Natural form

Whole nectarines showing smooth, fuzz-free skin with deep red-orange blush.

Establishes the defining visual trait — smooth skin with vivid blush coloring — that distinguishes nectarines from peaches at a glance.

Produce

Nectarine

Smooth-skinned stone fruit, like a peach without fuzz, eaten fresh or grilled.

The nectarine is a smooth-skinned variety of peach with firm, juicy, sweet-tart flesh and no fuzz. It is eaten fresh, sliced into salads, grilled, or baked into tarts, crisps, and galettes. Both yellow-fleshed and white-fleshed types exist, and the fruit may be clingstone or freestone.

Nectarine is a variety of peach (Prunus persica var. nucipersica) distinguished by smooth skin rather than fuzz, the result of a recessive gene. The smooth skin offers a practical advantage over peaches for presentation purposes and makes the fruit easier to handle in the kitchen, though it also makes nectarines slightly more prone to bruising and more susceptible to brown rot during storage. The flavor profile matches the classic peach—sweet-tart, juicy, and aromatic—with flesh that ranges from firm and tangy in yellow varieties to honey-sweet and tender in white varieties. Nectarines cross-breed easily with peaches, meaning a tree grown from a peach pit may produce nectarines and vice versa. The fruit's name likely derives from "nectar," the mythological drink of the gods, a fitting tribute to its concentrated sweetness when fully ripe. Nearly all commercial nectarines in the United States are clingstone varieties grown for fresh market, while freestone varieties are primarily for home gardens and processing.

Measured in: piece
Storage: Fridge

Types & varieties

Yellow Nectarines

Firm, tangy-sweet flesh; freestone varieties like 'Fantasia,' 'Gold Mine,' and 'Flavortop' hold shape well for grilling and baking; most common commercial type

White Nectarines

Lower acidity with honey-sweet flavor; varieties include 'Arctic Jay,' 'Snow King,' 'White Sun'; softer, more delicate texture makes them best eaten fresh rather than cooked

Donut/Peento Nectarines

Distinctive flattened shape; available in white or yellow; very sweet with concentrated flavor; delicate skin bruises easily; increasingly found at farmers' markets

Common uses

Fresh eating out of hand or sliced in fruit saladsGrilling or broiling to caramelize natural sugars and create char marksBaking in tarts, galettes, crisps, and piesMaking preserves, jams, and conservesHalved and stuffed with cheese or prosciutto as an appetizerThinly sliced in salads with arugula, basil, and balsamic vinaigrettePoaching in wine or syrup for elegant dessertsFrozen for smoothies, granita, or sorbet

Tips & pitfalls

Select nectarines that give slightly to palm pressure at the shoulder; avoid fruit with green patches indicating underripeness or wrinkled skin signaling overripeness
Ripen firm nectarines at room temperature in a single layer, never stacked, to prevent bruising of the smooth skin
Refrigerate only fully ripe nectarines; cold temperatures irreversibly damage underripe fruit, leaving it hard and flavorless
Wash fruit immediately before eating, not before storage, because surface moisture accelerates spoilage
For grilling, halve and remove the pit, then grill cut-side down 2–3 minutes until caramelized; resist moving the fruit until ready to flip
When baking, choose slightly underripe specimens for better structure retention; overripe nectarines collapse into mushy filling
Blanch briefly in boiling water and shock in ice water to slip off skins cleanly for tarts, jams, or any recipe requiring skinless fruit
To freeze, arrange sliced nectarines on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to freezer bags; thawed texture softens considerably, making frozen fruit best for smoothies and baked goods where structure matters less
The flesh oxidizes and browns slowly when exposed to air; a squeeze of lemon juice delays this if you're prepping ahead

Nutrition

44kcal

Energy

184 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 9%Carbs 86%Fat 6%

Protein

1.1g

2% DV

Carbs

10.6g

4% DV

Fat

0.3g

0% DV

Fiber

1.7g

6% DV

Sugars

7.9g

of which

Sodium

0mg

0% DV

Notable micronutrients

Niacin (B3)7% DV

Vitamin C6% DV

Vitamin E5% DV

Potassium4% DV

Thiamin (B1)3% DV

Vitamin A2% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Nectarines, raw

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In the shops

Matched grocery products

No matched grocery products for Nectarine yet.

Good to know

Scientific Name: Prunus persica var. nucipersica (subsp. persica)
Origin: China; natural mutation of peach; California commercial production began early 20th century
Peak Season: Late June through August (Northern Hemisphere)
Primary Producers: China (world's largest), United States (California produces 95% of US crop), Italy, Spain, Greece
Flesh Type: Freestone (flesh separates easily from pit) or Clingstone (flesh adheres to pit)
Color: Yellow-fleshed (most common, tangy-sweet) or white-fleshed (sweeter, lower acid)
pH Range: 3.4–4.0 (moderately acidic)
Sugar Content: 10–15° Brix when ripe
Shelf Life: Unripe: 2–3 days room temperature; Ripe: up to 5 days refrigerated

Substitutes

Peach — Nearly identical flavor and texture; peaches have fuzz but this doesn't affect cooked applications; use 1:1 ratio in any preparation
Plum — Tarter and firmer with different textural qualities; acceptable in desserts, salads, and jams; freestone vs. clingstone distinction means different pit-removal technique
Apricot — Smaller and more acidic; works in preserves and baked goods; reduce quantity by one-third due to size difference
Blood Orange Segments — Provides color contrast in fresh salads; flavor is more citrus-forward and less sweet; acceptable when nectarines are out of season

Pairs with

VanillaAlmondsCream Basil Balsamic Vinegar Prosciutto Goat Cheese Ginger Cardamom Champagne

Also called

Nectarines