Ground cherries are a versatile fruit that can be used in a variety of dishes, both sweet and savory. Here are some ideas for what to do with ground cherries:
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Eat them raw: Simply peel off the husks and enjoy the delicious golden fruits straight up.
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Make a fruit crisp: Ground cherries make for a fantastic fruit crisp. They work well on their own or paired with another fruit like apples, peaches, or pears.
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Add them to salads: Ground cherries make an excellent addition to salads. They pair exceptionally well with roasted beets and goat cheese. Add some pecans or pepitas, and you’ve got the perfect salad.
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Make salsa: Ground cherry salsa is a delicious and unique twist on traditional salsa. You can also puree them into a salsa verde.
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Bake them into pies and cakes: Ground cherries can be used in a variety of baked goods, including pies, upside-down cakes, and tarts.
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Make jam or preserves: Ground cherries can be turned into a jam or preserves and canned for later use.
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Freeze them: Ground cherries are easily frozen. Simply peel off the husk and store them in a zip lock bag in the freezer.
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Dehydrate them: Ground cherries can be dehydrated like raisins.
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Make a fruit parfait: Take some plain yogurt, toss in some granola, and top it with ground cherries.
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Make a ground cherry cocktail: Muddle together rum, simple syrup, ground cherries, and torn basil leaves, then shake with ice and strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Remember to save some seeds to grow next year’s harvest. Ground cherries can be found in specialty food stores, farmers markets, and some grocery stores. They are usually in season from mid-summer to early fall.
