27 Best Fig Recipes (+Produce Guide)

Figs are small, delicate fruits that are pear shaped with thin, almost velvety skin.  They’re very soft when ripe, and the flesh of the fig is deep pinkish-red and contains several small, crunchy seeds.

There are several varieties of figs, including Brown Turkey (shown in the photos here), as well as Black Mission, Calimyrna and Sierra.  The latter two varietals are green in color.

Remove the stem, then wash the fig under running water and pat dry. You can eat the entire fig, skin and all!

Figs are very sweet with floral notes. The flavor varies slightly depending on the variety.

I never knew how figs were pollinated until I researched the topic.  I knew that figs are inverted flowers, which is why the inside of the fig contains crunchy seeds.

What I didn’t know before was that fresh figs are male and female, and we only eat the females.  It only gets stranger from here, I promise you. 🙂

Fig wasps are solely responsible for fig pollination, and female figs are the only way for fig wasps to reproduce.  This is called mutuality….figs and fig wasps rely on one another to survive.

Because the fig is an inverted flower, fig wasps must climb into the female fig to pollinate it.  In the process, its wings and antennae break off while climbing inside, which means there’s no way out and it dies inside.

And it keeps getting stranger….

Female fig wasps lay their eggs inside the fig, then the male and female babies hatch and mate with one another.  The male baby wasps aren’t born with wings, and their role is to dig tunnels to the outside of the fig for the females.  The female baby wasps then make the journey out with the pollen from the fig, and the male dies inside.

TMI?  Quite possibly.  I’ll never think of a fig the same way again after learning all of this, but I’ll continue to eat them. 🙂

The good news is that most commercially grown figs don’t require pollination!

As I mentioned, commercial figs (or common figs) don’t require pollination, but there’s always a chance that a fig wasp could have crawled into your fig.

The fig does use an enzyme called ficin to break down the wasp into protein, but not necessarily all of it. With that in mind, I’d have to say that figs aren’t vegan.

Common fig trees are the best fig trees for home gardeners because they don’t require a flower to pollinate.  Trees should be planted in early spring or late fall in full sun when the tree is dormant.

Fig trees grow best in warmer climates, but may also be planted in containers which can be moved indoors during colder months.

Fig trees may take up to two years to produce fruit. 

For more info, click here.

Figs are typically harvested in June, with a second harvest between August and October.

Figs are high in natural sugars and minerals, including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and copper. They’re also a good source of soluble fiber and vitamins A, E and K.

Choose figs that are soft but not too squishy, and avoid them if they’re bruised or wrinkled. 

They’re extremely perishable, so store them in the refrigerator and plan on using them within a day or two or make them into jam!

I’m so glad you asked! I’ve shared my favorite fresh fig recipes below. While they’re amazing in sweet recipes like cakes, tarts and jam, I love them even more in savory recipes like salads, pizza and paired with goat cheese.