4 Savory Fresh Fig Recipes You Have to Try for Meatless Monday

fig and goat cheese barley risotto

Fig season is well underway, so take advantage of this early autumn fruit crop. Figs are so fantastically versatile, as they have a very complex floral and honeyed sweetness. When using them in savory dishes, many opt for a pairing with pork, but for Meatless Monday, we have a host of completely vegetarian fig dishes you’ll love. The secret is in finding the right savory pairing to help figs shine, and that’s exactly what we’ve done in assembling these tasty fresh fig recipes.

Goat cheese is the perfect foil for figs’ sweetness in this pearl barley risotto recipe (scroll down for the English version!) Soft goat cheese, parmesan, and white wine all add the umami flavor that allow figs to shine in this savory dish.

fall fruit salad

Image by Emily Monaco

Goat cheese can also work well with figs in this savory fruit salad recipe. In this case, figs aren’t the only sweet component to the dish. Cantaloupe, peaches, and blackberries can also find their place on this plate — basically anything that still looks beautiful on your farmstand stalls! Combine the fresh fruit with a very flavorful extra-virgin olive oil, fresh basil leaves from the garden, and the best goat cheese you can find, and this platter is ready to share.

couscous, figs, halloumi

Couscous, halloumi and fig image via Shutterstock

Halloumi is another cheese that goes very well with figs. This salad is great if you’ve still got the grill outside; the grilled halloumi and fig combination can either be served alone as in this salad, or on top of a cooked grain, such as couscous, for a more complete and filling meal.

Image: Myrtle Glen Farm

If you can find green figs, they’re the perfect contrast to the blackberry base of this pizza recipe. While blackberries and figs might make this recipe sound like a dessert, the caramelized onion sauce definitely kicks it into savory territory. As-is, the recipe is entirely vegan, though you can definitely add a touch of your favorite cheese to the top for even more flavor.

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Fig and goat cheese risotto image via Shutterstock

Emily Monaco is a food and culture writer based in Paris. Her work has been featured in the Wall... More about Emily Monaco

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