Fresh Figs, Three Ways
Next time you see fresh figs at the grocery store or Farmer's Market, buy a container or two and try these recipes, prepared three different and delicious ways.
I used to hate fresh figs. To me, they fell into an unpleasant category of squishiness alongside the likes of papaya, under-cooked eggs and sponge-like mushrooms.
At restaurant a few years back I was presented a beautiful little appetizer of toasted baguette with a little piece of fig and a chunk of soft cheese and a drizzle of local honey. My life was forever changed :) These are a seasonal wonder, full of flavor with a luscious, jammy texture. They are so good, and here are a few of my favorite ways to eat them:
In a simple cheese plate with greens, toasted hazelnuts, flaky sea salt, honey and olive oil
As an easy yogurt bowl with granola, blueberries and honey. So good for breakfast.
As an appetizer or light lunch of toasted sourdough bread with soft cheese, fresh thyme, pistachios and honey. Honestly, I'd love to eat this anytime.
For full details and descriptions on the recipes and ingredients, please scroll to the recipe card below.
Fig Recipe #1
The ingredients you'll need to make a fig and cheese plate are:
Greens: A handful of organic green lettuces and also flat leaf (Italian) parsley
Figs: Fresh Mission variety, quartered and scattered on the plate
Hazelnuts: Toasted and chopped (and salted!)
Cheese: Manchego or other semi-hard cheese like Fontina, Gruyere or even Parmesan
Honey: For liberal drizzling
Olive oil: A full flavored fruity variety, if possible
Flaky Sea Salt: Always and forever
To assemble your plate:
Place the greens on a plate or platter
Add the cheese and sliced figs
Sprinkle with sea salt, fresh parsley and hazelnuts
Drizzle with honey and olive oil
Fig Recipe #2
Seriously, is there anything better than fresh fruit, yogurt and a little crumble of granola? I've been known to eat this more than once in a day. It's like, addicting.
Ingredients:
Yogurt: Any flavor, but I recommend plain or vanilla to let the fresh fruit shine through.
Figs and Blueberries: Just a little of each.
Granola: A few sprinklings, tucked here and there for satisfying crunchiness.
Honey: To make things just a little sweeter.
Be sure to check out the full recipe card below for details on all these preparations. For a Yogurt and Granola Bowl:
Place the yogurt in a small bowl
Add the granola
Add the sliced fresh figs and blueberries on top
Drizzle with honey
This is a really delicious bowl to eat in the afternoon for a snack, or for breakfast. Easy, too!
Fig Recipe #3
Okay, every time I serve these, I get asked for the "recipe". No one can believe it's so simple!
Here's the ingredients you'll need:
Sourdough & Olive Oil: Use any artisan-style rustic bread, drizzled with olive oil and toasted
Cream Cheese: Softened for easy spreading on the warm toast
Figs: Of course :)
Pistachios: For crunch and flavor
Thyme, Salt and Honey: For sprinkling and drizzling
How to Make it:
Slice the bread, drizzle with olive oil, then toast it under the broiler until lightly golden brown.
Slather on some cream cheese.
Add the sliced fresh figs on top.
Sprinkle with crushed pistachios, thyme, and flaky sea salt.
Drizzle with honey and enjoy!
TIPS & Substitutions
You really need to taste fresh figs to experience them for yourself, but if you don't want to commit to buying a whole basket, most grocery stores or Farmer's Market's will gladly give you a sample if you ask nicely. :) You can also add figs to almost any kind of charcuterie board. Slice a few, and leave a few whole for a pretty presentation.
Here's some possible substitutions:
Use peach or vanilla Greek yogurt in the Yogurt & Granola Bowl
Try plant-based yogurt's too (I love plain)
Try other cheeses for the plate, like Gruyere or Fontina or even Parmesan
No pistachios? Try toasted almonds instead!
Varieties of Figs and Tips for Buying
Figs have a mysterious, almost savory quality, and they aren't too sweet or too tart. They are:
Sweet, with a rich flavor and soft texture
A pulpy flesh that's similar to jam
Beware! of unripe figs! which are dry! and rubbery!!! Be sure to select a basket where the figs are mostly firm and smooth.
There are hundreds of varieties of figs, but the most common and readily available are Black Mission (shown in the container above. Don't shy away from other types if you see them at the Farmers Market or grocery store:
Brown Turkey
Sierra
Calimyrna
King
Kadota
I've eaten figs straight from the container, but you should gently rinse and dry them, trim the stem and very bottom with a sharp knife and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I store fresh figs?
Fresh figs are pretty fragile and bruise easily, and should be stored in the refrigerator. Just gently rinse them off and trim the ends before use.
How long will fresh figs last before using?
Figs will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator if they were firm when you purchased them.
Fresh Figs, Three Ways
A Fig & Cheese Plate, Yogurt & Granola Bowl and Fig Toast, three easy ideas!
5 from 16 votes
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 1
Calories: 1812kcal
Author: Paige
Ingredients
▢ FIG & CHEESE PLATE
▢ 1 cup Greens, organic
▢ 4 slices Manchego cheese
▢ 4 Fresh Figs, sliced lengthwise
▢ 1 tsp Flaky sea salt
▢ 1 tbsp. Flat leaf Parsley, fresh
▢ 1 tbsp Hazelnuts, chopped
▢ 1 tbsp Olive Oil
▢ 1 tbsp Honey
▢ YOGURT & GRANOLA BOWL
▢ 1/2 cup Yogurt, any flavor
▢ 1/4 cup Granola, any variety
▢ 4 Fresh Figs, quartered
▢ 1/4 cup Blueberries, fresh
▢ 1 tsp Honey (optional)
▢ FIG TOAST
▢ 1 Slice Sourdough or artisan bread, toasted
▢ 1 tsp Olive oil
▢ 1 1/2 tbsp Cream Cheese, softened
▢ 4 Fresh figs, sliced
▢ 1 tbsp Pistachios, chopped
▢ 1 tsp Thyme, fresh
▢ 1/4 tsp Flaky Sea Salt
▢ 1 tsp Honey
Instructions
FIG AND CHEESE PLATE
Place the greens on a plate or platter
Add the sliced cheese and fresh figs
Sprinkle with sea salt, fresh parsley, chopped hazelnuts
Drizzle with honey and olive oil
YOGURT & GRANOLA BOWL
Place yogurt in a small bowl
Add the granola
Add the fresh figs and blueberries
Drizzle with honey
FIG TOAST
Slice the bread 1/2 " thick and drizzle with olive oil
Toast under the broiler until lightly brown on edges and slightly in the middle
Remove from broiler and smear cream cheese on the warm bread
Place some sliced fresh figs on top
Sprinkle with pistachios, thyme, sea salt
Drizzle with honey
Notes
Use plain or vanilla yogurt in the Yogurt & Granola Bowl
Try vanilla plant-based yogurt for a change too!
Use other cheeses for the plate, like Gruyere or Fontina
Use toasted almonds instead of pistachios on the Fig Toast
Note: The nutrition facts are for a total for one serving of each preparation of easy fresh fig recipes shown, or 3 servings total (one serving of each preparation.