Our 27 Favorite Fig Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you freeze figs? ›

Like many other fruits and vegetables, figs can easily be frozen and used in a variety of dishes. This year when fig season comes around, make sure to buy a few extra pounds to freeze and eat in the future. You can swap fresh for frozen figs in many recipes such as this one for easy Fig Bread.

Served with cheese

Plump, fresh figs pair well with a wide variety of cheeses, from crumbly, sharp stilton to creamy brie.

The best way to enjoy figs is raw, with the skin and seeds intact. You can also remove the peels and scoop out the seeds, if you like, or cook figs by baking, broiling or grilling them. But, the quickest and easiest way to enjoy these gems is by removing the stem and taking a bite right out of the raw fig.

Black Mission Fig:

Renowned for its dark purple to black skin and vibrant pink flesh, the Black Mission Fig is a sweet and flavorful variety. Its versatility makes it suitable for both fresh consumption and various culinary applications.

When it comes to raw fruit, you can easily have 2-3 figs in a day. If you are having dried figs, stick to 3 figs and do not have them without soaking overnight. Our body can absorb the nutrients and digest some dried fruits and nuts in a better way when they are soaked well.

You can freeze figs whole or cut them in half or even quarters. Wash your figs before cutting or freezing whole, and make sure to dry them well.

Fresh figs are usually eaten raw. They taste best eaten straight off the tree, ideally still warm from the sun. The entire fig is edible, from the thin skin to the red or purplish flesh and the myriad tiny seeds, but they can be peeled if you wish.

The benefits of figs that have been soaked in water over night are numerous. Fruit consumption, including dried fruit, has also been linked to a reduction in body weight. One piece of fig contains only 47 calories and 0.4-gram fat. Therefore, soaked anjeer or figs are a great option for weight loss.

Menniti says this love of fig trees comes from reverence for a historical means of survival. For agricultural people in Southern Italy, a fig tree offered a source of fruit that could be dried and kept for lean times. The trees also became a symbol of adaptation.

It is said to boost their fiber content. This makes them easy to digest and amplifies their health benefits on digestion. We just mentioned that figs are rich in dietary fiber. Soaking them in water overnight may boost their fiber content even more.

Why do you soak figs in baking soda? ›

Sprinkle the baking soda over the figs; cover with the 12 cups of boiling water. Soak for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This helps remove any latex from the skin of any slightly under-ripe figs.

Figs are rich in magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron, making them a powerful sleep aid. These minerals all help with blood flow and muscle contraction which are crucial for falling asleep. They also contain high amounts of fibre, keeping you full through the night and preventing midnight cravings.

Male figs contain gall flowers which act as brood chambers for fig wasps plus pollen bearing anthers. Ripe male figs do not contain seeds but usually contain evidence of fig wasps dead or alive. Female figs contain female flowers which produce seeds. Female flowers hardly ever contain fig wasps.

The bottom line

Dates and figs are tasty fruits with similar nutrient profiles. While they both boast plentiful amounts of magnesium, potassium, and fiber, figs generally pack more calcium. Dates are higher in sugar but lower in fat.

It's worth noting that you'll often see figs listed as a “top pick” or “best fruit” for people with diabetes because of their low to moderate glycemic index. This means that they should not raise blood sugars as rapidly as high glycemic index foods.

Wash them thoroughly and, setting aside any that are very soft, space them out on a wax paper-lined baking sheet in the freezer. When they're completely frozen, transfer to freezer bags.

It's important to keep fresh figs cold to slow deterioration. Use them immediately or store in a plastic bag in the coldest part of your refrigerator for up to two days. Fresh figs can be frozen whole, sliced, or peeled in a sealed container for ten to twelve months.

Fresh figs are perishable and should be kept refrigerated. The ideal temperature is 32 to 36 degrees F. Refrigerated at these temperatures, fresh figs typically last 5 to 7 days but can store for up to 2 weeks.

What months are best for figs? Figs typically have two main cropping seasons. The “breba” crop ripens in late spring to early summer, while the main crop matures from late summer to early fall. However, the exact months can vary based on the region and fig variety.