15 Ways To Use Canned Peaches
Fresh peaches are hard to come buy when they're not in season — and they're expensive, to boot. The solution? Canned peaches! They're cheaper than fresh, and some convincing arguments have been made that they are just as good for you. Maybe most importantly, however, is that there are an endless number of ways to use them. As a low-acid food, conventionally canned peaches have a shelf life of two to five years, and 18 months for ones you make yourself. You might as well stock up on canned peaches the next time they go on sale since they won't be going bad anytime soon.
By using canned peaches, you can save yourself the time and energy of having to blanch and peel fresh peaches for many recipes because all of that has been done for you. It doesn't matter what type of canned peaches you have on hand — slices, halves, chunks, with or without syrup — they're all kitchen MVPs that can be used interchangeably. If you've been eating peaches straight from the can your entire life, get ready to expand your culinary horizons.
Combine with cake mix to make canned peach cobbler
Making fruit cobbler with canned fruit, like peaches, reduces the hands-on prep time spent in the kitchen. When preparing a traditional peach cobbler, each peach has to be painstakingly blanched, peeled, sliced, and cooked down before you can even start on the topping. Using a can of sliced peaches mimics this time-intensive process and delivers nearly the same flavor and texture to your cobbler. Using a flavored can of peaches, such as the raspberry variety offered by Del Monte, allows savvy bakers to bring a multitude of fruit flavors to their baked goods without springing for extra fruit.
To make your life even easier, top the canned peaches with a box of your favorite yellow cake mix and add a sprinkle of cinnamon to taste. Place a few pats of butter around the dry cake mix layer, then bake to golden brown perfection. Canned peach cobbler is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. If you have store-bought salted caramel sauce on hand, go ahead and drizzle it over the cobbler for an even more decadent bite.
Add a summertime spin to your favorite cocktails
Canned peaches do double duty when it comes to infusing cocktails with summertime flavor since both the actual peaches and the syrup they're packed in can be added to your favorite adult beverage. The soft and silky texture of canned peaches makes them ideal for muddling with simple syrup to create a quick peach syrup. Normally, you'd need to cook fresh peaches in the sugar water mixture to flavor it, but using canned peaches lets you skip that step. Canned peaches pair especially well with whiskey-based cocktails, like a whiskey smash, as well as anything with bubbles, like a peach bellini.
If you've already eaten the peaches from the can (oops), replace the simple syrup in any cocktail recipe with the peach syrup left at the bottom of the can. The canned peach syrup is flavor gold and once again saves you the effort of making a peach-infused simple syrup from scratch.
Flavor your morning yogurt
Instead of buying peach-flavored yogurt at the grocery store, try making it yourself using canned peaches. For a chunkier "homemade" peach yogurt, smash a couple of canned peach slices in the bottom of your cereal bowl using the back of a fork (peach halves and chunks also work well for this). When the peaches are smooth enough for you, add as much yogurt as you like to the bowl and stir everything together. Voilá. Instant peach yogurt.
For a smoother flavored yogurt, dump the canned peaches (syrup and all) into the bowl of a food processor or the canister of a blender. Blend until smooth and stir 2 to 3 tablespoons into a portion of yogurt.
To take your breakfast concoction into the peach crisp territory, sprinkle the DIY peach-flavored yogurt with a handful of granola and top with a generous amount of ground cinnamon. Who knew plain yogurt could taste this good?
Make homemade peach butter
Making homemade peach butter is as simple as cooking down a mixture of peaches, sugar, and lemon juice until thick and spreadable. Using canned peaches cuts down the prep time for this recipe since there's no need to blanch and peel them before cooking.
Canned peaches packed in their juice (i.e. no sugar added) work best in peach butter since granulated sugar is added to the recipe for sweetness. If you only have canned peaches packed in syrup, drain and rinse them well before cooking down.
One standard-size, 15.25-ounce can of peaches equals roughly three to four fresh peaches, so it's easy to convert a recipe from fresh to canned. Feel free to use chunks, slices, or halves. Recipes for slow cooker peach butter abound, but it can also be made on the stovetop, so choose whichever cooking method is best for you. Once completely cool, spread over toast or bagels, stir into yogurt, or enjoy with ice cream.
Pair with store-bought pie dough to make a galette
For a shortcut peach galette that tastes homemade, roll out your favorite store-bought pie dough into a ¼-inch thick circle and arrange canned peach slices evenly over top. Leave about an inch of free space so the edges of the pie dough can be folded over the peaches before baking.
