5-Minute Fig Balsamic Salad Dressing

Name: 5-Minute Fig Balsamic Salad Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; 1 1/2 tbsp fig jam; 1 tbsp shallot, minced; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp tahini (optional); 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

posted by Alex Aldeborgh, RD on Apr 10, 2023 (last updated 8/15/23) 1 comment »

Jump to Recipe·★★★★★5 from 1 review

This fig balsamic dressing is a simple vinaigrette recipe that is perfectly sweet, tart, and delicious on all kinds of salads. You need just a handful of ingredients to whip up this dressing, including balsamic vinegar, fig jam, and extra virgin olive oil. Ready in 5 minutes, no blending required!

Jar of fig balsamic dressing with a spoon, with a salad and olive oil bottle in the background

As a Registered Dietitian, my number one tip to make eating vegetables more appealing is to add a healthy homemade salad dressing, sauce, or dip. They really transform all kinds of vegetables from boring to exciting!

If you love figs, this fig balsamic vinaigrette dressing is for you!

Fig jam adds figgy flavor and sweetness to a basic balsamic vinaigrette.

Use this homemade salad dressing with your favorite salads, or as a delicious marinade for salmon, tofu, or other proteins.

Fig balsamic dressing takes just five minutes to prepare, with no blender needed. This recipe is vegan, gluten free, dairy free, nut free, and soy free.

Ingredients in fig balsamic dressing

Here is everything you need to make this recipe:

Balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
Fig jam or fig spread
Shallot
Salt
Tahini (optional, for thicker dressing)

Kitchen tools needed

You’ll need a small mixing bowl, a small whisk or fork, measuring spoons, and measuring cups.

More healthy homemade salad dressing recipes: white balsamic vinaigrette, Greek yogurt salad dressing, champagne vinaigrette, feta dill dressing, and honey balsamic vinaigrette.

How to make fig balsamic dressing

This recipe is so easy to make. Just add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl, except the olive oil, and whisk together until combined.
Add the olive oil and whisk vigorously, until the dressing is emulsified.

fig balsamic vinaigrette ingredients in a small mixing bowl — Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl

fig balsamic dressing in a small bowl with a silver mini whisk — Add all the ingredients to a small mixing bowl

This dressing has a little bit of texture due to the fig seeds and shallots.

If you prefer, you can blend the ingredients using an immersion blender, food processor, or regular blender, for a completely smooth dressing.

Storing homemade salad dressing

Since homemade salad dressing does not contain preservatives, it doesn’t stay fresh for as long as a bottle of store bought dressing.

I recommend using this salad dressing within one week of preparing it. Store it in the fridge in a glass jar.

The dressing may thicken up significantly when stored in the fridge, because the extra virgin olive oil may solidify.

If this happens, just let the salad dressing sit out until it comes to room temperature. Or, run the jar under warm water to speed up the process.

hand drizzling fig balsamic dressing over a strawberry salad

Serving suggestions

This salad dressing would be delicious on pretty much any salad! Here are a few recipes it would pair well with:

Additionally, this dressing would be fantastic as a marinade for salmon or tofu!

You can even serve it with a cheese board or charcuterie board with a little spoon to drizzle over cheese and crackers. Fig + cheese is so delicious!

Extra virgin olive oil nutrition & health benefits

This recipe features extra virgin olive oil. This is one of the healthiest oils to consume!

Extra virgin olive oil is rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. Diets high in monounsaturated fat can help lower the “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood, thereby reducing your risk for heart disease and stroke.

Difference between extra virgin olive oil and regular olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil requires less processing than regular olive oil. Therefore, extra virgin olive oil retains beneficial plant compounds such as lignans and flavones – antioxidants that help keep our cells healthy and fight inflammation.

Extra virgin olive oil also has more flavor and aroma than regular olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point than regular olive oil, so it shouldn’t be heated over 400°F. These properties make it ideal for salad dressings.

Let me know if you love this post by leaving a comment or star rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!