Fig Salad with Bitter Greens and Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette

With fig season in full swing, I’m thrilled to share my latest favorite recipe: a vibrant fig salad perfect for late summer and fall. This salad combines a mix of nourishing bitter greens, tangy blue cheese, and crunchy roasted hazelnuts, all brought together with a bright lemon-honey vinaigrette.

Whether you’re preparing a simple side dish for everyday meals or a show-stopping salad for larger gatherings, this fig salad is as delicious as it is healthy.

The Bitter, The Better

Bitter greens are my go-to base for most salads. While their strong flavor isn’t for everyone, I love the distinct taste and the many health benefits they offer. Bitter greens are a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, and for good reason.

As noted in Bitter Is Better: Wild Greens Used in the Blue Zone of Ikaria, Greece, “Many of the Mediterranean diet staple foods are characterized by bitterness or pungency, or both, and studies at the molecular level have established a link between compounds with these sensory properties and some of their beneficial effects on health.”

These greens are packed with nutrients, providing a rich source of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. They’re especially beneficial for gut and liver health.

For this fig salad, I enjoy using a blend of arugula, mâche, and either radicchio or endives. If you’re lucky, you might find an Italian Salad Mix at your grocery store, which also works beautifully. Frisée, also known as curly endive, is another excellent choice for this salad, though it can be harder to find than the other greens.

Pairing bitter greens with figs creates a perfect balance of flavors. The natural sweetness of figs complements the bitterness of the greens, making for a harmonious and nutritious combination. Figs themselves are nutritional powerhouses, offering potassium, calcium, vitamins A and C, and magnesium. They’re also an excellent source of prebiotics.

And here’s a fun fact: figs aren’t actually fruits—they’re flowers!

Ingredients

For the Vinaigrette:

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon raw honey (preferably local, or Manuka)
• A pinch of salt
• A pinch of freshly ground black pepper

For the Salad:

• 4 generous handfuls of bitter salad greens (such as arugula, radicchio, mâche, frisée, or endives)
• 4 large fresh figs (use more if figs are smaller)
• 40 grams Gorgonzola or another South European blue cheese (goat cheese is a good alternative)
• 50 grams roasted hazelnuts, skins removed and roughly chopped

Instructions

A Quick Tip on Hazelnuts: You can use store-bought dry-roasted and peeled hazelnuts, or easily roast them at home. To do this, preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C) and spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet. Roast for about 10 minutes, then let them cool. Once cooled, rub the hazelnuts in a dry towel to remove the skins.

Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a small jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt, and pepper. Seal the jar and shake vigorously until the mixture emulsifies. Set aside.

Assemble the Salad: On a serving platter, arrange the washed and dried salad greens.

Add Toppings: Cut the figs into wedges and scatter them over the greens. Crumble the Gorgonzola (or cheese of choice) over the salad, followed by the chopped roasted hazelnuts.

Dress and Serve: Just before serving, drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette. Toss gently to combine if desired. Enjoy!

More Mediterranean Inspired, Healthy, and Delicious Salads

We love serving bright, nutritious, and tasty salads with our meals. These are some of my favorite Mediterranean-inspired salad recipes; I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

• Tomato Feta Salad with Microgreens
• Easy Cucumber Avocado Salad with Cilantro
• The Ultimate Carrot Salad (With Hemp Hearts, Parsley and Mint)
• Raw Fennel Salad with Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette
• Bistro Salad with Crispy Prosciutto and Pistachios
• Fattoush Salad (Gluten-Free and Lectin-Light)
• Kale and Romaine Salad with Avocado and Sesame Salt

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