If you're using peach slices packed in syrup, the peach galette filling will likely be sweet enough as is. However, if you're using peaches cut and packed in juice, you might want to toss them with a spoonful of sugar before arranging on the pie dough. Take care to drain and pat the peach slices dry so no excess moisture seeps into the pie dough and makes it soggy. Top with a sprinkle of cinnamon for added flavor, fold the edges of the pie dough over the peach filling and then bake until the crust is golden.
Serve your semi-homemade peach galette warm or at room temperature. A dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream would be a welcome addition to the dessert.
Use as a pizza topping
Ditch the pineapple and add canned peach slices to your next pizza for a sweet and savory flavor combination that will have you reaching for another slice. Sweet, juicy peaches pair especially well with stronger-tasting cheeses like Gorgonzola, Gruyère, and Asiago. You can also pair the peaches with rich and creamy cheeses like goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, and ricotta for added texture. Other pizza toppings that pair well with peaches include cooked bacon, ham, and prosciutto. Peppery arugula and fragrant fresh herbs such as basil also work on a peach pizza. Really, any topping that plays off of the sweet and savory angle would make for a delicious pizza experiment.
If you need more inspiration, use this grilled peach and Gorgonzola pizza recipe as a jumping-off point. When topping a pizza with canned peaches, drain them well, and pat dry with a clean paper towel to avoid making the crust soggy.
Make a canned peach salsa
Peach salsa can be made sweet or savory, depending on how you plan on serving it. It is a fast and budget-friendly recipe hack that's especially great for last-minute potlucks, barbecues, and get-togethers. Whether your salsa is sweet or savory, it can be assembled up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve. For a savory peach salsa recipe that's spicy and sweet, combine a can of drained peach chunks with finely chopped bell pepper (any color), red onion, garlic, and fresh cilantro. Toss to combine, then finish with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkle of salt. Peach salsa can be spooned over grilled pork belly, shrimp or pork tacos, tilapia, and more.
To make a dessert peach salsa, combine a can of drained peach chunks with finely chopped strawberries, apples, kiwi, and any other in-season fruit you like. Dessert salsa is essentially a more finely diced version of fruit salad, and the fruit flavor pairings are endless. Serve the dessert peach salsa with cinnamon sugar tortilla chips, or layer with vanilla pudding or yogurt to create parfaits.
Spoon over vanilla ice cream
Vanilla ice cream is the perfect blank canvas for all kinds of toppings, and canned peaches are bound to become a new favorite. Drizzle the syrup from the can of peaches over the ice cream just like you would chocolate sauce or caramel, then add a few spoonfuls of peaches to the bowl to finish the dessert. Peach chunks are easiest to eat with a spoonful of ice cream, but slices or halves may also be used. For a loaded ice cream sundae, add extra toppings like sprinkles, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, granola, or other canned fruits.
If you're feeling adventurous, swap out the vanilla ice cream for another flavor, such as chocolate, butter pecan, or salted caramel. You could even use a fruit sorbet or frozen yogurt as the base — any ice cream you'd pair with peach cobbler would work. And, of course, vegan or dairy-free versions will work just as well.
Blend into your morning smoothie
Canned peaches are a flavorful addition to any morning smoothie. You can either add the peaches straight from the can (syrup and all) like you would any fresh fruit, or you can first transfer them to a freezer-safe container and freeze them before using. Freezing the canned peaches before blending makes for a thicker, creamier smoothie.
As you would with any fresh fruit smoothie, you should mix and match the ingredients. You can prepare a classic peach smoothie, or you can pair the peaches with fruits like strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, and mango — canned, fresh, or frozen may all be used. Make the smoothie more filling by adding a scoop of protein powder, oats, Greek yogurt, or your favorite nut or seed butter. If you wind up with leftovers, transfer the smoothie mixture to a freezer-safe container and freeze until ready to drink. Place the frozen smoothie on the counter first thing in the morning; it will thaw while you're getting ready for the day ahead.
Mix with vodka to make peach-flavored vodka
To create a simple peach-flavored vodka at home, combine 2 cups of vodka with one can of peaches that's been drained well. Transfer the mixture to an airtight container or jar and refrigerate for one week to infuse the vodka with sweet peach flavor. After a week, pour the flavored vodka through a fine mesh sieve to remove the peaches. The boozy peaches can be thrown away, eaten as is, or added to your favorite cocktails.
