Figs are a versatile ingredient and can be used in savory and sweet dishes alike. Because of their natural sweetness, they work well in desserts but are also a great addition to cheese plates and open-faced sandwiches.
For our fig crostini recipe, use any variety of the fruit and be sure to have good-quality balsamic. With a couple of extra ingredients, you have a beautiful summery appetizer. Check our variations below and play with other combinations.
Ingredients
6 medium fresh figs
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese, or blue cheese, optional
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Slice the baguette in 12 long, thin slices.
Rinse the figs clean and pat them dry. Trim off any excess stem ends and chop.
Place the chopped figs in a medium bowl and toss with the vinegar, pepper, and salt. Let the figs sit for at least 15 minutes at room temperature or up to 1hour covered in the fridge to let flavors blend.
Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush them with olive oil. Toast them lightly for 7 minutes, turning once, until lightly golden.
When you're ready to serve, try the fig mixture and adjust seasoning to taste.
If using goat cheese, spread about 1 tablespoon on each baguette slice and top each with an even amount of the fig mixture. If using blue cheese, place the fig mixture on the crostini and crumble a tablespoon of cheese on top of each crostini.
Serve right away.
Tip
- While the fig mixture can be prepared in advance, and the bread can be toasted ahead of time, for the best results, don't top the crostini until ready to serve to avoid soggy bread.
Recipe Variation
- If you're serving a vegan guest try using a good quality vegan cheese to add to your crostini, like Sharp English Farmhouse from Miyoko's Creamery.
Other Uses for Figs
If you have leftover fig mixture, you can use it in other dishes:
- Toss a salad with arugula, cubed Fuji apples, and the fig mixture. Add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and a touch of balsamic.
- Place the mixture in a small bowl as part of your cheese plate for guests to use as they'd use a fig conserve.
- Soak a cup of cashews overnight and rinse. Blend with a teaspoon of salt until you have a creamy texture. Add a teaspoon of nutritional yeast and a tablespoon of lemon juice to the mixture and blend one last time. Place your fig mixture in a bowl and cover with the cashew cream. Finely chop a cup of baby kale to top the dish.
- On a big piece of toasted bread, big enough to make an open-faced sandwich, spread 2 tablespoons of mascarpone, drizzle with olive oil, and add salt and pepper. Place 3 to 4 slices of prosciutto di Parma on the bread and top with fig mixture. Separately toss 1/2 cup of mixed greens with lemon juice, olive oil, and sea salt, and place on top of the toast.
Selecting Figs
There are hundreds of varieties of figs, but the most common are Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Adriatic, Kadota, and Calimyrna. Fresh figs are available twice a year, with a small harvest in early summer and a larger harvest in late summer or early fall. The second harvest yields figs that are sweeter with thicker skin.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind when selecting figs:
- Make sure they are plump and soft with their stems still on and in good shape, although bent is fine.
- Avoid figs with dry, cracked skin. Because figs are so delicate, it's hard to find a fruit that doesn't have any bruises, however.
- Figs don't ripen once picked, but if you come home with some hard fruit, you can leave them on the counter for a day or two to see if they soften.
- Store in the refrigerator in a single layer and use within a few days.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 340 | Calories |
| 5g | Fat |
| 63g | Carbs |
| 12g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 340 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 5g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat 1g | 5% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 739mg | 32% |
| Total Carbohydrate 63g | 23% |
| Dietary Fiber 3g | 12% |
| Total Sugars 11g | |
| Protein 12g | |
| Vitamin C 1mg | 3% |
| Calcium 69mg | 5% |
| Iron 4mg | 24% |
| Potassium 207mg | 4% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
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