A quick stroll through the market right now and you know it's December because every basket, table, and farmstand is stacked with the beginning of winter fruits and vegetables. Use this list of what's in season in December, along with the BEST recipes and ideas to eat. Shall we?
Fruits and Vegetables in Season in December | Recipes and Ideas for December |
Fruits and Vegetables in Season Year-Round
What Fruits and Vegetables in Season in December
Here's the tl;dr list easy to copy and paste into your grocery list for the week ahead. Peep the following section for more details, and the best recipes that are fast, fresh, easy, and of course, healthy.
- Apples
- Broccoli (year-round), Romanesco broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Butternut and other hard squash like Delicata, Honeynut, Kabocha, Spaghetti
- Cabbage and the leafy brassicas kohlrabi, collard greens, kale
- Carrots (year-round)
- Cauliflower (year-round)
- Citrus, lemon, lime, grapefruit, oranges, mandarins, tangerines, ALL of them!
- Cranberries
- Celery
- Chicories like radicchio and treviso
- Grapes (year-round)
- Kiwi
- Lettuce and Leafy Greens (year-round)
- Mushrooms
- Pears
- Persimmons
- Pomegranates
- Pumpkins and all winter/hard squash
- Quince
- Roots like Beets, Parsnips, and Turnips (year-round)
- Sweet potatoes (year-round)
Recipes and Ideas for December
APPLES
If there's any fruit that will reliably get you through the winter, it's apples. And though most everyone's first instinct is ALWAYS to just eat an apple out of hand, slicing them and including apples in dishes adds a supernatural sweetness and superb crunch. And can we all agree that Honeycrisp apples are the elite apple?
- Apple Salad with Walnuts and Feta
- Apple Kimchi
- Apple Olive Oil Cake
- Invisible Apple Cake, French Gateau Invisible
BROCCOLI
- Brady and Connor's Best Burnt Broccoli
- Sesame Broccoli, super easy steamed on the stovetop
BRUSSELS SPROUTS
- Crispy Shaved Brussels Sprouts
- Miso Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Shredded Brussels Sprouts Hash
- Brussels Sprouts Kimchi
- Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Pears
BUTTERNUT AND OTHER HARD SQUASH
- Roasted Butternut Squash with Whipped Feta and Pomegranate
- Pan Roasted Honeynut Squash
- Roasted Honeynut Squash with Kale Pesto
- Butternut Squash Carbonara Pasta
- How to Cook Spaghetti Squash for the Longest Strands
CABBAGE
- Cabbage Apple Salad with Miso Mustard Dressing
- Roasted Cabbage with Gochujang Glaze
- Homemade Kimchi with Napa Cabbage
- Green Cabbage Kimchi
KALE and other LEAFY BRASSICAS
CARROTS
CAULIFLOWER
- Cauliflower Parm
- Cauliflower Gratin
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Roasted Curried Cauliflower
- How to Cut Cauliflower Steaks
- Pull Apart Garlic Cheese Whole Cauliflower "Loaf"
CITRUS
Though oranges, lemons, and limes are available in regular grocery stores year-round, most citrus come into season starting in November and peak through the winter.
- Citrus Avocado Salad
- Orange Olive Oil Cake
- Candied Oranges
- Dehydrated Citrus Crisps
- Lemon Olive Oil Cake
- Lemoniest Lemon Vinaigrette
CRANBERRIES
- BEST Whole Cranberry Sauce
- Cranberry Sorbet
- Cranberry Bread
- Cranberry Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
- Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed Baked French Toast
- Cranberry Moscow Mule Cocktail
MUSHROOMS
- Mushrooms Lentil Salad
- Mushroom Barley Soup
- Mushroom Gravy
- Shiitake Mushroom Bacon
- How to Cook Lion's Mane Mushrooms
- Mushroom Stock
PEARS
- Pear Arugula Salad
- Brussels Sprouts Salad with Pears
- Korean pears on top of Spicy Buckwheat Noodles Salad Bibim Naeng-Myeon
- Asian pears on top of Buckwheat Noodles in Chilled Broth
PERSIMMONS
The new favorite fruit of fall! Check out this post for all the details on How to Eat Persimmons, the best varieties for different types of recipes, and of course, the best recipes!
- Persimmon "Caprese" Salad
- Fall Farmers' Market Salad with Maple Citrus Vinaigrette
- Easy Persimmon Bread
- Sqirl Café Persimmon Upside Down Cake
POMEGRANATES
- Roasted Butternut Squash with Whipped Feta and Pomegranate
- Pomegranate Salsa
- Spicy Pomegranate Salsa
- Homemade Pomegranate Molasses
ROOT VEGETABLES
Technically, beets are in season year-round, but their earthy, hearty flavor and texture really vibes with Fall. Other than just straight up roasting them, whizz them into highly dippable hummus and yogurt dips!
SWEET POTATOES
- Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Feta and Pomegranate
- Crispy Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Dips
Fruit and Vegetables in Season Right Now and Always
These fruits and vegetables are considered "always in season!" At least here in California!
Vegetables in Season Year Round
- Artichokes, you wouldn't believe it because they're so closely associated with spring, but California grows artichokes year-round!
- Beets
- Broccoli, cauliflower and fam, except brussels
- Cabbage
- Cabbage Apple Salad with Miso Mustard Dressing
- Carrots
- Garlic
- Herbs
- cilantro: Peruvian Green Sauce Aji Verde
- cilantro: Cilantro Lime Dressing
- dill: Dill Pickled Chopped Salad
- parsley: Olive Salsa Verde
- parsley: Italian Salsa Verde
- rosemary: Rosemary Olive Oil Cake
- rosemary: Rosemary White Bean Dip
- thyme: Meyer Lemon Thyme Olive Oil Cake
- Lettuces and leafy greens
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Potatoes
- Radishes
- Pickled Radish
- Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Radish Do Chua
- Soy Sauce Pickled Radish and Onions
- Spicy Radish Salad, aka musaengchae
- Radish Kimchi, aka "kkadugi"
- Sweet potatoes
- Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Feta and Pomegranate
Fruits in Season Year Round
- Lemons and Limes
- Mandarins and Tangerines
- Oranges
- Orange Olive Oil Cake
- for your Cheese and Charcuterie Boards: Candied Oranges
- for your cocktail garnishes: Dried Oranges
- Strawberries
- Edible flowers
- Dried Fruit
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season, by Month
Planning ahead? Here's what fruits and vegetables are in season for the months coming up:
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in October
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in November
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in December—we're here!
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in January
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in February
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in March
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in April
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in May
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in June
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in July
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in August
- What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season in September
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