Top-Rated Fruit Recipe - Cooking Light

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Lentil-Barley Burgers with Fiery Fruit Salsa

Bright fruit salsa gives bunless Lentil-Barley Burgers a big kick of flavor. Looking for even more panache? Serve with lime wedges to give the option of an additional splash of citrus.

View Recipe: Lentil-Barley Burgers with Fiery Fruit Salsa

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Basil-Lime Fruit Salad

Basil and lime lend this colorful salad of fruit a savory undertone. To make ahead, prepare the infused syrup and clean and chop the fruit; refrigerate separately. Toss the fruit and syrup together just before it's time to serve.

View Recipe: Basil-Lime Fruit Salad

Photo: Randy Mayor

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Herbs and Capers

Use a combination of your favorite tomato varieties in this recipe. We like a mix of red Brandywine, Green Zebra, and Persimmon for the beefsteak tomatoes, and Sungold, Yellow Pear, and Green Grape for the cherry tomatoes.

View Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Salad with Herbs and Capers

Photo: Sang An

Prosciutto-Wrapped Stuffed Dates

A stellar combination of sweet, savory, and salty, come to play in a delightful appetizer that will please any crowd. One slice of prosciutto goes a long way (four dates to be exact), so six slices will take care of the party.

View Recipe: Proscuitto-Wrapped Stuffed Dates

Brandied Peach Shortcakes

Flavors of citrus from the shortcakes complement the sweet glazed peaches. Sandwich the peaches between two layers of shortcake and top with a dollop of the Greek yogurt mixture for a beautiful presentation. As for the brandy, one small "airline bottle" is enough for this spirited dessert.

View Recipe: Brandied Peach Shortcakes

Photo: John Autry

Lattice-Topped Blackberry Cobbler

This rustic cobbler with a decorative—yet scrumptious—lattice topping will show you just how enjoyable eating fruits can be. If your healthy diet can afford it, we suggest serving with a scoop of vanilla yogurt.

View Recipe: Lattice-Topped Blackberry Cobbler

Honeydew-Kiwi Daiquiris

This recipe calls for about half of a honeydew, so chop the rest and throw together a quick fruit salad. To make this recipe ahead of time simply whirl up the ingredients and freeze in a zip-top plastic freezer bag. If the mixture freezes overnight, let it thaw for a few minutes and knead the bag to break up big pieces before serving.

View Recipe: Honeydew-Kiwi Daiquiris

Photo: John Autry

Chocolate-Amaretti Peaches

Decadent, yet refreshingly simple, this peachy dessert will soon become a family-favorite. Look for amaretti cookies at specialty or gourmet markets; they have a distinct almond-amaretto flavor and crunchy texture that make this dish memorable. In a pinch, you can substitute crumbled almond biscotti.

View Recipe: Chocolate-Amaretti Peaches

Photo: Ellen Silverman

Cranberry Apple and Walnut Sauce

The flavors of fall meld seemlessly into a sweet sauce to be paired with roasts. When buying the ingredients for this recipe, buy an extra bag of cranberries to freeze so you can enjoy the sauce more often than just within the narrow window of cranberry season. The recipe can also easily be made and stored for up to two weeks.

View Recipe: Cranberry, Apple, Walnut Sauce

Photo: Randy Mayor

Slow-Roasted Grape and Yogurt Parfaits

The roasting process softens the grapes slightly but heightens their flavor. Don't underestimate the value of time when preparing this recipe. You will find the result is well-worth the wait.

View Recipe: Slow-Roasted Grape and Yogurt Parfaits

Photo: Randy Mayor

Nectarine and Radish Salsa

Serve this no-cook condiment with grilled chicken, pork, or fish. Or use as a topping for grilled bread or a dip for toasted tortilla wedges.

View Recipe: Nectarine and Radish Salsa

Photo: Randy Mayor

Seared Figs and White Peaches with Balsamic Reduction

Ripe figs and peaches have naturally high levels of sugar, which means they'll caramelize beautifully without additional sugar or copious amounts of fat. This simple yet elegant dessert is a great way to maintain the texture and floral flavors of these delicate fruits. Toasted whole black peppercorns add an interesting savory flavor to this dish.

