Fig Salad with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette

This salad is one for the books: easy, tasty, packed with nutrition, and look how gooooorgeous it is!

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• The Best Fig Salad
• Ingredients 
• How to Make A Fig Salad with Goat Cheese
• Simple Fig Salad with Goat Cheese

The Best Fig Salad

It looks amazing. It tastes even better. This Fig Salad is an explosion of colors, flavor, and textures in every bite! Serve it as a light summer dinner, a healthy side dish, or when you want to wow your guests. It’s always a hit!

The sweetness of figs combined with the tanginess of creamy goat cheese, fresh greens, and a flavorful homemade dressing is like, hey, we have something truly epic going on here, guys!

This fig salad is not just super tasty, fresh, and packed with tons of nutrition, it’s ALSO ridiculously easy to make. I mean, a 5-minute recipe that amazes everyone? This is it!

Ingredients 

The fig is the key ingredient here, but let me tell you that the rest of the cast is just as good! Here is what you need grab the measurements below in the recipe card:

• Fresh figs: not too firm, not too mushy. Keep in mind that figs don’t ripe well after being picked from the tree.
• Arugula: baby greens or field greens also work!
• Goat cheese: the perfect cheese for this salad. No goat cheese? Swap it for feta.
• Balsamic Vinaigrette: a tangy dressing that pairs amazingly well with the salad. You can make it at home with my super easy recipe or use your favorite one.

How to Make A Fig Salad with Goat Cheese

This salad is soooo quick and easy to assemble that you don't even need to make anything ahead (but if you do so, don't add the dressing until you serve the salad). Here's the step-by-step:

1. Make the vinaigrette
   If making a balsamic vinaigrette (like in this recipe), combine all the ingredients in a dressing jar or mason jar and refrigerate until ready to use. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.
2. Prep the greens
   Place the arugula or field greens in a large salad bowl. Toss with half of the vinaigrette, 3 tablespoons, to coat the greens.
3. Slice the figs
   Quarter the fresh figs by first cutting of the stems, then slicing them in half and again in quarters. Place them on top of the greens.
4. Add cheese and dressing
   Crumble the goat cheese on top of the salad and drizzle the remaining dressing over the top of the figs and goat cheese for added flavor.

Best Dressing for Fig Salad

For a great flavor balance, tangy dressings like balsamic vinaigrette are the best for meals with sweet ingredients, such as this fig salad. Other great dressing alternatives to drizzle are Champagne Vinaigrette and White Wine Vinaigrette, which are delicious and easy to whip up in 5 minutes!

What Else You Can Add to a Fig Salad 

This fig salad is amazing just as it is, but you can always customize it with your favorite ingredients! Craving more juicy sweetness or some crunchiness? Here are some delicious ideas:

• Pecans
• Sunflower seeds (pepitas)
• Roasted veggies
• Balsamic Roasted Beets
• Purple onions
• Croutons
• Blueberries
• Cranberries
• Green apple
• Pears
• Prosciutto
• Cooked quinoa
• Roasted chickpeas
• Shredded chicken

What to Serve with a Balsamic Fig Salad 

This fresh salad is the perfect quick and easy side to serve with baked salmon, pan-seared chicken breasts, or homemade chicken nuggets. You can also serve it over a rice bowl or pair it with a delicious pulled pork sandwich.