11 Grape Recipes To Brighten Otherwise-Eh Meals

Oven-dried, preserved, or puréed—there are so many ways to extract the best flavor from each juicy lil orb!

Grapes are practically obligatory on cheese platters and in buffet lines, lunch boxes, fruit salads. Sometimes they provide a juicy, sweet interlude in between savory bites, and other times merely add a pop of color and texture. In late summer through fall, when they're at their peak of flavor, is when grapes assert themselves in everything from salads and entrées to desserts and beverages, but since they're available year-round, you can make the most of them anytime. We've gathered some inspired grape recipes that showcase the best of fruit: sweet and tangy pickled grapes, plump oven-dried grapes, dark chocolate-glazed olive cake studded with roasted red grapes, and grape sorbet, to name a few. You may even try your hand at making DIY grape soda—why not! Whatever the recipe, celebrate this harvest any time you please.

Concord Grape Jam

For those turned off by overly sweet, artificial-tasting commercial grape jam—like the kind in single-serve packets—this homemade Concord grape jam might change your mind forever. Extraordinarily aromatic and full of concentrated grape flavor, it's the ideal balance of sweet and tart. Just pinch those deep, dark orbs between two fingers to pop off the skin and cook them with sugar to the gel stage—no pectin required.

Get Recipe: Concord Grape Jam

Oven-Dried Grapes (a.k.a. Raisins) Recipe

You really can't compare these plump, juicy beauties to their shriveled boxed cousins (even after they've been rehydrated). That's because oven-drying grapes at low temperatures produces a light caramelization and intensifies their overall grapiness. Plus, choosing different varieties gives you a spectrum of colors and flavors, opening up a world of applications—from bagels to salads and more!

Get Recipe: Oven-Dried Grapes (a.k.a. Raisins)

Celery Soup With Peanut Crumble and Pickled Grapes

Here, the celery purée, pickled grapes, and spicy, savory peanut topping is Sohla's clever and cheeky play on the quintessential childhood snack: ants on a log. Peeled or unpeeled, these tart gems add brightness that counterbalances the creamy soup and crunchy nuts.

Get Recipe: Celery Soup With Peanut Crumble and Pickled Grapes

Kale Salad With Oven-Dried Grapes, Toasted Walnuts, and Blue Cheese

Toasted walnuts and blue cheese are a pretty classic combination, particularly when it comes to salad toppings. But oven-dried grapes take this kale salad to the next level, providing pops of juicy sweetness that surprise and delight with every bite.

Get Recipe: Kale Salad With Oven-Dried Grapes, Toasted Walnuts, and Blue Cheese

Easy Grape Jam

While this is actually more of a grape jelly than a chunky, set grape jam, it is 100 percent delicious, simple to make, and makes a killer PB&J. Cooking the grapes whole and then running everything through a food mill eliminates the tedious task of peeling and seeding the grapes.

Get Recipe: Easy Grape Jam

Concord Grape Cake

If a cake can be a celebration of fall and Concord grapes—which have a disappointingly short season—this would be it. The yellow cake, spiked with a little white wine, serves as a canvas for the sweet juicy grapes on the inside and glossy intensely flavored jam on the top.

Get Recipe: Concord Grape Cake

Scotch, Sherry, and Concord Cocktail

Smoky Scotch, nutty dry oloroso sherry, and jammy Concord grape (in the form of a full-flavored syrup) are three assertive components that come together exceptionally well in this salute to fall.

Get Recipe: Scotch, Sherry, and Concord Grape Cocktail

Cardamaro Concord Cocktail

The warm-spice flavor profile of bourbon and Cardamaro (a cardoon- and blessed thistle-infused sweet amaro) married with the bold, musky taste of freshly juiced Concord grapes makes this drink ideal for cool weather sipping.

Get Recipe: Cardamaro Concord Cocktail

Fall French 75

Paired with a lighter spirit, sparkling wine, and floral St. Germaine elderflower liqueur, the deeply aromatic fresh Concord grape dresses up a classic French 75 to impress any guest—especially with its vibrant color.

Get Recipe: Fall French 75

DIY Concord Grape Soda

Unless you buy the fancy pants or "gourmet" variety, most commercial grape sodas don't taste much like grape at all—more like sweet fizzy purple stuff. Making it yourself is not only way tastier, but also much cheaper. This DIY version uses fresh Concord grape juice, Champagne yeast for carbonation and dryness, agave syrup, and lemon zest for a pop of brightness.

Get Recipe: DIY Grape Soda

Grape Sorbet

If you've never thought about making grape sorbet, you should. It makes for a wonderful palate cleanser, accompaniment with cheese, or a refreshing dessert. For the best results, use the most flavorful, naturally sweet grapes available. Processing the grapes in a few fast pulses will keep the skin and seeds intact and make straining the purée easier.

Get Recipe: Grape Sorbet

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