Fruits · Dried fruit
Prunes
Dried plums: dark, soft and sticky-sweet; stewed, baked and used in savoury braises.
Also called: dried plums, suhe šljive, pitted prunes
Around the world: suhe šljive (hr) · suve šljive (sr)
Photo: Emőke Dénes, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
What it is
Prunes are dried plums, usually from varieties that dry well with their stone in. They are sold pitted or whole and are dark, wrinkled, soft and sweet with a hint of acidity. Balkan suhe šljive are often smoked, which adds a distinctive flavour.
How it’s used
- Braised with meat in tagines, tzimmes and Balkan stews
- Stewed or soaked as a breakfast compote
- Baked into cakes, far breton and stuffings
- Puréed to replace some fat in baking
Characteristics
Storage
Cool, dry and dark. Keep sealed in a cool, dry place; refrigerate in hot weather.
Diet, allergens and safety
No major allergens in typical versions.
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Gluten-free
- Nut-free
- Soy-free
- Caffeine-free
Nutrition per 100 g
- Energy
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 2.18 g
- Carbohydrate
- 63.88 g
- Fat
- 0.38 g
- Fibre
- 7.1 g
- Sugars
- 38.13 g
USDA FoodData Central: Plums, dried (prunes), uncooked.
Substitutes
Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.
- Dates — In baking and braises; sweeter, reduce added sugar.
Related ingredients
Recipes with prunes
Cock-a-leekie
British · 2 h · 390 kcal
Ghapama
Armenian · 2 h 30 min · 314 kcal · VegetarianKerala plum cake (alcohol-free)
Indian · 12 h 45 min · 252 kcal · Contains eggPašticada
Croatian · 16 h 10 min · 516 kcal
Piti
Azerbaijani · 3 h 45 min · 644 kcal
Shah plov
Azerbaijani · 3 h 20 min · 631 kcal
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