the fig-tree, he shows "His justice on the sinners who bring forth not the expected fruits of grace." Since even though a person should only expect fruit from a tree in its season, God by contrast always has the right to expect from mankind the fruits of righteousness and piety.

How long do fresh figs keep? ›

Spread them out and arrange in a single layer to avoid bruising while giving them a little space to allow for air circulation. If you're looking to slow their ripening a little, you can cover the plate with plastic wrap or use a container with an airtight lid – this might keep them fresh for a day or two at the most.

Which fig is the sweetest? ›

Bursa. If you prefer sweet, choose Bursa figs. It is one of the sweetest fig varieties available. The skin is dark purple and powderless with red to purple flesh on the inside.

Why aren t fresh figs sold in stores? ›

Because figs are strongly seasonal and don't travel well. They are ripe for just a few weeks a year and can't be preserved. Beside, they are very soft, don't ripen much once picked (so you can't pick them green and hope they are ripe by the time you sell them), and being very soft they get squashed easily.

What month are figs ready? ›

A fig tree bears fruit 3 to 4 years after planting. An immature tree may produce fruit that never ripens. Fig trees produce fruit as early as May and continue as late as the first frost (November in some areas). Some fig varieties only produce fruit twice a year: once in spring or summer & once in fall.

Can you buy fresh figs all year? ›

True fig lovers are well-practiced in the art of patience. We watch the calendar, dreaming of summer and the fruit's silky, sappy flesh. The season lasts through June and July, with another crop from August to October.

When can I buy figs? ›

The prime harvesting season for fresh figs is mid-June to mid-October. If you see them in a market, buy them only if you plan to use them quickly. Fresh figs will spoil within seven to ten days of harvesting. In most cases, this means you have about three days at most to use them at home.

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