Fig Salad With Pomegranate Seeds & Balsamic Dressing
This pretty fig salad with pomegranates and balsamic dressing is a festive addition to any dinner party or holiday event. Ready in 20 minutes.
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings (change as needed): 4
- 10 ounces spring mix lettuce for 4 people
- 6 fresh figs, stems removed, sliced into quarters or eighths. (dried figs can be used if necessary)
- 1 pomegranate (to get 1/4 cup/40 grams or more seeds)
- 1 avocado, peeled, cubed into 1 inch/2.5 cm pieces (toss with 1 teaspoon lemon juice to prevent browning if not serving right away)
- 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (optional) firm ricotta is milder and ok too.
Balsamic Dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoon good balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1 clove
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper to taste
EXTRACT POMEGRANATE SEEDS: Roll pomegranate on counter to loosen seeds. Cut pomegranate in half. Taking the first half, hold pomegranate, seed side down, over a bowl. Smack the outside with a wooden spoon (hard!) to release the seeds. Repeat with the other half. Note 1 for alternative way to extract seeds.
MAKE BALSAMIC DRESSING: Place all dressing ingredients in a lidded container. Shake until blended. Alternatively, whisk ingredients together until well blended.
ASSEMBLE SALAD: Place lettuce in a large, shallow serving bowl. Top with figs, avocado (if using), goat cheese (if using) and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle on dressing just before serving.
- Alternative way to extract pomegranate seeds: Here's another way to extract seeds from Cooks Illustrated.
- Variations:
- Use firm ricotta instead of goat cheese
- Use other types of vinaigrette dressing such as poppy seed or orange vinaigrette.
- Add crushed roasted nuts for extra crunch.
- Omit the avocado and goat cheese and keep it simple.
- Make Ahead: The salad can be assembled ahead of time and kept covered in the fridge for a few hours. If using avocados, be sure to sprinkle them with a bit of lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Or, better yet, cut them just before serving. Add the balsamic dressing just before serving. Pomegranate seeds can be extracted days ahead. The balsamic dressing can also be made ahead can be stored ahead as well.
- How to Store Pomegranate Seeds: Pomegranate arils (seeds) can be extracted 4-5 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or zippered bag. They can also be frozen by laying them on a parchment lined pan, freezing them for an hour, then transferring them to a sealed container or bag.
Nutrition values are estimate and include the avocado, pomegranate seeds, goat cheese and dressing.
Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 362mg | Potassium: 633mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 6500IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 2mg