What Are Figs and How Can I Use Them?

Here's everything worth knowing about figs and how to pick them, what they are, how to store them, and what to use instead, plus 155 recipes to cook tonight.

What are figs?

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find figs: Figs are usually found in the produce section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Figs are a member of the Fruits and Fruit Juices US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

无花果

British (UK) term

Figs

en français

figues

en español

higos

How much do figs weigh?

Related

Fruits and Fruit Juices

Recipes using figs

There are 155 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Opal Deneke's Fig Jam

Opal Deneke's fig jam with ripe figs, pineapple, lemon juice, and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Old-Southern hand-me-down preserve perfect for biscuits, cheese boards, or holiday gifting.

Grilled Figs, Prosciutto & Arugula Salad

Caramelized grilled figs and smoky prosciutto are a delicious pair, and you can find both of them in this salad, mixed with some peppery arugula, gouda cheese and tossed with a basil-roasted bell pepper vinaigrette.

Rhubarb & Fig Jam

Old-fashioned rhubarb and fig jam, sugared overnight then boiled down with chopped candied peel for a deep, jammy preserve. Yields about 9 pints, perfect for canning season and homemade gifts.

Sarah's Fig-Strawberry Preserves

Fig strawberry preserves use mashed fresh figs, sugar, and strawberry Jello for an old-fashioned three-ingredient preserve. Tastes like both fruits at once.

Fig or Strawberry Jam

Fig or strawberry jam cooks fresh figs and sugar with strawberry-flavored gelatin for an easy two-step preserve with a soft, spreadable set without traditional pectin.

Fresh Fig, Olive Tapenade Pizza with Goat Cheese

Give your pizza a new twist by using fresh figs, olive tapenade and goat cheese. It's delicious, serve it as a main dish or an appetizer.

Chewy Granola Bars

Chewy granola bars packed with crisp cereal, wheat germ, coconut, almonds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and dried figs. A high-fibre snack bound by a brown sugar and honey syrup, ready in 45 minutes.

Fig Jam

Homemade fig jam with fresh figs, sugar, and lemon juice. A classic four-ingredient preserve, water-bath canned for shelf-stable storage. The Mediterranean breakfast staple.

Grilled Figs Arugula Salad with Roasted Pepper Vinaigrette

Fresh figs are all over the market right now. This grilled figs arugula salad is ideal for you to enjoy these sweet seasonal figs.

Port Wine, Fig & Bleu Cheese Sauce

Port wine, fig, and blue cheese sauce: a glossy reduction of caramelized aromatics, ruby port, and orange that melts tangy blue cheese into a velvety pour for pork roast or meatballs.

Christmas Memory Fruitcake

Christmas memory fruitcake steams then bakes a bourbon-soaked, dense old-fashioned fruitcake loaded with Brazil nuts, raisins, candied fruit, figs, and warming spices. Heirloom holiday recipe.

Fig Marmalade

Fig marmalade pairs ripe summer figs with chopped oranges and tender lemon slices for a glossy, jewel-toned preserve. Just four ingredients, no added pectin needed. Spreads beautifully on toast, brilliant on a cheese board.

Dark Christmas Cake

Dark Christmas cake is the real, old-fashioned fruitcake: dense with raisins, currants, figs, dates, and almonds, deepened with brown sugar, prune juice, and brandy, then aged in brandy-soaked cheesecloth. Make it now, slice it at Christmas.

Fresh Fig Cake

Every year around summer, this recipe always pops out. Finally made the words into the cake, and it actually turned out moist and delicious. Just finished the final piece earlier this morning for breakfast, with freshly brewed coffee. Very good. Do you like figs and what's your favorite way to enjoy it? Please share your great ideas with us :-)

Ricotta Figs & Macadamia Nuts

Grilled figs filled with a lemon myrtle and ricotta cheese filling.

Rocks

Old-fashioned oatmeal cookies loaded with figs, nuts, and warm spices create hearty, chewy treats perfect for holiday baking or lunchbox snacks.

Pineapple Rhubarb Marmalade

Old-fashioned pineapple rhubarb marmalade with chopped figs and lemon. A spring preserve that captures peak rhubarb season in jars. Sweet, tart, and built for biscuits or buttered toast.

Saltbush Lamb with Sweet Potato Smash

Saltbush Lamb backstraps served with sweet potato mash, broccolini, grilled figs and finished with Lamb jus.

Heavenly Sauce

Heavenly sauce folds egg yolks and powdered sugar into whipped cream with dried figs, toasted almonds, and crystallized ginger. A no-cook dessert topping for ice cream or cake.

Black Beauty Pie

No-bake chocolate pudding pie layered with stewed California figs, a hint of coffee and cinnamon, toasted almonds, and vanilla whipped cream. A showstopper dessert that comes together without turning on the oven.

Bran Bread

Bread machine bran bread loaded with raisins, figs, and walnuts creates a hearty, fiber-rich loaf perfect for toast, sandwiches, or healthy breakfast spreads.

Fig Delight

Fig preserves made with ripe figs, strawberry gelatin, and pectin for a thick, spreadable jam that seals in sterile jars. A Southern classic with only 5 ingredients.

Muzurkas

Mazurka cookie bars with an almond shortbread base topped with a fruity filling of apricots, figs, raisins, walnuts, and candied orange peel, finished with powdered sugar icing.

