Simple Recipe Ideas to Use Leftover Plums
Plums are popular fruits served fresh or in jams, pies or crumbles. They are good served with olives, vegan cheese, spicy or chocolate dishes.
Easy Stewed Plums (Veggie Desserts) are poached in orange juice syrup and brown sugar, infused with cinnamon. Serve with vegan ice-cream or custard.
Plums are choking hazards for babies and swallowing difficulties. Avoid for kidney disorders (due to oxalic acid). Keep recipes away from pets, due to fruit pips/seeds and fresh dough. Read more on food safety for people and pets.
How to Buy, Store & Prepare Plums
- Buy plums in season from August to October (not all are purple).
- To remove the skin, drop plums in boiling water for 15 seconds, then into cold water.
- You can eat plums raw, or poach/stew stem. or roast in the oven.
- Keep plums at room temperature (no more than a few days). Or store them in the fridge (as long as there is air circulating).
- Dried plums (prunes) are good for icky digestive systems.
Prep leftover plums so every recipe works
Start by washing plums under cool water, then pat them dry. Slice around the stone, twist, and pull apart. If the flesh clings, just cut it off in chunks. Taste a piece before you add anything else, because sweetness varies a lot.
If your plums are already very sweet, keep added sugar low and brighten the flavour with lemon juice or orange zest. If they’re tart, a spoon of maple syrup or date syrup smooths the sharp edge. A pinch of salt also helps, especially in sauces.
Soft, mushy plums aren’t a problem, they’re a shortcut. Cook them down for compote, blend them into dressings, or bake them into a traybake where texture doesn’t matter.
For storage, keep sliced plums in a sealed container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. To freeze, spread slices on a tray until firm, then tip into a bag for up to 3 months. If you’re short on plums, other stone fruit works too, like nectarines or peaches.
If you’re adding nuts (like almonds or peanut butter), check allergies and keep a nut-free option on hand, such as seeds or tahini.
How to tell if a plum is still good
A plum is fine if it’s soft, fragrant, and a bit wrinkly. Compost it if you see mould, it’s slimy, or it smells sour and off. If there’s a small bruise, cut around it and use the rest straight away.
Easy flavour boosters that make plums taste like dessert
A few small add-ins do a lot of work: cinnamon, cardamom, ground ginger, orange zest, lemon juice, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and maple syrup or date syrup. For crunch, finish with toasted oats, pumpkin seeds, chia, or chopped nuts.
Simple vegan plum recipes
You don’t need a strict recipe here. Think of plums as a juicy base, then choose a thickener (oats, chia, cornflour) and a flavour note (spice, citrus, vanilla). Start small, taste, and adjust.
Plum chia pot (creamy, spoonable breakfast).
Time: 5 minutes prep, plus chilling.
Key ingredients: 2 plums (very ripe is ideal), 2 tbsp chia seeds, 150 to 200 ml oat or soy milk, pinch of cinnamon, oats to top.
Mash or finely chop the plums, then stir with chia, milk, and cinnamon. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Top with oats or toasted seeds.
Tip: If your plums are tart, add 1 tsp maple. If they’re sweet, add lemon juice instead.
Quick ‘jam’ toast topping (no-cook, no pectin).
Time: 10 minutes resting time.
Key ingredients: 2 plums, 1 to 2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp maple or sugar (optional), nut butter or tahini, toast.
Crush plums with lemon and a pinch of salt, then leave for 10 minutes to get juicy. Spoon onto toast over peanut butter, almond butter (check allergies), or tahini.
Tip: Add chia for a thicker, jammy texture in 5 minutes.
Thick plum smoothie (like drinkable crumble).
Time: 5 minutes.
Key ingredients: 2 plums, 1 banana (or 3 tbsp oats), plant yoghurt, cinnamon, splash of plant milk.
Blend until smooth. Use more yoghurt for thickness, more milk to loosen.
Tip: Frozen plum slices make it colder and thicker, without ice watering it down.
10 to 20 minute hob recipes
Fast plum compote (breakfast and pudding helper).
Time: 10 to 15 minutes.
Key ingredients: 6 plums, splash of water, cinnamon (or ginger), lemon zest (optional).
Put plums and water in a saucepan, then simmer until they collapse and thicken. Stir often once it turns glossy. Spoon over porridge, pancakes, granola, or plant yoghurt.
Tip: To thicken, simmer longer. To loosen, add a little water. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tangy plum BBQ-style sauce (sweet, sharp, smoky).
Time: 15 to 20 minutes.
Key ingredients: 6 plums, 1 small onion, 1 garlic clove, 1 tbsp tomato purée, 2 to 3 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, smoked paprika.
Soften onion and garlic in a pan with a splash of water. Add chopped plums and everything else, then simmer until soft. Blend smooth (or mash for texture). Use it on tofu, roasted veg, burgers, or grain bowls.
Tip: Add chilli flakes for heat, then balance with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of citrus.
Oven comfort food
Plum crumble bars (buttery, fruity, picnic-friendly).
Time: 10 minutes prep, 25 to 35 minutes baking.
Key ingredients: oats, plain flour, a pinch of salt, coconut oil or vegan spread, sugar or maple, plums, cornflour, cinnamon.
- Heat the oven to 180°C. Line a small tin (around 20 cm) or use a baking tray with raised sides.
- Mix 150 g oats, 100 g flour, a pinch of salt, and 80 g melted coconut oil or vegan spread. Sweeten lightly. Press two-thirds into the tin.
- Toss chopped plums (fresh or frozen) with 1 tbsp cornflour and cinnamon, then spread over the base.
- Crumble the rest on top, then bake until golden. Cool fully before slicing.
Tip: Ground almonds work well in the crumble, but use seeds if you need nut-free. Add ginger for warmth, or swap sugar for maple. These keep for 3 days in a sealed tin, and they freeze well.
