How to Eat Plums

Reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur

Last Updated: October 28, 2024 References

Plums have been around for thousands of years, growing in a range of colors and sizes in countries all around the world. These stone fruits are jam-packed with essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber to help you lead a healthy life. From easy snacks to decadent desserts, there are plenty of fun ways to include plums in your diet.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Eating a Raw Plum

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Always wash your fruit before eating it to remove any dirt and pesticides. Begin by washing your hands with soap and water. Then, run the plum under cool tap water while rubbing it gently. Dry the plums completely before eating or cooking them. ^{[1]
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Be careful not to eat the pit. The skin of the plum is safe to eat and provides a sharper flavor than the flesh.

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Slice the plum into wedges for breakfast, salads, or smoothies. Locate the indentation the runs down the length of the fruit; this is where the pit is. Make a cut parallel to the indentation on either side and set aside the flesh. Trim the flesh that remains on either side of the pit and dispose of the pit. Slice the large pieces into four wedges each.
- Use plum pieces as a topping for your favorite breakfast food. After slicing a plum, mix the wedges into yogurt, oatmeal, or cereal. You can also top waffles or pancakes with whipped cream, plum, and berries or other stone fruits like peaches
- Make a smoothie. Combine plums with orange juice, plain yogurt, a banana, and ginger to make a tasty smoothie. Experiment with different fruits combinations to create a unique and tasty smoothie.
- Create a plum salad. Toss sliced plums, melon chunks, cherries, and any other fruit you like to make a simple fruit salad. To make a show-stopping side salad, combine plums with spinach, arugula, or radicchio and top with your favorite vinaigrette.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Cooking with Plums

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1
Make plum sauce or glaze to compliment your favorite meat dish. Make a simple sauce with plums, vinegar, onions, and spices. Plums go great with pork, chicken, ribs, and some seafood like cod or shrimp.
- The plum flavoring works especially well with middle-eastern-style dishes.
- To give your sauce the right consistency, peel the plums first. Peel plums the same way you would a tomato; cut an X into the bottom of the fruit and place it in a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds. After the plums cool, you can peel off the skin by hand. ^{[2]
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2
Grill plums to bring out their natural sweetness. Slice a few plums in half and brush them with oil. Place the plums on the grill with the cut side down for five minutes until they are grill-marked and tender. ^{[3]
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- You can also make plum kebabs for the grill with plum and pork tenderloin, shrimp, or chicken.
Peel the plums and cut them into small chunks. Pour the plums into a large saucepan, cover with a half cup of water, and let them simmer for five minutes. Stir sugar, butter, and pectin into the pan and let it reach a full boil. Voila! You’ve made your very own plum jam.
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Try tasty flavor combinations to make new and exciting dishes. For amateur chefs who like to experiment with their own recipes, it’s important to know which ingredients pair well with plums. This fruit goes well with:
- Ginger ^{[4]
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- Sesame
- Honey
- Citrus fruits like lemons and oranges
- Cinnamon
- Balsamic vinegar
- Other stone fruits like apricots, cherries, and almonds

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Baking Plum Desserts

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1
Bake a plum pie. Whether you prefer to use store-bought pie crust or make your own, plums are the perfect sweet filling. In a bowl, combine sliced plums, sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon. ^{[5]
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Research source} Fill your pie crust and bake at 375 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes.
- You can also make a stone fruit pie and add nectarines, peaches, and plums to the filling.
2
Make a delicious crisp. Move over, apple crisp! To bake a tasty plum crisp, follow this easy recipe:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. ^{[6]
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- In a large bowl, mix sliced plums, brown sugar, cornstarch, maple syrup, lemon juice, ginger, and nutmeg. Transfer the crisp filling to a coated baking pan.
- To make the crisp topping, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, butter, and salt. Sprinkle the topping on the filling and bake for 30 minutes.
- For more flavor, add nectarines and blueberries to the filling.
Plum cake is a light and refreshing dessert that is easy to make. Mix together cake batter, arrange sliced plums on top of the batter, and bake. In less than an hour, you’ll be enjoying your sweet and delicious plum cake.
4
Create an old-fashioned plum pudding. Nothing says “the holidays are here” quite like plum pudding does. Use this simple recipe to make a delicious plum pudding that will impress the whole family:
- Stir plums, sugar, tapioca, water, and cinnamon together. Bake the mixture at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. ^{[7]
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- In a separate bowl, combine all-purpose baking mix, sugar, milk, and margarine to make the dough for the topping.
- Raise the temperature of the oven to 450 degrees. Spoon the dough onto the pudding and bake for ten minutes.

Community Q&A

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Question

Is it okay to eat a plum pit?

Community Answer

No! It’s poisonous! It's also indigestible.

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Warnings

Always rinse your plums before enjoying them.

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Whatever the type of plum, whether Japanese plum, American plum or European plum, do not eat the pits. They pose a choking hazard and may be potentially poisonous. ^{[8]
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Research source} If you are concerned, slice the plum and remove the pit before eating it.

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