Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (2024)

You may equate summer with barbecues and the beach, but to us, warmer weather is also a signifier of blueberry season. They're at their peak between May and August—while we love to eat them plain and picked fresh, we also like to turn them into jams (such as Gabriel Rucker's Blueberry-Beaujolais Jam recipe), pile them into tarts and pies, and even make them into a glaze for ribs. (Trust us on that one.) Read on for those recipes, and more blueberry recipes we love.

01of 19

Free-Form Blueberry Tart

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (1)

Jeremy Sewall adds a little candied ginger to the tart's crust for a hint of spice; feel free to add more or omit it altogether.

Get the Recipe

02of 19

Kohlrabi, Fennel, and Blueberry Salad

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (2)

Kohlrabi tastes a lot like a broccoli stem, but it's milder and sweeter and the texture is crisper. Chef Stephanie Izard thinks it's an underappreciated vegetable, so she makes it the star of her delicious salad, served raw in very thin slices. In fact, she likes the dish so much that she takes some home to eat on the couch after service a few times a week.

Get the Recipe

03of 19

Blueberry-Banana Pancakes

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (3)

Tyler Florence made these pancakes at home one weekend morning with his son Hayden. They're a slight variation on a recipe from his book, Tyler Florence Family Meal.

Get the Recipe

04of 19

Blueberry-Glazed Ribs

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (4)

Blueberry glaze makes the edges on these ribs nice and sticky.

Get the Recipe

05of 19

Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

You can easily replace the blueberries with other kinds of fresh fruit, such as raspberries or peaches (chopped into small pieces). In the off-season you can use IQF (individually quick-frozen) fruit; there's no need to thaw.

Get the Recipe

06of 19

Perfect Blueberry Syrup

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (6)

A huge virtue of homemade syrup is that, unlike the store-bought kind, it can taste much more like fruit than sugar. This blueberry syrup will last long enough to give as gifts during the holidays; simply transfer it into tall, pretty bottles using a funnel and store it in the refrigerator.

Get the Recipe

07of 19

Lemon-Blueberry Cheesecake Parfaits

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (7)

The three components in these parfaits — the creamy, tangy cheesecake custard, the crunchy cornmeal shortbread and the fresh blueberry compote — are fantastic together, but each can be used in lots of other ways. Try the custard with any fresh fruit, serve the shortbread with sorbet or drizzle the compote over ice cream.

Get the Recipe

08of 19

Blue-Barb Jam

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (8)

Instead of strawberries, fresh blueberries are paired with rhubarb in this incredibly simple and delicious sweet-tart jam.

Get the Recipe

09of 19

Summer Berry Clafoutis

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (9)

This flourless dessert is more like a delicate custard with fruit than like the usual sturdy country clafoutis.

Get the Recipe

Berry Ice Cream Pie

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (10)

This recipe turns out a berry ice cream pie that is as beautiful as it is deliciously refreshing.

Get the Recipe

11of 19

Blueberry Mousse

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (11)

Sour cream gives this blueberry mousse a wonderful, subtle tanginess.

Get the Recipe

12of 19

Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberries

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (12)

Adding fresh ricotta to the batter makes these pancakes incredibly moist and light.

Get the Recipe

13of 19

Very Blueberry Smoothie

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (13)

This wonderful smoothie is for blueberry lovers or for when you have an abundance of summer berries.

Get the Recipe

14of 19

Blueberry Pie with Rye Crust

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (14)

This sensational blueberry pie has small circles cut out of the rye crust, which not only looks dramatic but also allows moisture to evaporate from the fruit filling as it cooks, deepening the flavor.

Get the Recipe

15of 19

Crispy Blueberry Cookies Dipped in Chocolate

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (15)

Sweet, dried blueberries are baked within these thin and chewy butterless cookies. They're incredibly craveable and simple to make.

Get the Recipe

16of 19

Blueberry Baked Quinoa and Oatmeal

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (16)

Blueberries are great on top of baked quinoa with steel-cut oats. They're even better cooked inside. You can't go wrong with fresh or frozen blueberries.

Get the Recipe

17of 19

Brown Sugar Cake with Ricotta and Blueberries

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (17)

Chef Joe Flamm cinched his season 15 Top Chef win with this simple brown sugar cake, which he learned to make from the late pastry chef Todd Kunkleman at Stephanie Izard's Girl & the Goat in Chicago. "I just fell in love with it right away, and I've wanted it ever since," says Flamm, now executive chef of Spiaggia in Chicago. The chewy, dense confection is like a cross between a cake and a blondie. It's delicious both by itself and dressed up with Ricotta Mousse and Blueberry Sauce.

Get the Recipe

18of 19

Kolache with Blueberry Filling

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (18)

Kolache, fluffy rounds of dough with sweet or savory fillings, are originally from Central Europe, but they're popular in Texas, too. Autumn Stanford of the Brooklyn Kolache Company suggests keeping the dough on the sticky side when you mix it. The dough will become less tacky as it rises, and the extra moisture will keep the pastry from becoming too dry.

Get the Recipe

19of 19

St. Louis-Style Cheesecake with Blueberries

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (19)

An unfussy, delicious summer dessert, this cheesecake is even better with a pile of fresh berries on top.

