14 Ways to Use Grapes in Salad, Starters, Mains, and More

Once you’re equipped with our guide to grape varieties and have made it to the farmers market or grocery to get your hands on grapes best suited for cooking or baking, you’ll need some recipes. Turn to these grape recipes for inspiration. From toast toppings appetizers to roasted accompaniments for centerpiece proteins to fruity desserts, there are so many ways to savor grapes this fall. Grill Muscats for a grain salad, freeze Cotton Candy grapes for a punchy mochi, or muddle Concords for a flashy gin fizz. Here’s inspiration for getting the most out of grapes on your next menu.

Grilled Grape Tabbouleh with Tahini Sauce

Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Mat Gibilisco

Arrange thick-skinned grapes like Concords, Muscats, or muscadines in a large grill basket to achieve a smoky flavor for pairing with punchy red onions and fresh mint and parsley for this herbaceous salad.

Shaved Celery and Fennel Salad with Pickled Grapes

Marcus Nilsson

Pickle seeded wine grapes or sweet table grapes for just a few hours with a mixture of muscat vinegar, sugar, and salt to add pops of earthy sweetness to this bright celery salad with salt and tang from goat cheese and a dressing made with the reserved grape pickling liquid.

Pollo al Lambrusco (Red Wine Glazed Chicken with Onions and Grapes)

Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Mat Gibilisco

Glaze each half of a whole chicken with a savory Lambrusco reduction infused with herbs and aromatics and then roast the juicy bird to serve over a bed of jammy stewed onions and red seedless grapes in this stunning centerpiece.

Frozen Grape Mochi

Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Mat Gibilisco

This pastry project is worth the effort: Pairing sweet and fruity frozen Cotton Candy grapes with a creamy tangy mousse in tender mochi dough colored green with matcha.

Grape, Walnut, and Labneh Crostini with Spicy Honey

Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis

Roast red seedless grapes to top toasted sourdough slices along with creamy and tart labneh, toasted walnuts, and a drizzle of hot honey, for this effortlessly elegant appetizer.

Grape Mostarda and Prosciutto Panini

Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Mat Gibilisco

Stew seedless red grapes to slowly concentrate their flavor which will ultimately balance the sharp aged cheddar and pungent blue cheese in this sandwich with cured ham on buttery toasted bread.

Moscato Pound Cake with Grape Glaze

Photo by Jessica Pettway / Food Styling by Micah Morton / Prop Styling by Paola Andrea

Seek out freeze-dried red grapes to bring vibrant color to this bright glaze that enlivens a light, tender cake.

Grape-Margarita Paletas

Photo by Johnny Autry / Food and Prop Styling by Charlotte Autry

Puree and roast seedless red grapes to develop a concentrated, caramelized flavor, paired with Blanco tequila in this grown-up treat.

Sbrisolona (Italian Almond Tart) with Roasted Red Grapes and Champagne Sabayon

Frederick Hardy II / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Shell Royster

Italy’s rustic almond tart, whose name means “crumble cake,” is like a giant cookie broken into pieces. Chef Suzanne Goin serves it alongside seedless red grapes that are roasted with salt, sugar, and grapeseed oil to intensify their flavor and texture.

Concord Grape Gin Fizz

Muddle Concord grapes to shake with Concord grape juice, gin, port, lemon juice, egg white, and sugar for this frothy, fruity, flashy cocktail.

Ricotta and Roasted Grape Crostini

Concentrate the sweetness of seedless green and black grapes by roasting the fruit with vinegar, rosemary sprigs, and olive oil. Then top baguette slices with ricotta, the warm grapes, roasted pine nuts, a drizzle of honey, and lemon zest for another fruity fall appetizer.

Concord Grape Granita

Infuse Concord grape juice with sugar syrup for this sweet, tangy, and vibrant frozen treat.

Warm Ricotta with Roasted Grapes

Toss red seedless grapes with shallot, olive oil, salt, and pepper before roasting for a juicy, sweet complement to baked ricotta served warm with thyme.