What Are Nectarines and How Can I Use Them?
Nectarines rewards a little know-how: how to choose them, cook them, store them, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 38 recipes to cook with them.
Key Points
- A nectarine is a smooth-skinned peach; the missing fuzz is one recessive gene.
- Slightly sharper and firmer than a peach, so it holds shape grilled or baked.
- Eat ripe and raw, or grill cut-side down until the sugars caramelize.
- Peaches swap in one-for-one; apricots, plums, or mango also work.
- Ripen on the counter, never the fridge, or the flesh turns mealy and bland.
What are nectarines?
A nectarine is a peach without the fuzz. Same fruit family, same sweet orange flesh and stone in the center, just a smooth, glossy skin that runs from gold to deep red. The lack of fuzz is a single recessive gene; otherwise the two are nearly twins.
The flavor leans a touch sharper and more aromatic than a peach, and the firmer flesh holds together better on the grill or in a pie. You eat the skin and all.
How to Use Nectarines
Ripe and raw is the easiest win. Slice them over yogurt or cereal, toss them into fruit salads like Sacramento Fruit Bowl, or just eat one over the sink in summer. No peeling required.
Heat brings out their best. Halve and pit them, then grill cut-side down for a few minutes until they char and the sugars caramelize; Broiled Nectarines with Brown Sugar & Sherry does the same trick under the broiler for a fast dessert.
They bake beautifully into pies, cobblers, and muffins. Deep-Dish Nectarine Pie and Upside Down Nectarine Muffins both lean on slices that keep their shape, and the fruit cooks down into Nectarine & Raspberry Preserves without falling apart.
Pairings and Common Mistakes
Nectarines love warm spices and other summer fruit: cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, raspberry, blueberry, and basil all play well. A pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime sharpen their sweetness, and they pair surprisingly well with grilled pork or chicken.
The classic mistake is refrigerating an unripe one. Cold stops the ripening for good and leaves the flesh mealy and bland, so always ripen on the counter first and chill only after.
The other slip is cooking them to mush. They soften fast under heat, so for grilling and roasting choose slightly firm fruit that will hold its shape.
Substitutes
Peaches are the obvious swap and work one for one in any recipe; just peel them first if the fuzzy skin bothers you, since it can toughen in baking. The flavor is so close that most people cannot tell a cobbler apart.
Apricots or plums also stand in, though apricots are smaller and tarter and plums bleed more color. For raw use, a ripe mango brings similar sweetness with a different texture.
Buying and Storage
Choose nectarines that give slightly to a gentle press and smell sweet at the stem end; deep color matters less than fragrance, since red blush is partly genetic. Skip rock-hard fruit picked too green, which never sweetens up.
Ripen firm nectarines on the counter for a few days, speeding it along in a paper bag if you like. Once ripe, they keep in the fridge for about three to five days.
Sliced fruit browns slowly, so toss it with a little lemon juice if it has to sit.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 NLEA serving (140g)Quick facts
Where to find nectarines: Nectarines are usually found in the produce section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group: Nectarines are a member of the Fruits and Fruit Juices US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
- In Chinese
- 油桃
- British (UK) term
- Nectarines
- en français
- la nectarines
- en español
- las nectarinas
How much do nectarines weigh?
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cup slices | 143 grams |
| 1 small (2-1/3" dia) | 129 grams |
| 1 medium (2-1/2" dia) | 142 grams |
| 1 large (2-3/4" dia) | 156 grams |
| 1 NLEA serving | 140 grams |
Related
Fruits and Fruit Juices
Recipes using nectarines
There are 38 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Upside Down Nectarine Muffins
Upside-down nectarine muffins with caramelized brown sugar tops, yogurt-tender crumb, and warm cinnamon spice. A lighter brunch treat that flips out beautifully every time.
Nectarine & Raspberry Preserves
Old-fashioned nectarine and raspberry preserves with whole fruit suspended in a glossy, lightly thickened syrup. No commercial pectin, just sugar, lemon, and time.
Sacramento Fruit Bowl
This fruity delicious dish is made with pineapple, honeydew melon, cantalope and nectarines.
Chunky Tomato Fruit Gazpacho
Chilled fruit gazpacho with tomatoes, honeydew, cantaloupe, mango, nectarines, and cucumber in fresh orange juice with basil, mint, and a jalapeño kick. A stunning summer starter.
Jerk Chicken & Nectarine Salad
Jerk chicken & nectarine salad with honey-lime dressing ready in 30 minutes. Spicy grilled chicken thighs over crisp romaine with sweet, juicy nectarines and scallions.
Nectarines in Cointreau Raspberry
Poached nectarines in raspberry Cointreau syrup with a caramelized sugar base. An elegant preserved fruit dessert served with mascarpone that keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks.
Crunch Crust Nectarine Pie
No-bake nectarine pie with a caramelized granola crunch crust and vanilla cream cheese filling. Light, fresh, and summer-ready with just five ingredients.
Nut & Caramel Dessert Kabobs
Grilled dessert kabobs with pound cake cubes coated in peanut butter and chopped peanuts, skewered with banana and nectarine, and basted with warm caramel sauce. A fun cookout finish.
Ham Steaks with Fresh Nectarine Chutney
To bring out the natural sweetness of ham and to keep it juicy during grilling, we glazed ham steaks with orange juice and tequila.
Quick Fruit & Ricotta Pizza
Add a new look to pizza with this scrumptious and easy to follow recipe your kids will love!
Grilled Angel Food Cake with Nectarines & Blueberries
Grilled angel food cake with skewered nectarines basted in a lemon-sugar glaze, served alongside fresh blueberries for a light summer dessert straight off the grill.