Thyme-Fig Fruitcake

Thyme-fig fruitcake is a rustic, barely-sweet cornmeal cake studded with apple-juice-plumped figs, fragrant thyme and toasted pine nuts. An Italian-style tea cake that leans savory more than sugary.

Raspberry & Fig Gratin

Raspberry and fig gratin with sour cream and broiled brown sugar crust. Four ingredients, 15 minutes, and the caramelized sugar cracks like creme brulee over warm fruit.

Ranch Style Pork Chops

Ranch style pork chops baked with dried figs, tart apple slices, brown sugar, cinnamon, and apple mint jelly. A sweet-savory one-pan dinner with California fruit flavors.

Fig Ginger Cake

Fig ginger cake with boiled dried figs, corn syrup, warm spices, and chopped nuts baked in layers and topped with ginger icing. A vintage spice cake with jammy fruit throughout.

Polenta & Lemon Aspen Cake with Sugar Bag & Wild Rosella Cream

Cake made from Polenta and Lemon Aspen and served with cream, riberries and rosella confit.

Haroset

Sephardic-style haroset for Passover made with dates, figs, raisins, walnuts, almonds, and sweet kosher wine. Spiced with cardamom, cumin, and cinnamon.

Fig Star Cookies

Fig Star Cookies feature a maple-scented shortening dough wrapped around a homemade dried fig filling with lemon and nuts. A vintage holiday cookie worth the effort.

Pretty Party Mousse

Frozen fig and chocolate ice cream mousse with vanilla wafers, toasted walnuts, instant coffee, and whipped cream. A retro molded dessert garnished with whole figs.

Spice Fig Balls

Soft, chewy drop cookies packed with chopped figs, molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger with hints of lemon and vanilla. An old-fashioned spiced fig cookie recipe that makes 2 dozen.

Chocolate California Figs

Chocolate-dipped California figs stuffed with walnuts or marshmallows. An elegant no-bake candy with just three ingredients. Perfect for gift boxes.

Golden State Chutney

Golden State chutney with dried California figs, apple, and lemon simmered in molasses, brown sugar, and warm spices. Pairs with pork, lamb, or chicken.

San Joaquin Glamour Salad

San Joaquin Glamour Salad stuffs a hollowed cabbage shell with ground cabbage, stewed figs, carrot, pineapple, and whipped cream dressing. A retro Central Valley showstopper from California's fig country.

Indian Figlets

Indian Figlets are spiced drop cookies loaded with softened figs, warm cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, brightened with lemon zest. A chewy throwback cookie with bakery depth.

Sweet Fig Pickles

Sweet pickled figs preserved in a sugar and vinegar syrup with whole cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. A classic Southern canning recipe for ripe figs.

Prosciutto Di Parms with Fig Tartletts

Rustic fig tartlets topped with paper-thin prosciutto di Parma, fennel seeds, and extra virgin olive oil. A handmade pastry shell with jammy baked figs and salty cured ham.

Gingered Fig Confections

Dried figs simmered in orange juice, Grand Marnier, and ground ginger, then dipped in melted chocolate. An elegant no-bake confection for holiday candy trays.

Prosciutto Di Parma with Warm Fig Tartlets

Prosciutto di Parma with warm fig tartlets drapes salty-sweet prosciutto over individual pastry rounds baked with fresh fig halves. A stunning Italian appetizer for summer or early fall entertaining.

Fig Envelopes

Fig envelopes made from biscuit dough folded around chopped figs, brushed with egg wash, and baked until golden. A simple, old-fashioned fruit-filled pastry pocket.

Teriyaki Lamb Kabobs

Lamb, bacon, pineapple and dried California figs threaded onto skewers and glazed with a soy-pineapple-ginger marinade. Broiled until sticky and served over hot rice for a sweet-savory feast.

Port-Glazed Figs

Fresh figs poached in port and creme de cassis, the wine reduced to a glossy syrup, served over vanilla frozen yogurt. An elegant, low-fat dessert with deep berry and fig flavor from just a few ingredients.

Fig Square

Fig square is a sweet yeast bread rolled around an allspice-scented fig filling, coiled jelly-roll style into a square pan, and baked golden. Slice into squares for breakfast or tea.

Chocolate Mint Figs

Fresh fig halves stuffed with semisweet chocolate chips, chopped fresh mint, and toasted almonds, then baked until warm and melty. An elegant 4-ingredient bite for fig season.

Chicken Crunch Sandwich Spread

Creamy chicken spread loaded with sweet California figs, crunchy nuts, and a zing of crystallized ginger. No cooking needed, just stir and spread for the best sandwich upgrade ever!

Fig Pickles for Gourmets

Fig pickles made from dried California figs simmered in apple cider vinegar, sugar, and pickling spices. Includes a herb pairing guide so the pickles complement turkey, beef, lamb, fish, or pork.

Orange Braised Pork with Fruit

Orange braised pork shoulder with port wine, dried figs, apples, and fresh orange, slow-simmered until fork-tender. Served over sesame brown rice.

Fig Stuffed Baked Apples

Baked apples stuffed with dried figs, cinnamon, and lemon zest, basted in orange juice. A naturally sweet dessert with no added sugar or butter.

Favourite Lady Baltimore Cake

Lady Baltimore cake is a tender white layer cake filled with boiled frosting studded with walnuts, currants and figs. The famous Southern Charleston confection from 1906.

All 155 recipes