Get the Recipe

Our Best Blueberry Recipes to Make This Summer (2024)

FAQs

What to make when you have too many blueberries? ›

When you've exhausted your blueberry repertoire, try these 11 ways to use this gently sweet fruit.
  1. co*cktails. Muddle the summer fruit in a gin-based pomegranate co*cktail, a refreshing limeade, or a simple bourbon old-fashioned.
  2. Infused booze. ...
  3. Syrup. ...
  4. Healthy PB&J. ...
  5. Salads. ...
  6. Barbecue sauce. ...
  7. Frozen Yogurt. ...
  8. Shortcakes.
Jun 20, 2017

Is it okay to eat blueberries every day? ›

There's no downside to eating blueberries every day because they're so healthy. But Zumpano says you'll get the most benefits from fresh, uncooked organic berries. While delicious, blueberry pancakes or muffins aren't quite as healthy. “Antioxidants can be harmed by heat,” Zumpano explains.

How many blueberries should you eat a day for antioxidants? ›

How many blueberries can you eat a day? Generally, adding a 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries to your daily diet is a healthy and reasonable amount. Even 1/3 cup a day has been associated with a reduced disease risk. This amount provides a substantial dose of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber.

What makes blueberries taste better? ›

Peak Ripeness. Another reason U-Pick Blueberries taste better than store-bought berries is because you can choose to pick the most ripe ones. Fully ripened to perfection blueberries are dark blue with a light white, cloudy coating called the “bloom” around them. This coating is completely natural and safe.

What happens to your body after eating blueberries? ›

Blueberries improve insulin sensitivity, which is the ability of your cells to take up glucose from the blood and reduce blood sugar levels. They are also high in fiber and low in sugar, which means they have a low glycemic index and don't increase your blood sugar levels too much.

What is the side effect of eating too many blueberries? ›

While blueberries are generally considered to be a healthy food, they can sometimes cause digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea. If you eat too many blueberries, you may experience stomach pain or cramping. To avoid these issues, eat blueberries in moderation and make sure to drink plenty of water.

When should you not eat blueberries? ›

If someone has an allergy or hypersensitivity to the fruit or any of its components, they should avoid its consumption. Also, as is the case in almost all cases, excessive consumption of blueberries can lead to short-term side effects such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

Are frozen blueberries as good as fresh? ›

Yes they are!

Do blueberries lower blood pressure? ›

The group that consumed 200 grams of blueberries a day for 40 days saw their blood pressure drop by five millimeters. However, the researchers saw results far before 40 days. Only two hours after consuming the blueberries, the researchers could see positive health benefits in the patients.

Which berry is the healthiest? ›

Which Berry is Most Nutritious? They're all healthy choices, but the “best” distinction may well go to black raspberries, says dietitian Kathleen Johnson. A raspberry cousin with a deeper color, they provide very high antioxidant levels along with fiber and relatively little natural sugar.

What is the healthiest fruit? ›

The healthiest fruits and their benefits
  1. Lemons. Turning lemons into lemonade can do more than just boost your spirits. ...
  2. Blueberries. Blueberries contain anthocyanins, which are the special pigments that give them their rich color. ...
  3. Apples. ...
  4. Oranges. ...
  5. Cherries. ...
  6. Pomegranates. ...
  7. Grapefruits.
Sep 15, 2023

Which is healthier, blueberries or strawberries? ›

Also, in terms of vitamins and minerals, strawberries are always a better source of vitamin C and potassium, meanwhile, blueberries are a better source of vitamins A and C. Both these berries are beneficial for you, but according to your need and taste, you can choose any of them and make them part of the diet.

What spice goes best with blueberries? ›

With its sweet, woody flavor, cinnamon works with blueberry to wrap around you and warm you all the way through.

Why do you add lemon juice to blueberries? ›

The tartness of lemon provides a bright and zesty contrast to the sweetness of blueberries. Lemon can enhance the flavor of blueberries by adding a touch of acidity that brings out their natural sweetness. Both lemon and blueberry are versatile flavors that can be used in a variety of dishes, from sweet to savory.

What can I put on blueberries to make them sweeter? ›

Macerating—soaking or steeping in liquid and/or sweetener—is one of the easiest and fastest ways to doctor up sub-par berries. Toss them in sugar, honey, or maple syrup, along with a little fresh juice or alcohol (an herbal liqueur, like elderflower spirit, would be great).

Does freezing blueberries destroy nutrients? ›

Not so. In fact, this myth has been proven to be untrue for quite a while. Way back in 1998, the Food & Drug Administration confirmed that frozen fruits and vegetables provide the same essential nutrients and health benefits as fresh – great news for those seeking year-round healthy foods.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Errol Quitzon

Last Updated:

Views: 6429

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (79 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Errol Quitzon

Birthday: 1993-04-02

Address: 70604 Haley Lane, Port Weldonside, TN 99233-0942

Phone: +9665282866296

Job: Product Retail Agent

Hobby: Computer programming, Horseback riding, Hooping, Dance, Ice skating, Backpacking, Rafting

Introduction: My name is Errol Quitzon, I am a fair, cute, fancy, clean, attractive, sparkling, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.