Fruited Rice Pudding
Fruited rice pudding made with skim milk and brown sugar, topped with fresh nectarines and plums. A creamy, low-fat stovetop dessert you can serve warm or chilled.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin & Apricot Salad
Grilled pork tenderloin glazed with apricot preserves, served over peppery arugula with fire-kissed stone fruit and a shallot vinaigrette. A bright summer main that balances smoky, sweet, and sharp in every forkful.
Nectarines & Raspberries with Biscotti Crumbs
Nectarines and raspberries tossed with sugar and crumbled almond biscotti for a no-cook summer fruit dessert. Simple, elegant, and ready in minutes.
Nectarine Salad Bowl
Summer fruit salad bowl of nectarines, raspberries, and grapes over crisp iceberg, dressed with a cream cheese sauce thickened with macerated ginger-nectarine juices.
Wine Fruit Cup
Wine fruit cup with sliced plums, nectarines, and golden raisins soaked in a spiced white wine syrup infused with anise, cinnamon, and lemon. A chilled starter that doubles as a light summer dessert.
Sorbet & Berry Salad
Nectarine sorbet with fresh blueberries and strawberries, made without an ice cream maker. Blended smooth and frozen for a light, fruity no-churn dessert.
Summer Pandowdy
Summer pandowdy layers juicy nectarines and blueberries under a cream biscuit crust, then dowdies the top by pressing it into the bubbling fruit. Old-fashioned New England dessert.
Nectarine Creme Fraiche
Chilled nectarine yogurt dessert blended with honey, almond extract, and gelatin. Light summer dessert that sets in stemmed glasses for an elegant finish.
Grilled Angel Food Cake
Grilled angel food cake with skewered nectarines basted in lemon-sugar glaze and topped with fresh blueberries. A light, summery grilled dessert.
Frozen Amaretto Zabagloine **
Frozen amaretto zabaglione with nectarine puree, egg yolk custard, and half-and-half churned into a silky Italian frozen dessert. Served over fresh nectarine slices with chopped almonds.
Frozen Amaretto Zabagloine **
Frozen amaretto zabaglione with nectarine puree, egg yolk custard, and half-and-half churned into a silky Italian frozen dessert. Served over fresh nectarine slices with chopped almonds.
Blueberry Peach Fruit Salad with Thyme
This simple fruit salad works at the start of the meal or as a dessert. The fruit is lightly glazed with either a simple syrup or agave syrup. Ginger, a bit of lemon, and some savory thyme which pairs amazingly with summer fruits accents the tartness of the berries and the sweetness of the stone fruit.
Grilled Angel Food Cake with Nectarines & Blueberries
Grilled angel food cake with skewered nectarines basted in lemon-sugar glaze and fresh blueberries. A light summer grilled dessert with caramelized fruit and toasted cake.
Puff Pancake
Puff pancake (Dutch baby) bakes a simple flour, milk, and egg batter into a dramatic golden puff. Topped with warm blueberry pie filling and fresh nectarine slices.
Summer Fruit Bowl
Cool, refreshing big-batch fruit salad with watermelon, cantaloupe, plums, nectarines, and grapes tossed in chilled mint-lime simple syrup. A summer party showstopper.
Nectar of Nectarines
Fresh nectarine smoothie blended with orange juice, lemon juice, sugar, and ice. A five-ingredient fruit drink ready in 10 minutes with no dairy and no added fat.
Fresh Chutney
Fresh nectarine chutney with coconut, ginger, curry powder, raisins, and lemon. A quick-cooked, refrigerator chutney that mellows overnight into a sweet, tangy, tropical condiment.
Lemon Cheese Stuffed Nectarines
Fresh nectarines or peaches halved and stuffed with a whipped lemon cream cheese filling flavored with lemon balm. An elegant no-bake summer dessert.
Nectarine Yogurt Muffins
Nectarine yogurt muffins are tender summer muffins with chopped fresh nectarine, vanilla yogurt, and brown sugar, topped with sliced almonds. A bright stone fruit breakfast bake for nectarine season.
Nectarine-Plum Kuchen
German-style fruit kuchen with sliced nectarines and plums arranged over a buttery almond-scented press-in crust, finished with a warm peach jam glaze.
Basil Jicama Fruit Salad
Bright fruit salad with jicama matchsticks, grapes, pineapple, nectarine, strawberries, and cantaloupe tossed in orange juice with fresh basil. A crunchy, refreshing no-cook side that's ready in 20 minutes.
Grilled Lobster Tails with Nectarine-Avocado Salad
Grilled lobster tails with a fresh nectarine-avocado salad, scallions, and lime. A summer dinner with sweet stone fruit, creamy avocado, and charred lobster meat in 30 minutes.
Broiled Nectarines with Brown Sugar & Sherry
Ripe nectarine halves filled with butter, brown sugar, and sweet sherry, then broiled until bubbly and caramelized. A 4-ingredient summer dessert ready in just 15 minutes.
Nectarine-Orange Marmalade
Nectarine-orange marmalade simmers ground nectarines and oranges with sugar into a glossy, peel-flecked spread. A small-batch summer preserve that yields four half-pints of bright, fragrant jam.
Gateau De Mousse a la Nectarine
Gateau de mousse a la nectarine: a refined French entremet of airy nectarine mousse layered with schnapps-soaked genoise, finished with a glossy peach glaze and toasted-crumb sides. A patisserie showpiece.
Deep-Dish Nectarine Pie
A golden double-crust pie bursting with fresh nectarines, cinnamon, and lemon zest. No peeling needed, making this the easiest summer stone fruit pie you'll bake.
