When it comes to stone fruits, the humble plum may be the most understated of the bunch, but that’s precisely what makes it ideal for all sorts of applications. The plum’s sweet, juicy flesh is balanced by a thin, tart skin that’s best left intact, making it an especially easy fruit to prepare. Plum season runs from May to October, giving you plenty of time to enjoy them. Plus, delicious dried and pickled plums are easy to find year-round. Whether you’re pairing them with pork or poultry for dinner or baking them into a cake for dessert, these recipes showcase plums in all their understated glory.
Plum and poppy seed cake
Aubrie Pick
This Hungarian country cake from cookbook author Sarah Copeland is a traditional morning or afternoon snack. Use very ripe plums so they hold their shape while baking.
Black Rice Salad with Cherries and Plums
Photography by Greg DuPree / Food styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Accessories styling by Christina Daley
Fresh plums and cherries add a touch of juicy sweetness to this hearty summer salad. Black rice gives the dish a dark, moody hue and added texture, while crunchy, gritty, blue cheese-infused breadcrumbs provide a nice textural respite from the fluffy rice and fruit.
Grilled Quail with Sweet and Sour Plum Glaze
Photography by Victor Protasio / Food styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Accessories styling by Christine Keely
Plums and blackberries are the backbone of this sweet and salty frosting. Excellent chef Season 17 winner Melissa King’s is perfect for quail, but also delicious with bone-in chicken thighs or pork chops. Serve with a crisp, refreshing arugula and radish salad with a tangy lime-sesame vinaigrette.
Sweet Plum Focaccia
Photography by Victor Protasio / Food styling by Margaret Dickey / Accessories 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 they bake. Rosemary and flaked sea salt add a savory touch.
Onigiri
Christopher Testani / Food styling by Victoria Granof / Accessories styling by Thom Driver
Onigiri, rice balls with a tasty surprise inside, are a popular Japanese snack. These onigiri feature a common filling, umeboshi, a salty and sour pickled plum.
Plum Gin Fizz
Photography by Kelsey Hansen / Food styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop styling by Sue Mitchell
This fruity gin fizz isn’t overly sweet, allowing the caramelized plums to shine. A botanical gin pairs well with the fruit in this cocktail, adding herbal and fruity notes. To highlight the plums’ deep color, try Empress 1908, a botanical-style spirit with royal purple hues.
Almond and plum cake
Photography by Johnny Autry / Food styling and accessories by Charlotte Autry
A trio of butter, sour cream and chunks of thick, sweet almond paste make this moist cake studded with ripe red plums and toasted almonds exceptionally tender.
Plum Galette
Carson Downing / Food styling by Annie Probst / Accessories styling by Addelyn Evans
This gorgeous tart from legendary chef Jacques Pépin pairs seasonal plums with a flaky, buttery crust that’s easy to make in a food processor. Double the plums by using plum jam for the filling.
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Warm Plum Vinaigrette
Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Accessories Styling by Christine Keely
Slices of juicy, simply seasoned pork tenderloin are served with a warm, sweet and smoky vinaigrette made with bacon, cider vinegar and a mixture of dried plums and raisins. The fruit thickens and emulsifies the cider vinegar mixture for a rich, tangy sauce to pour over the pork.
Summer Fruit Cobbler with Vanilla and Mascarpone Cookies
Photography by Victor Protasio / Food styling by Chelsea Zimmer and John Somerall / Accessories styling by Audrey Davis
For this crowd-pleasing classic, use plums only or a mix that includes berries, cherries and/or other stone fruits; you’ll need about two and a half pounds total.
Grilled Pörkölt-style chicken thighs with stone fruit salad, fennel and paprika
Aubrie Pick
Inspired by the traditional Hungarian meat stew, Pörkölt, this summery chicken dish gets its bold flavor from a marinade of pickles and paprika paste. The salad’s peaches, plums, and sliced fennel provide a fresh, sweet contrast to the chicken, along with another hit of ground paprika in the dressing.
Stone Fruit Salad with Kale and Peanut Pesto
Photography by Jessica Pettway / Food styling by Micah Morton / Accessories styling by Paola Andrea
Plums pair with nectarines for a savory fruit salad topped with a hearty pesto of roasted peanuts, collard greens, and Parmesan cheese. Fonio, a West African grain similar in texture to couscous, soaks up the juices to flavor each bite.
Showcase plums with a delicious upside-down cake from chef Joanne Chang. Topped with homemade caramel, the fruit caramelizes as the cake bakes for an irresistible topping.
Salted Plum Tartlets with Rocket Salad
Abby Hocking / Food and Wine
Chef Angie Mar uses savory beef tallow in the flaky crust of this plum tart. Both savory and sweet, it makes an elegant and delicious summer dinner paired with wine.
Chef Michael Psilakis’s version of saganaki uses manouri, a fresh, milky white cheese made from the whey drained during feta production. Plum wedges are caramelized in honey for an extra-special accompaniment.
Chef Minh Phan marinates fresh plums in a spicy, salty-sweet brine to approximate the flavors of li hing mui, salty-sweet dried plums that are a popular snack in China and Hawaii.
Fresh plums and red pepper jelly combine to create a wonderfully sticky and sweet glaze to brush on drumsticks while grilling. Choose tangy red pepper jelly for a spicier glaze.
Padma Lakshmi dresses a simple yet 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.
Cornish hen stuffed with plums, leeks and celeriac
Perhaps the best part of this dish is the cooking juices, which are flavored with celeriac and plums from the stuffing. You’ll need a pound of red plums to make it.
“My family loves meaty tuna with tart plums and the saltiness of grated Parmesan,” says chef Matt Jennings of his unlikely seafood-and-cheese pairing. “Use albacore tuna, but if you’re having trouble finding it, striped bass or bluefish work wonderfully.”
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