25 Ways to Eat Summer’s Best Fruits While They’re in Season
There’s no doubt about it, summer is the most delicious fruit season! You’ve got everything from juicy peaches to refreshing watermelon coming in at its freshest and ripest. So it’s time to put those deliciously sweet gems to good use while we can. These 25 recipes call for summer’s best stone fruits, berries and melons. And we promise, even though we’ve got plenty of mains and desserts in the mix, these fruit recipes go well beyond fruit salads and pie.
1. Grilled Apricot and Burrata Salad: Grilling your apricots adds a caramelized char to the tart fruit, and a drizzle of honey on top sweetens the deal. Add creamy burrata cheese and crusty bread to the platter and you’ve got one tasty summer appetizer. (via PDX Food Love)
2. Chicken Thighs With Apricots and Tarragon: After roasting your apricots they’ll become a tart and tangy addition to a pan of roasted chicken thighs. You’ll love this herby and sweet main so much that you’ll want to have it once a week for dinner. (via 10th Kitchen)
3. Nectarine Caprese Stack: Instead of tomatoes, use nectarines for these caprese starters. The sweet balsamic drizzle and salty mozzarella bring out the fruit’s natural flavors. (via Tara’s Multicultural Table)
4. Salted Nectarine Tart: How gorgeous is this summer nectarine tart? You’ll love looking at it just as much as you’ll love digging in to every salty, sweet, nutty, custardy (yep, it’s got all those flavors) bite. (via Produce on Parade)
5. Peach and Cucumber Salsa: If you’ve never tried fruit salsa, prepare for your mind to be blown. This peach and cucumber blend is mild, refreshing and the perfect combo of earthy and sweet. Use it to top off tacos, chips or fresh fish. (via Knead to Cook)
6. Old Fashioned Peach Ice Cream: Make your own creamy and rich ice cream, then load it up with chunks of fresh peaches. And don’t be intimidated by this old-fashioned dessert… it only calls for seven ingredients! (via The View From Great Island)
7. Cherry Almond Cookies: Put a cherry on top of these buttery almond cookies and you’ll have one delicious (and super cute) dessert. (via On a Sweet Sugar Rush)
8. Cherry Grilled Cheese: This isn’t your average grilled cheese. Sandwiched between two slices of rye bread is a mixture of gooey melted mozzarella, creamy goat cheese and a sweet cherry compote. This sandwich just upped the comfort food game. (via 10th Kitchen)
9. Black Plum Compote With Vanilla and Honey: Get the (plum) juices flowing! Bake ripe black plums, then drizzle them with vanilla and honey for a compote that tastes just as good over a bowl of breakfast yogurt as it does over fro-yo. (via The Sugar Hit)
10. Grilled Stone Fruit With Mascarpone: This is a fruit and cheese plate that’s for dessert, not for an appetizer. Pair your stone fruit, like plums and peaches, with sweet mascarpone cheese, honey and almonds for a refreshingly sweet end to a good meal. (via Dessert for Two)
11. Mango, Bacon and Feta Pizza: If you love Hawaiian pizza, you’ll die for this equally fruity take that replaces ham, mozzarella and pineapple with bacon, feta and mango. (via Port and Fin)
12. Swordfish With Mango Salsa: You’ll feel like you’re at the beach digging into this swordfish steak topped with a sweet mango and tomato salsa. The steak-like fish is the perfect pairing for a citrus splash of flavor. (via Palatable Pastime)
Berries
13. Blackberry Ice Cream Sandwiches: Are you drooling yet? These gorgeous, mini brown sugar cookie sandwiches are loaded with homemade blueberry ice cream. And when it’s made with fruit, ice cream’s healthy… right? (via Tutti Dolci)
14. Gluten-Free Raspberry Bars: There’s a whole lot of flavor in these four-layer bars. Start with a maple syrup-infused crust, then a layer of blueberry, a crunchy oat layer and top it all off with a fresh creamy raspberry finish. (via Petite Allergy Treats)
15. Blueberry Panzanella Salad: If you’ve never tried pickled blueberries before, you’re in for a treat with this salad! The vinegar tang mixed with the sweet from fresh blueberries is a perfect addition to a peppery arugula and pickled red onion salad. Top it off with cubes of bread for texture. (via Running to the Kitchen)
16. Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes: Blueberry pancakes are always a hit. But when your blueberries are freshly picked, not frozen, they’re even more phenomenal. Load fluffy, whole wheat pancakes up with berries and buttermilk syrup for a delicious Sunday morning surprise. (via Garnish and Glaze)
17. Summer Strawberry and Kale Salad: Talk about a powerhouse salad. This bowl is loaded with leafy kale, lentils, hazelnuts and strawberries. Pour an orange balsamic dressing on top for even more light and summery flavor. (via Catching Seeds)
18. Strawberry Basil Crostini: Goat cheese, basil and fresh strawberries are a match made in heaven. Don’t believe us? Just try one of these crunchy, sweet and salty crostinis for yourself. (via Rachael Adele)
19. Huckleberry Pie: Meet the huckleberry, the often forgotten summer fruit. If you’ve never tried one, there’s no better way to do it than with these mini cream cheese and huckleberry topped pies! Plus these tiny portions mean you don’t have to share. (via Haley’s Daily Blog)
Melon
20. Cantaloupe and Capicola Bites: Put a twist on the classic prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe appetizers. This version uses equally salty and tasty capicola, a muffin tin to form it into a cup and cubed pieces of the melon for an all-in-one bite. (via In Sock Monkey Slippers)
21. Mini Cantaloupe Paletas: Blend your cantaloupe with mint and simple syrup to create these cooling pops. Before you serve, dip them in cinnamon for a hit of spice. (1-2 Simple Cooking)
22. Honeydew and Berry Yogurt Popsicles: Skip the sugar and go for a fruity pop instead. These striped and colorful popsicles are mostly honeydew and Greek yogurt, with a hint of fresh berries at the end. (via Mommyhood’s Diary)
23. Honeydew Agua Fresca: Serve yourself a spa-like sip with a tasty honeydew-infused agua fresca. You’ll love the melon flavor paired with refreshing mint and earthy fennel. (via The Vanilla Bean Blog)
24. Watermelon Gazpacho With Beet Noodles: This blogger has a great tip for extra delicious summer gazpacho: prechill your watermelon and beets so that this summer soup doesn’t need any extra cooling. (via Inspiralized)
25. Shrimp Tacos With Watermelon and Apple Salsa: Shrimp tacos are probably already a staple on your summer menu, but you have to try this version with a watermelon and apple topper. The fruity flavors bring out the best in your shrimp, especially paired with the goat cheese and cilantro crema. (via Yes to Yolks)
Feeling fruity this summer? Tell us what fresh fruit you’re craving, cooking and baking with below or share your recipes with us on Facebook!
