Many parents of young children are in the berry distribution business, transporting the tiny, quick-to-spoil fruits from any and all sources to feed their kids’ near-bottomless appetites. Raspberries are the current fruit du jour in my household, with peaches and apricots close behind. We’re lucky to be swimming in summer fruit, but even at the height of the season you can pick up a carton of duds. (I still get sad thinking about the $10 I spent on a flavorless pint of shining, pert little strawberries from a farmers market on the Outer Cape over a year ago. My expectations were so high!) But no fruit need go to waste, as there are many ways to transform and even amplify lackluster produce. If you have a perfect peach, go ahead and eat it out of hand. If you don’t, read on.
Love any of these recipes? Tap “Save” to add them to MyRecipes, your new, free recipe box for Food & Wine.
Easy Homemade Jam
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
This versatile recipe from fermentation specialist April McGreger will transform just about any fresh fruit into sweet, delicious preserves. “The finest jams rely on evaporation and the fruits’ natural pectin to achieve a luscious, spoonable texture,” McGreger says. “Small batch sizes cooked at the highest heat in wide pots allow jams to thicken quickly, preserving the fruit’s vivid, fresh flavors.”
Raspberry Clafoutis
Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell
Vintner Alix de Montille shares a recipe for the classic French dessert that uses raspberries instead of the traditional cherries. In fact, just about any kind of fresh fruit can be thrown into a custardy clafoutis. To further amp up the flavor, consider adding a teaspoon of pure vanilla or almond extract.
Peach Chutney
Adam Friedlander / Food Styling by Pearl Jones
A mix of ginger, cardamom, hot chiles, and apple cider vinegar transforms fresh peaches into a deeply spiced chutney that keeps for months and perks up any meal, from roasted meats to sandwiches.
Sweet Beets Smoothie
Earthy beets and kale are balanced out with the help of a heaping helping of fresh (or frozen) berries and bananas, with a dash of cinnamon and a single date for added complexity and sweetness. This recipe is highly customizable: Just about any fresh fruit will liven it up.
Old-Fashioned Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp
Diana Chistruga
Tart rhubarb and juicy strawberries bubble under a golden oat topping in this foolproof crisp that works just as well with other fresh berries and stone fruit. It’s easy to make and ideal served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Burst Blueberry Sauce
Jessica Pettway / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Paola Andrea
In a recipe she originally shared for Juneteenth, writer Nicole A. Taylor blends blueberries with shallots, thyme, and chipotles in adobo to make a sticky sauce brightened by red wine and balsamic vinegar. This vibrant, fruity condiment pairs beautifully with almost any grilled meat.
Summer Berry Galette
Food & Wine / Photo by Jason Donnelly / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans
Easy and elegant, galettes contain multitudes — multitudes of fruit, that is. This recipe yields a flaky, golden crust that can hold any combination of berries, just stick with the same volume amounts.
Mixed-Fruit Pico
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
Mango, pineapple, and kiwi bring sweetness and tang to this savory salsa fresca. Use it on top of tacos or grilled meat — or alongside a bowl of chips. Depending on what’s in your fruit bowl, you can also sub in stone fruit for the mango.
Strawberry-Chile Balsamic Shrub
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Jillian Vose of the Charleston cocktail bar Hazel and Apple shares this recipe for a sweet-tart, smoky-spicy shrub using blended strawberries and dried chiles de árbol. This vinegar-based syrup can be used to brighten a cocktail or to top off a glass of seltzer: Either way, the result is delicous.
Sour Cherry Pie
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This fresh cherry pie combines both sour and Bing cherries alongside an almond frangipane inside an all-butter crust. Don’t neglect the Turbinado sugar: It gives the top crust a little glitz and a lot of sweet crunch.
Strawberry Granita with Sweet Pesto
Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson serves a tangy strawberry granita with a bright, nutty pesto made from basil, mint, and honey. Top it with whipped cream,
Summer Fruit Cobbler with Vanilla-Mascarpone Biscuits
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer & John Somerall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis
This cobbler calls for 2 1/2 pounds — about 10 cups — of summer fruit (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, or stone fruit) in any combination. Tender shortcake-style biscuits made with vanilla and mascarpone top the jammy filling.
Pear, Honey, and Parmigiano-Reggiano Tart
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This tart from food writer Kate Leahy layers baked pears with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly cracked black pepper, and a generous drizzle of honey. The dough contains Parmigiano-Reggiano, giving it that much more savory richness.
Almost-Instant Soft-Serve
Greg DuPree
One of F&W’s 40 best recipes, this soft serve from Justin Chapple is inspired by Ferran Adrià of the legendary restaurant elBulli. By blending frozen fruit with sweetened condensed milk, this dish is as easy as it is delicious — no ice cream maker necessary.
Spiced and Pickled Blackberries
Frances Janisch
Allspice, juniper, ginger, bay leaf, and peppercorns flavor a fruit-ready brine for this pickled blackberry recipe. The final product is an ideal accompaniment on a cheese or charcuterie plate or as a snack straight from the jar. Best yet, it keeps for up to three months.
Summer Fruit Soup
Evi Abeler
Jacques Pépin amplifies the summer fruit flavor in this sweet-savory seasonal soup with black currant liqueur and strawberry jam. And that’s after he poaches fresh plums, cherries, and grapes in white wine. Serve up with mint leaves and a slice of toasted brioche.
Grilled Fruit with Honeyed Lemon Thyme Vinegar
Con Poulos
If you have a fire already going, throw some fruit on the grill for this simple dessert from chef Dan Barber. After cooking over low heat for just 5 minutes, remove and then drizzle with a homemade honeyed vinegar infused with lemon and thyme.
Fresh Fruit Cake
Julie Craig
Inspired by a family recipe for German apple kuchen and a memorable fruit cake from baker Jim Dodge, this tender buttermilk cake is easy to make and ideal for using up extra fruit.
