Tomato, Fresh Fig and Blue Cheese Salad

By Melissa Clark

Tomato, Fresh Fig and Blue Cheese Salad
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(1,019)
Comments
Read comments

Whether you get them from your backyard garden or the local farmers' market, tomatoes are one of summer’s sweetest staples. In the kitchen, one of the best things a cook can do with a surfeit of ripe summer tomatoes is not to cook them. With such tasty beauties available (and given the tomato-pleasing heat), salads make more sense. Start simply by slicing big tomatoes into rounds and cutting smaller ones into wedges and the cherry and grape varieties in half. Very gently toss them with fresh herbs, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and good salt. Use whatever you’ve got to hand to dress up the pile. Here, we’ve used some crumbled blue cheese for tang, fresh figs for sweetness and a sprinkle of toasted pine nuts for crunch.

Featured in: Never Say ‘No’ to a Tomato Vine

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • ¼teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3tablespoons pine nuts
  • 1large or 2 small ripe tomatoes, about 8 ounces, thinly sliced
  • ½pound fresh figs, cut into quarters
  • 1ounce crumbled blue cheese, like Fourme d’Ambert, more to taste
  • 1teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • Black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

238 calories; 20 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 230 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and salt. Whisk in oil.

  2. Step 2

    In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast pine nuts, shaking the pan occasionally, until light golden, about 2 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Spread tomato slices on a large plate. Scatter fig quarters and pine nuts over tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and thyme, drizzle with dressing and finish with pepper.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
1,019 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Nonorexia

Try soaking the figs for a few hours in warm water with juice of 1/2 lemon. They become very soft and taste like fresh!

Tommy

If you don't make this you will miss a taste bomb. I will try it with dry figs when fresh are gone. Stick to the recipe . All the same ,my wife added some mozzarella I made that morning.Wouldn't hurt.

Andrea

Figs spoil very fast so buy them the day you need them. Salad dressing is delicious.

MG

Delicious. I replaced blue cheese with buffalo and added oven dried prosciutto bits and torn basil. It made a scrumptious appetizer and if we did not have guests, a fantastic dinner for my husband and I. I used more tomatoes and less figs and I think the resulting flavors were both balanced and commentary of each other.

GreenSage2080

We are overrun with both tomatoes and figs at the this point in the summer. So, this is the perfect recipe for a summer dinner. Added a bit of fresh basil. Served the salad with grilled salmon. Perfecto!

Jackie

Yummy. The blue cheese really makes this dish. Don’t leave it out!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.