11 Dried And Fresh Fig Recipes So You Can Enjoy Them Year-Round

If it’s early June, the end of August, or early September, drop everything, it’s fig season! Run, don’t walk, to your nearest farmer's market or grocery store to grab some of these deliciously strange and mysterious fruit that are only available a few weeks out of the year. Not only are they great for enjoying as is, we also love them in everything from summery desserts to fall side dishes. Once you’ve got your hands on some, check out our 12 fig recipes for ideas—that is, if you can keep from just biting right in.

Figs come in a number of varieties, but you’ll most often find black mission figs, brown Turkey figs, or green Adriatic figs. They’re all soft and squishy on the outside, varying shades of pink on the inside, with slightly crunchy seeds. When ripe, they’re extremely juicy and sweet, with a flavor reminiscent of floral honey. They’re great for sweet applications, like our fig jam or our fig compote and cheese breakfast pastry pockets, but don’t stop there. Figs are GREAT in savory recipes too, adding a bit of sweetness to cut through salty or bitter flavors. Try fresh figs paired with meat in our fig & ham tapas toast, or pair fig jam with cheese, like in our baked goat cheese with caramelized onions or our ultimate holiday cheese board.

And since the season is SO short, we’ve also included a number of dried fig recipes too. Not unlike raisins, they can add a delicious sweetness to desserts and savory dishes. Try them out in everything from chicken recipes, like our chicken tagine with couscous; homemade bread recipes, like in our fig, olive oil, and sea salt challah; or in healthier desserts, like our fig bars.

Want even more fruit inspiration? Check out our strawberry desserts, peach recipes (sweet and savory), and pear desserts too.