Food Ingredients Fruits Plum 20 Plum Recipes From Focaccia to Pork Tenderloin Perhaps one of the first domesticated fruits, plums are an unsung hero in sweet and savory dishes alike. By Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann Jodie Kautzmann is an editor, baker, and confectioner with more than 15 years of experience in content creation, recipe development, and pastry production. She's obsessed with the fine details and ingredients that take dishes from tasty to outright otherworldly. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 24, 2024 Close Photo: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley When it comes to stone fruits, the humble plum may be the most unassuming of the bunch — but that's precisely what makes it work for all kinds of applications. Plum's sweet, juicy flesh is balanced out by thin, tangy skin which is best left intact, making it an especially easy fruit to prep. Plum season spans from May to October, so there's plenty of time to enjoy them. Plus, delicious dried and pickled plums are simple to source all year round. Whether you pair plums with pork or poultry for dinner or bake them into a cake for dessert, these recipes showcase plums in all their understated glory. 01 of 20 Szilvás Pita (Plum-and-Poppy Seed Cake) Aubrie Pick This Hungarian country-style cake from cookbook author Sarah Copeland is a traditional morning or afternoon snack. Use firm-ripe plums so they hold their shape during baking. Get the Recipe 02 of 20 Black Rice Salad with Cherries and Plums Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Fresh plums and cherries add pops of juicy sweetness to this hearty summer salad. Black rice gives the dish a dark, moody hue and an extra textural bite, while crunchy, craggy, blue cheese–infused breadcrumbs provide a lovely textural reprieve to the chewy rice and fruit. Get the Recipe 03 of 20 Grilled Quail with Sweet-and-Sour Plum Glaze Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Plums and blackberries form the backbone of this sweet-savory glaze from Top Chef Season 17 winner Melissa King; it's perfect for quail but also delicious with bone-in chicken thighs or pork chops. Serve alongside a crisp and refreshing Arugula-Radish Salad with a tangy lime-sesame dressing. Get the Recipe 04 of 20 Sweet Plum Focaccia Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley This airy focaccia from cookbook author Kate Leahy is the perfect showcase for ripe plums, which caramelize in the oven as it bakes. Rosemary and flaky sea salt add a savory edge. Get the Recipe 05 of 20 Onigiri Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Victoria Granof / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Onigiri — rice balls with a savory surprise inside — are a popular Japanese snack. These onigiri contain the common filling umeboshi, a sour-salty pickled plum. Get the Recipe 06 of 20 Plum Gin Fizz Photo by Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell This fruity gin fizz isn't overly sweet, allowing the flavor of the caramelized plums to shine. A botanical gin works well with the fruit in this cocktail, adding herbaceous and fruity notes. To play up the deep color of the plums, try Empress 1908, a royal purple–hued, botanical-style spirit. Get the Recipe 07 of 20 Almond-and-Plum Snack Cake Photo by Johnny Autry / Food and Prop Styling by Charlotte Autry A trio of butter, sour cream, and chunks of thick, sweet almond paste make this moist cake studded with red ripe plums and toasted almonds exceptionally tender. Get the Recipe 08 of 20 Plum Galette Carson Downing / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans This gorgeous tart from legendary chef Jacques Pépin pairs in-season plums with a buttery, flaky crust that comes together easily in a food processor. Double down on plums by using plum preserves for the filling. Get the Recipe 09 of 20 Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Warm Plum Vinaigrette Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Simply seasoned slices of juicy pork tenderloin are served with a warm, sweet, and smoky vinaigrette made from bacon, cider vinegar, and a combination of dried plums and raisins. The fruit thickens and emulsifies the cider vinegar mixture for a rich, tangy sauce to spoon over the pork. Get the Recipe 10 of 20 Summer Fruit Cobbler with Vanilla-Mascarpone Biscuits Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer & John Somerall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis For this classic crowdpleaser, use all plums or a mix including berries, cherries, and/or other stone fruits; you'll need about two and a half pounds total. Get the Recipe 11 of 20 Pörkölt-Style Grilled Chicken Thighs with Stone Fruit, Fennel, and Paprika Salad Aubrie Pick Inspired by Hungary’s traditional meat stew, Pörkölt, this summery chicken dish gets bold flavor from a pickle and paprika paste marinade. Peaches, plums, and sliced fennel in the salad offer a fresh, sweet contrast to the chicken along with another hit of ground paprika in the dressing. Get the Recipe 12 of 20 Stone Fruit Salad with Collard-Peanut Pesto Photo by Jessica Pettway / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Paola Andrea Plums pair with nectarines for a savory fruit salad enhanced by a hearty pesto of roasted peanuts, collard greens, and Parmesan. Fonio, a West African grain similar in texture to couscous, soaks up the juices to flavor each bite. Get the Recipe 13 of 20 Plum Upside-Down Cake © Nicole Franzen Put plums on display with a lovely upside-down cake from chef Joanne Chang. Layered over homemade caramel, the fruits caramelize as the cake bakes for an irresistible topping. Get the Recipe 14 of 20 Savory Plum Tarts with Arugula Salad Abby Hocking / Food & Wine Chef Angie Mar uses flavorful beef suet in the flaky crust for this plum tart. It's both savory and sweet, and makes an elegant and delicious summer dinner with wine. Get the Recipe 15 of 20 Grilled Manouri Cheese with Caramelized Plums © Martin Morrell Chef Michael Psilakis' riff on saganaki uses manouri, a fresh, milky white cheese made from the whey drained off during feta production. Plum wedges are caramelized in honey for an extra-special accompaniment. Get the Recipe 16 of 20 Salty-Sweet Spiced Pickled Plums © Young & Hungry Chef Minh Phan pickles fresh plums in a salty-sweet spiced brine to approximate the flavors of li hing mui — salty-sweet dried plums that are a popular snack in China and Hawaii. Get the Recipe 17 of 20 Sticky Grilled Drumsticks with Plum Sauce © Cedric Angeles Fresh plums and red pepper jelly combine for a wonderfully sticky-sweet glaze to brush over the drumsticks while grilling. Choose hot red pepper jelly for a spicier glaze. Get the Recipe 18 of 20 Spinach, Basil, and Plum Salad © John Kernick Padma Lakshmi dresses a simple but bold combination of spinach, basil, and juicy plums in a tangy yuzu vinaigrette. Finish the salad with flaky sea salt for a pleasant, unexpected crunch. Get the Recipe 19 of 20 Cornish Hens with Plum-and-Leek Stuffing and Celery Root © Rinne Allen The best part of this dish may be the pan juices, which are flavored with celery root and plums from the stuffing. You'll need a pound of red plums to make it. Get the Recipe 20 of 20 Tuna Steaks with Plums © Fredrika Stjärne “My family loves meaty tuna with sweet-tart plums and the salty bite of shaved Parmesan,” chef Matt Jennings says of his unlikely seafood and cheese pairing. “Use albacore, but if you have trouble finding it, striped bass or bluefish works beautifully.” Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit