Discussion Board

I just went to the public market and bought some fresh figs for the first time. I was surprised how different they are from dried though and not sure I like them too much.

I looked up how to dry them on Google and it sound very time consuming and requires all kinds of cloths.

Does anyone have any advice on cooking, preparing, or drying fresh figs?

Ha! I just sat down at the computer and got on this board to find out what I could do with some fresh figs a friend just gave me this morning. I already ate one after he handed me the bag, my first ever, and thought it was pretty good...nice and sweet.

I did a search and found that the Becky (who is on this board) is making all the recipes out of a cookbook called 1000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson and blogging about it, made a spinach salad with fuji apples, figs and almonds and there was another salad called orange and fig salad with walnuts and dried cherries. The recipes aren't listed but that blog sure makes me want to buy the book!

Any other suggestions?

Last year when he gave me some, before I went plant-based, I made a decadent dessert with them. Better not make that recipe now!

Hi Dan,

Figs are good in sauces. You could make a fig, vidalia onion, and balsamic vinegar reduction sauce.

You could also cook down the figs, puree them, and make a sorbet.

You could poach the figs. I've seen them poached in wine with some honey or maple syrup, but you could poach them in a little fruit juice. The poached figs would be good with a hot breakfast cereal or alone following a meal as a dessert. Or bake an apple and top it with your poached figs.

You could make a fig chutney as a condiment.

Any of these would freeze well.

I like to eat them raw. You can just wash them and then eat them with the skin on or you can peel them.

I like them poached (stewed) too.

As a kid I used to just pick them from trees and eat them. Now, I eat them raw plain, or sometimes put a little tahini on them, or even make 'figgy pudding' - whip up the figs in the Vitamix with a small amount of avocado, add chia, hemp, or flax seeds, some fresh mint leaves, and a tidge of soy milk for the creaminess. What a treat!

I like them raw, too, but when I eat them raw I get a rash. Cooking seems to correct that problem for me.

Neglected to mention they are sweetest when fairly soft, but not squishy, similarly to bananas.

When figs are really ripe, they're one of the most delicious foods on this planet. I adore them. But when they're not ripe, I get burns on my tongue and in the corner of my mouth from the skins, and they're not sweet and luscious and moist like the ones that are really ripe. So I'm guessing that yours didn't get fully ripe before they were picked. Most figs you get in the stores will be in this state because they're so delicate that they can't travel once they're ripe. And unfortunately figs do not seem to ripen once they're picked. I get them at the farmer's market from a guy who grows them, and pick them ripe from trees in my area.

If you want to eat the non-ripe ones, I recommend grilling them. And when you get the chance to try some really ripe ones, make sure you do!

Also, drying them won't turn them into ripe figs like the ones you enjoy dried. Those are figs that have been fully ripened and then dried.

Grilling them is a great idea!

I agree with Goldilocks. We have a tree and the figs are so sweet and delicious, but I've never had a good one from the store.

Grilling or baking them would probably dry them slightly and caramelize the sugar. You could try splitting them in half, putting half a walnut on, coating them with honey or apricot jam, and baking for a few minutes.

Thanks for all the tips!

how about fig butter?



I just planted a fig tree last year. How long does it take before they start producing fruit?

I have access to a fig tree and enjoy fully ripened fresh figs like this:

Wait until fruit is a dark purplish color and soft before harvesting.

Rinse and dry, then freeze in a single layer

Store in an airtight freezer container

Enjoy as a frozen snack!
Dip in a condiment of your choosing.
Creamy,delicious and fat free.

I like them raw. They are so good with strawberries! I cut up the figs and strawberries into bite size pieces then I also make a sauce by blending up some additional strawberries and a few dates and a little water if needed - then pour it on top. So good!!

One food I have never tried, might have to buy some at a new market I was introduced to.