Arugula and fig salad has become a family favorite
We love to make this arugula and fig salad for dinner parties and holiday gatherings. It’s colorful, full of different flavors and textures, and goes well with a range of dishes. I’ve served this with pasta dishes, salmon, chicken, and various vegetarian meals.
Mmmm… fresh figs!
In late summer/early fall, the grocery stores in Austin are fully stocked with varieties of figs that range in color from dark purple to bright green on the outside, to various shades of pink on the inside. They are best when heavy, plump, unblemished, and slightly soft on the outside. Check out this article to learn more about how to choose figs.
Photo Credit: Photo © Patrizia Savarese/Getty Images
How to prep fresh fennel bulb
For this salad, you can marinate the fennel in citrus, olive oil, and salt before adding it to the salad. This slightly softens the fennel and makes it more flavorful. Fennel bulbs are easy to slice if you first trim the stems and fronds from the bulb, cut into quarters, and then thinly slice each quarter. If the stems are juicy and flavorful, they can also be thinly sliced and added to the marinade.
Trim fennel root and stems. Cut in half.
Cut each half in half.
Slice off the hard core from each fennel quarter. Slice thinly.
Aged balsamic vinegar is sweet and less acidic
I recommend using a good quality, aged balsamic vinegar that is less acidic and slightly sweet. I used the Central Market brand Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena from Italy for this recipe. It costs about $16 and can be bought online or in the Austin Central Market stores.
Olive oil options
I used a tangerine-infused olive oil that I happened to have on hand. You can sub a good quality extra virgin olive oil if you can’t find this ingredient.
Seasonal substitutions
Be creative and try substituting seasonal ingredients.
- Sub pomegranate for figs
- Sub mango for oranges
- Sub celery for fennel
- Sub toasted pecans or walnuts for Marcona almonds
Bon appétit!
Fresh Arugula and Fig Salad with Citrus Dressing and Marcona Almonds
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean
Ingredients
- 1 small or 1/2 large fresh fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons orange juice (fresh squeezed)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 cups mixed field greens with baby arugula
- up to 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- up to 2 tablespoons citrus-infused olive oil (or good quality extra-virgin olive oil)
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 6 fresh figs, sliced in quarters
- 1 small avocado, cut into chunks
- slices of 1 orange or 2 clementines
- ¼ cup Marcona almonds (toasted and salted)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together fennel, orange juice, olive oil, and sea salt. Allow fennel to marinate for at least 20 minutes. This step can also be done up to one day ahead, storing the fennel mixture covered in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the salad.
- Rinse and spin dry mixed greens. Spread evenly onto large platter or into large salad bowl.
- Drizzle greens with balsamic vinegar and citrus-infused olive oil. Top greens with marinated fennel, figs, avocado, orange or clementine slices, and Marcona almonds.
Pin it!!
More Salads from Cook Love Heal
Summer Arugula & Nectarine Salad with Lemon White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Southwestern Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing
Baby Arugula Salad with Mixed Berries
