Figs Didn't Ripen? Try These Unripe Fig Recipes and Uses — Food Garden Life: Edible Garden, Vegetable Garden, Edible Landscaping (2024)

It’s a frustrating sight for a cold-climate fig grower: A naked fig tree loaded with unripe figs.

As a fig tree goes dormant and drops all its leaves, the unripe figs remain—all the more noticeable because the tree is leafless.

Think of all the figs you didn’t get to eat…

(I won’t use the term “green figs” as we talk about unripe figs—because there are lots of fig varieties that are green when they’re ripe.)

How to Ripen Unripe Figs

Once a fig tree is dormant, the unripe figs won’t ripen any more. Don’t leave them over the winter and hope they’ll ripen next year. They won’t.

But there are things you can do with unripe figs, and this article gives you an unripe fig recipe and more ideas.

How to Have Fewer Unripe Figs in the Fall

There are 7 things I recommend so that you have more ripe—and fewer unripe—figs in the fall.

Here are my tips to boost your fig harvest.

Here’s a recipe from my fig-growing friend Alberto. He says to use “almost-ripe” figs in this recipe.

These almost-ripe figs are ones you might be tempted not to eat because although they’ve reached a good size, and softened a bit…they’re not soft, and not very sweet.

Alberto grills these unripe figs on the barbecue. I cook mine in the oven in a baking dish. Both work well.

Here’s what to do:

• Put the almost-ripe figs directly on the grill, or on foil (or a cookie sheet or baking dish if you’re cooking them in the oven)

• Cook until they become soft and the inside starts to ooze out

• Place in a dish and allow to cool

• Mix with cinnamon, pine nuts, oregano, honey, and a touch of balsamic vinegar

• Enjoy!

You’ll see that there are no amounts for the other ingredients—add them to suit your taste.

Alberto introduced me to his “door” method of overwintering figs.

Preserves with Unripe Figs

My friend Voula told me that her family in Greece makes “spoon sweets” using unripe figs.

Spoon sweets are unripe figs are cooked in syrup until soft.

I’ve never tried this—so I don’t have a recipe for you. But you’ll find recipes online.

Don’t Waste Dormant Branches You Prune

Here in Toronto, I grow some of my fig trees in the ground. I lay the trees flat to the ground over the winter and insulate them. Find out more about how to overwinter fig trees in cold climates.

Before I tip over my fig trees, I prune back some of the taller branches (so that there’s less tree for me to cover.)

Flower Arranging with Unripe Figs

When I prune off branches with unripe figs on them, I use them in flower arrangements. Thanks to Joanna at Arthur Greenhouses for this idea. She told me that she saw it when she worked in the cut-flower industry.

Fig Branches for Smoking Food

I usually smoke meat using apple, cherry, or plum wood. All of these fruit woods have a nice flavour, suited to smoking food.

Fig wood has a taste and smell that is very distinct from these other fruit woods. If ever I put a fig branch on the bonfire, I can smell it right away. It’s recognizable—and it’s nice.

Interested in smoking food? Here’s how I cook a turkey on a charcoal barbecue, and use branches to add a smoke flavour.

Fig Branches for Cuttings

Of course, some of the fig branches I prune end up as cuttings.

Find out how to grow fig plants from cuttings.

Other Cool Culinary Uses for Figs

Fig Sap as a Coagulant

Fig sap can coagulate milk. I chatted with someone once who described a yogurt like food that his family makes in Greece, using fig sap to coagulate milk.

Flavouring Food with Fig Leaves

Fig leaves have a flavour I’d describe as a combination of coconut and toasted almond. The leaf is not eaten—rather, the flavour is extracted from it.

Toronto chef David Salt introduced me to the culinary joys of fig leaves. I’ve sampled his fig-leaf cheese, fig-leaf ice cream—and fig-leaf grappa!

Here’s a delicious fig-leaf panna cotta recipe.

Find out more about using fig leaves in cooking.

Fig Articles and Interviews