23 Nectarine Recipes to Make This Summer, Because They’re Just as Tasty as Peaches
Why do peaches get all the attention? Nectarines are just as nutritious and taste mind-blowingly similar (in fact, they can be used interchangeably in just about any recipe). The only real difference between the fruits is peach’s fuzzy skin. This summer, we’re putting the underdog in the spotlight. Here are 23 nectarine recipes to whip up while they’re in season.
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2. 20-Minute Grilled Jerk Chicken with Mango-Nectarine Salsa
Sweet tropical fruit is just the match for smoky, charred chicken. Might we suggest saving some of the citrusy salsa for taco night? It’d pair beautifully with fried fish or grilled shrimp.
4. Corn Fritter Caprese with Peaches and Tomatoes
Behold, summer on a plate. Not only does this dish combine fresh corn, juicy tomatoes and in-season stone fruit, but each fritter is loaded with gooey mozzarella and salty Parmesan to boot. Just substitute nectarines for peaches and dig in.
5. Linguine with Bacon, Peaches and Gorgonzola
Fact: You can never have too many 30-minute meals up your sleeve. And this one is virtually foolproof, while also being fancy enough to serve at a casual alfresco dinner. We’ll bring the wine.
6. Fried Mozzarella, Basil and Nectarine Stacks with Balsamic Glaze
The two-ingredient glaze is honestly so simple that you’ll never lean on store-bought again. All it takes is simmering balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a saucepan until reduced and slightly syrupy.
7. Grilled Chicken with Nectarine Relish
Don’t feel like firing up the barbecue on a weeknight? Use a grill pan on the stovetop instead. (We’re also betting that pickled red onions in the relish would taste just as divine as raw ones, BTW.)
8. Nectarine and Fig Summer Salad with Crispy Pancetta
Not only are there sliced nectarines in the salad, but the whole thing is also tossed in a sweet, tangy nectarine vinaigrette. The dressing comes together in a blender or food processor and can be stored in the fridge for up to a week.
9. Honey-Ginger Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon with Avocado Salsa
Not to steal the spotlight from the fish, but we’re most psyched about the uber-versatile salsa. We’d serve it with tortilla chips, use it to top carnitas tacos, add a scoop or two to a green salad or tuck it into a vegetarian quesadilla.
10. Grilled Peach, Chicken and Ricotta Pizza
Store-bought pizza dough is our love language. We use it to make cinnamon rolls, calzones and, most importantly, this barbecue-friendly pie that’s equal parts smoky, creamy and summery.
11. Chicken and Nectarine Poppy Seed Salad
Warning: You’re about to become the envy of the breakroom. Load your bowl up with extra fruit (like blueberries and strawberries) or go wild with crunchy add-ins, like toasted almonds, candied pecans or roasted chickpeas.
12. Grilled Peach Panzanella Salad
Any salad that uses herbed country bread as a main ingredient is a salad after our own heart. The key to a crispy final product is adding the tomatoes last, so they don’t make the bread soggy.
13. Grilled Peach, Prosciutto and Mozzarella Sandwich
We like to think of this handheld as a portable charcuterie board. Toast it on the stove in a skillet, press it like a panini or grill it on the barbecue. Once the bread is crisp and the cheese is melted, it’s ready to devour.
14. Chicken with Nectarine Fruit Salsa
Crumbled goat cheese adds just the right amount of tang and salt to the sweet salsa. Make it a meal (and keep it gluten-free) with a side of cauliflower rice or zoodles.
17. Skillet Roast Chicken with Peaches, Tomatoes and Red Onion
When you’re eager to impress dinner party guests (or um, your kids), look no further than this one-pan wonder. Once you have the produce and poultry on hand, the rest is easy pantry staples.
18. Sweet and Spicy Nectarine Crisp
Thin-sliced serrano chiles in the filling are the key to this dessert’s subtle-yet-significant heat. Serve it with vanilla ice cream or Greek frozen yogurt.
19. Plum Nectarine Galette
We’re *big* fans of galettes, because they’re basically the lazy baker’s pie. If you’re up for a shortcut, use store-bought pie crust to save yourself a ton of time and effort.
20. Nectarine Upside-Down Cake
There are a million reasons to love upside-down cakes, but our top two are: 1) They turn out gorgeous by default and 2) they essentially “frost” themselves. This one stars nectarines baked in brown sugar and butter.
21. Nectarine Cupcakes
These better-for-you treats are made with whole-wheat flour and way less butter and sugar than most cupcakes. While the recipe calls for homemade honey whipped cream on top, you can also just dust them with powdered sugar and call it a day.
22. Plum and Nectarine Crisp
BRB, burying ourselves in brown sugar-oat streusel. Not only does the topping take over for fussy pie crust, but it also adds an intensely crunchy element to every bite.
23. Raspberry, Nectarine and Sweet Corn Clafoutis
This summer trifecta has never looked better. It comes together in just under an hour and is damn easy on the eyes. Substitute frozen raspberries or canned corn if you can’t find them fresh at the farmers market yet.
RELATED: 35 Fresh Peach Recipes to Try This Summer
For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.