Caramelized Figs + Walnuts
Sweet figs caramelized in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar. Topped with a tangy, sweet, citrusy Greek yogurt dressing.
Is there anything more beautiful, more picturesque than a colorful, plump fig slice?! They jazz up charcuterie boards, salads and desserts with ease. And when caramelized with walnuts, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar, and topped with a delectable sweet yogurt dressing, they make a killer dish for summer/fall, when these treats are in season.
The caramelized figs are filling and sweet but not overwhelmingly so, making this dish a good candidate for first course or snack. They could even make a dessert — though you might want to amp up the sugar.
And guys, I am obsessed with this yogurt sauce. It is good. As in, my-keyboard-is-sticky-because-I-wiped-every-last-drop-off-the-plate-good. Very, very good. It’s fantastic on its own and would probably be great on all kinds of fruit and even salads, but it feels extra decadent atop these figs.
Preparing these beauties is super easy too! This is a nine-ingredient recipe, but I bet you have nearly all of the ingredients in your pantry already.
Ingredients
Caramelized figs
- Figs
- Brown sugar
- Walnuts (optional)
- Balsamic vinegar
Sauce
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Lemon
- Honey
- Salt
If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say two-thirds of these ingredients are probably already staples in your pantry!
If you wanted to switch things up a bit here, you might swap the lemon juice used in the dressing for orange or lime.
Tips
Keep a pretty close eye on the brown sugar as it cooks in the pan. You want it to combine with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, but you don’t want it to get too hot and solidify . If you stir somewhat frequently and don’t leave your pan unsupervised, you should be fine.
If the brown sugar mass starts to get a little too sticky and hard, don’t panic! Add a tablespoon or two of water.
See pics below for how that looks, before and after:
Serving
Serve when hot, and be sure to pour the pan sauce on top of the figs. You might garnish with fresh herbs such as basil or mint. Definitely top with a sprinkling of Kosher salt.
Sweet tooth? Try serving these on top of some vanilla bean ice cream! That is totally on my to-do list.
Looking to make this recipe a bit more filling? I spooned some of the figs on top of a crostini baked with white cheddar. Ricotta would be dreamy with these figs too, as would brie, goat cheese, fromage blanc… The sky’s the limit!
Caramelized Figs + Walnuts
Ingredients
Caramelized Figs
- 7 Figs halved
- 3 tbsp. Olive oil
- 2 tbsp. Brown sugar
- ¼ c. walnuts chopped
- 1 tbsp balsamic
Dressing
- 2 tbsp. plain Greek yogurt
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp. honey
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Mix in brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and walnuts, stirring occasionally over the course of a few minutes, until the sugar becomes integrated into the rest of the mixture.NOTE: Keep an eye on the pan while it’s on the heat. If the sugar hardens, briefly remove from heat and add one to two tablespoons of water until the mixture thins out.
- Add figs into pan, face down. Cook for about 5 minutes and add a tablespoon of water to deglaze the pan. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- While the figs are cooking, whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, honey and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Plate figs while hot and top with pan sauce. Drizzle yogurt dressing on figs and serve!
Like this recipe? Share it on social media and tag @FeedTheSoulBlog!
Honolulu girl obsessed with farmers markets, eating, seasonal ingredients, eating, writing and eating. Read more about me here and get new recipes from me every week @feedthesoulblog.