The peach-flavored vodka should be stored in the fridge to extend its shelf life. Use it in your favorite vodka cocktails, including spiked lemonades, vodka gimlets, vodka tonics, and Cosmopolitans. Pretty much any vodka cocktail that already contains notes of lemon, lime, grapefruit, or orange could be made with peach vodka. Just keep in mind that the homemade peach vodka will likely be sweeter than the store-bought stuff, so you might need to use less simple syrup or fruit juice than a recipe calls for.
Amp up your favorite barbecue sauce
For a barbecue sauce that will have people wondering what that "extra something" in the sauce is, blend together one can of drained peaches and 1 cup of your favorite sauce. The smoky-sweet barbecue sauce can be brushed over ribs, tossed with pulled pork, slathered atop burgers, and more. Canned peaches with no added sugar work best for this recipe shortcut; if you use peaches packed in syrup, the finished barbecue will likely be too sweet.
However, if you wind up with barbecue sauce that's sweeter than you intended, add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar for acidity or red pepper flakes for some heat. You're welcome to blend the peaches with your favorite store-bought barbecue sauce or go the homemade route. Once the peaches have been added to the BBQ sauce, you'll need to enjoy it within one week, so it's best to make only as much sauce as you need for the recipe you're preparing.
Make DIY peaches and cream oatmeal
Instead of buying packets of instant peaches and cream oatmeal at the grocery store, make your own by combining milk, oats, finely chopped canned peaches, and brown sugar in a saucepan. Cook the oatmeal mixture over medium heat until the oats have softened and the peaches have broken down. For added texture and freshness, top your homemade peaches and cream oatmeal with more canned peaches.
If you're short on time, you can make the oatmeal with instant oats. Instead of cooking the oatmeal on the stove, combine the ingredients in a heat-safe bowl and microwave at 30-second intervals until cooked through and creamy. If you have ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves on hand, add a few dashes to the oatmeal for even more flavor. Homemade flavored oatmeal like this peaches and cream version allows you to control how sweet your morning bowl of oatmeal is — plus, you can add as many peaches as you'd like!
Mix with cottage cheese for a retro breakfast
Until recently, cottage cheese was seen as more of a retro snack that belonged in the 1970s. TikTok and cottage cheese are having a moment; the low-cal, high-protein food is experiencing a major resurgence in popularity. But what's the fun of eating plain cottage cheese? If you're like Richard Nixon, you might prefer your cottage cheese with a little ketchup mixed in (yes, really).
For everyone else, canned peaches are a more crowd-pleasing option. Spoon peach slices, halves, or chunks over a bowl of cottage cheese and top with some of the syrup from the can for extra sweetness. Peaches and cottage cheese are a classic pairing that can be eaten for breakfast, as a snack, or as a healthier dessert. If you're packing cottage cheese for lunch or as an on-the-go snack, spoon the peaches into the bottom of an airtight container or jar before topping with the cottage cheese. This will help prevent the peach juices from soaking into the cottage cheese and making it watery rather than creamy.
Toss with other canned fruits for a simple fruit cocktail
Why buy a canned fruit cocktail when you can make it yourself? To be considered a fruit cocktail, you need to combine the canned peach chunks with canned pears, pineapple, grapes, and cherries. (Technically, you're supposed to follow a certain ingredient ratio, but it's unlikely that anyone will mind if you add the full cans.) For a traditional fruit cocktail, use canned fruit that's been packed in syrup. If you just want to make a regular fruit salad of your design using canned goods, toss the peach chunks with any other fruits you have on hand.
There are so many ways to use canned fruit cocktail, and no one will know if you started with a homemade fruit cocktail instead of a store-bought one. Eat it as is, added to yogurt, spoon it over ice cream, or combine it with cake mix to make a dump cake. You could even mix it with red wine and orange juice to make a big batch of sangria.
Add to your favorite grilled cheese sandwich
Another savory way to use canned peaches is to stuff them into your favorite grilled cheese sandwich. Thinly slice canned peaches so they're about ¼ inch thick, then layer them between two pieces of buttered bread with your favorite cheese and cook in a hot skillet or sandwich maker. Sweet canned peaches pair nicely with sharp white cheddar cheese and tangy sourdough bread, but you may experiment with any bread and cheese combination you like.
Grilled cheese sandwiches work best with canned peaches packed in juice. Drain well, then pat dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. It'd be very difficult to assemble a grilled cheese with peach chunks, so stick to peach slices or halves that you've cut thinly for best results. The grilled cheese is best enjoyed while it's hot and fresh since the peach slices will make the bread soggy over time.