View Recipe: Seared Figs and White Peaches with Balsamic Reduction

Photo: Randy Mayor

Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

Serve this sweet and savory salsa with roast chicken, sautéed fish, or grilled pork tenderloin. You can also enjoy it as a snack with baked tortilla chips.

View Recipe: Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Strawberries in Meyer Lemon Syrup

Meyer lemons, available through May, have sweeter, more aromatic juice than regular lemons. To ensure the dessert doesn't get too tart if substituting regular lemon juice, begin with 2 tablespoons juice, and taste; add more juice if desired. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.

View Recipe: Strawberries in Meyer Lemon Syrup

Photo: Randy Mayor

Tropical Fruit Compote

Coarse-grained and a light golden color, turbinado sugar has a mild molasses taste. Look for it near granulated sugar in the supermarket. If you can't find turbinado, use 1/2 cup unpacked light brown sugar. The fiery kick from the crushed red pepper enlivens the fruits' sweetness. Omit it if you're sensitive to spiciness.

View Recipe: Tropical Fruit Compote

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Carrot, Apple, and Ginger Refresher

There is nothing to this recipe, aside from tons of fresh frut and veggie flavor. Once you take a sip, don't be suprised if you let out an involuntary "mmm...". One glassful is all you need before you are refreshed enough to conquer the rest of the day.

View Recipe: Carrot, Apple, and Ginger Refresher

Photo: Randy Mayor

Ruby Port and Rhubarb Risotto with Sugared Strawberries

Risotto becomes a kind of rice pudding in this dish, with a sweet-tart syrup drizzled over the creamy rice. Fresh, sliced strawberries are both a vibrant color and flavor in this dish.

View Recipe: Ruby Port and Rhubarb Risotto with Sugared Strawberries

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Prosciutto and Melon Salad with Cantaloupe Vinaigrette

A fresh interpretation of the classic Italian antipasto of melon and prosciutto, this recipe adds arugula to the mix. Ripe cubed cantaloupe ensures a smooth dressing. Prepare vinaigrette a day in advance, and refrigerate.

View Recipe: Prosciutto and Melon Salad with Cantaloupe Vinaigrette

Photo: Randy Mayor

Red Wine Pear Crisp with Spiced Streusel

Pears and red wine combine beautifully in this dessert. Make sure that the pears are firm and not too ripe, or they will become mushy when cooked with the wine. Bosc and Anjou pears work well.

View Recipe: Red Wine Pear Crisp with Spiced Streusel

Photo: Randy Mayor

Wheat Berry Salad with Dried Fruit

Bold flavors of both sweet and savory varieties make a statement in this salad chock-full of dried fruit. Make sure to soak the wheat berries two days ahead if you plan to prepare a day ahead.

View Recipe: Wheat Berry Salad with Dried Fruit

Summertime Fruit Salad with Cream

The whipped cream topping can be made four hours ahead if kept chilled and covered. If you don't have Chambord, use Grand Marnier, crème de cassis (black currant-flavored liqueur), or two teaspoons raspberry extract for the sugar syrup.

View Recipe: Summertime Fruit Salad with Cream

Top-Rated Fruit Recipes

Lentil-Barley Burgers with Fiery Fruit Salsa

Basil-Lime Fruit Salad

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Herbs and Capers

Prosciutto-Wrapped Stuffed Dates

Brandied Peach Shortcakes

Lattice-Topped Blackberry Cobbler

Honeydew-Kiwi Daiquiris

Chocolate-Amaretti Peaches

Cranberry Apple and Walnut Sauce

Slow-Roasted Grape and Yogurt Parfaits

Nectarine and Radish Salsa

Seared Figs and White Peaches with Balsamic Reduction

Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

Strawberries in Meyer Lemon Syrup

Tropical Fruit Compote

Carrot, Apple, and Ginger Refresher

Ruby Port and Rhubarb Risotto with Sugared Strawberries

Prosciutto and Melon Salad with Cantaloupe Vinaigrette

Red Wine Pear Crisp with Spiced Streusel

Wheat Berry Salad with Dried Fruit

Summertime Fruit Salad with Cream