Arugula Fig Salad with Easy Balsamic Dressing

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This Arugula Fig Salad is a light and fun dish, arugula topped with nutrient dense chickpeas, walnuts and figs. Drizzled with an easy to make balsamic dressing.

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In my opinion, salad should not be a lot of work.

Sure, if you're having a dinner party, maybe you should spend more than 5 minutes on your salad. But for your every day greens, you only need a few minutes for a delicious and nutrient-dense salad.

The good news: you can whip up this Arugula Fig Salad AND the Balsamic dressing in less than 5 minutes.

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Why I love this Arugula Fig Salad

Dietary needs — this salad is plant-based, dairy-free, oil-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free. No weird vegan ingredients, just real whole foods

Quick and easy — the salad is ready in literally 5 minutes; make a quick dressing and then assemble.

Make eating greens taste great — I personally love eating greens like arugula, but not everyone likes to just inhale raw greens. Some walnuts, figs, and chickpeas dress up the greens and give them some sweet and nutty flavors to balance the peppery taste

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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Arugula: this peppery green is a delicious star for the salad. If you don't like arugula or can't find it, use spinach or mixed greens

Chickpeas: you can also use another bean. Edamame would be delicious!

Dried Figs: dried figs are easy to find year round and add an intense sweetness to the salad. If it's fig season and you want to use fresh, go for it! You could also use dried plums.

Walnuts: this mild nut is great raw, but if you want you can toast your walnuts for a few minutes to get a more nutty flavor

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Dressing

Balsamic Vinegar: choose a good quality balsamic for the best taste

Maple Syrup: to add some sweetness to the dressing. You can also use date syrup.

Dijon Mustard

Minced Garlic: a small amount of raw garlic gives the dressing a kick but isn't too strong

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How to make Arugula Fig Salad

Step 1. In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.

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Step 2. Arrange the arugula, chickpeas, figs, and walnuts on a platter. Drizzle with the balsamic dressing. Enjoy!

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Recipe Prayer

Jesus thank you for the seasons, for giving us different foods during each part of the year. We are so thankful for the variety of flavors and choices of ingredients that you give us. Amen.

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Related Recipes

Try these other plant-based salads next:

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Tried this recipe?

Please leave a review in the comments section below. You can also stay in touch with me on social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok or by subscribing to my newsletter.

Arugula Fig Salad with Easy Balsamic Dressing

This Arugula Fig Salad is a light and fun dish, arugula topped with nutrient dense chickpeas, walnuts and figs. Drizzled with an easy to make balsamic dressing.

Author:

Elizabeth

Serves:

2 Prep:

5 min

cook:

0 min

total:

5 min

Print It

Ingredients

4 cups Arugula
1 Cup Chickpeas
4 Whole Dried Figs, halved
1/4 Cup Walnuts

Balsamic Dressing

1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Clove Minced Garlic

Instructions

In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients.
Arrange the arugula, chickpeas, figs, and walnuts on a platter. Drizzle with the balsamic dressing. Enjoy!

Quinoa Chickpea Salad with Cranberries

Welcome to my table! I’m glad you’re here :)
At Elizabeth's Table I bring you easy and nutritious, plant-based recipes, explore the relationship between food and faith, and share my unique lifestyle.

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October 8, 2022

Noam

Just made a half batch of these and they came out really good! I learned I don’t know how to work with melted chocolate yet haha but I got it done!

Hi Noam - Glad you liked these bars! And I feel ya on the chocolate - somehow it is always a messy process. Thanks so much for sharing!

September 5, 2022

Sara

I get most of my recipes from youtube. I would love to see you on there. I didn't see a link for a youtube channel, just wanted to ask to be sure. God bless hon and thanks for this tasty recipe.

Hi Sara - thanks so much for your kind words. I am starting to post more on YouTube (I currently only have a few videos posted) but here's the link to my channel if you'd like to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl2QgTWxlePeiezIu6l_BUg -Elizabeth

August 17, 2022

Katherine

THIS LOOKS DELICIOUS! DID YOU USE FIRE-ROASTED TOMATOES?

Hi Katherine - yes, I did use fire-roasted tomatoes when I photographed this recipe. I don't call for fire roasted in the recipe because it's intended to be a basic, use-in-anything type recipe. But it does taste delicious with the fire roasted tomatoes! -- Elizabeth

August 15, 2022

Cat Lewis

Hello - Is there a way to PIN this recipe? Thanks.

Hi Cat - yes, I just fixed an error on the site. You should be able to see a button above the very first image on the page that will allow you to pin the recipe. Let me know if you're still having trouble.

August 12, 2022

Allison Macfarlane

As someone who has pretty much never successfully scrambled tofu - this was the best scrambled breakfast dish I've ever had - better than eggs and the seasoning is truly delicious!!

Oh, amazing! So glad to hear it went well :) This is definitely one of my favorites - thanks for sharing your kind words! -- Elizabeth

August 4, 2022

Mary Merkelhess

The pesto is lovely! So happy to avoid the cheese and oil.

Hi Mary - So glad you like the pesto! I'm also happy to avoid the cheese and oil :) Thanks so much for your kind words!

July 21, 2022

Debra

I enjoy reading through your recipes and will be trying a few later in the week. I especially like the prayers at the end of each recipe. It reminds me to be grateful God provides me with so many beautiful and nourishing fruits and veggies.

Hi Debra - thank you so much for your kind words! I can't wait to hear how it goes when you try some of the recipes :)

June 22, 2022

Vickie

I really enjoyed this recipe. Fits PERFECTLY in my allergy to foods world. I used Ripple milk and no sugar added SunButter. Was truly surprised at how quickly the recipe came together! Thank you!

Hi Vickie - I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe and that it works with your allergies. Thanks so much for leaving a comment with your kind words!

June 21, 2022

Linda Casados

It's close to my bedtime, but I've been thinking about making this recipe all day, so I made it just now. After all, it only takes 15 minutes! I used what I had, so I made a few minor substitutions...white beans for cannellini, purple basil from my garden, red onion for more color, and date syrup for maple. I took a bite before putting it in the fridge for tomorrow, and oh my! It's delightfully flavorful, light, and fresh-tasting. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

Hi Linda - I'm so glad you liked the recipe - and your substitutions sound great (wish I was growing purple basil in my garden!) Thanks so much for sharing!

June 18, 2022

Carol

Hi, is this ice cream soft to scoop out? I always find my ice creams are hard.

Hi Carol - yes, this ice cream is soft if you let it thaw a few minutes after you take it out from the freezer. It can become pretty solid if it's in a deep freezer, but still thaws quickly on the counter. Hope this helps!

June 18, 2022

Sonia Hope St Claire

thank you for the recipe.

June 13, 2022

Alexandra

I made this pie for my friend who recently discovered she has severe allergies to egg whites, gluten, and dairy. Her favorite pie is sweet potato pie :) She loved it and so did I!

Hi Alexandra - so great to hear from you!! I'm so happy you tried this pie and I'm glad you enjoyed it! It is seriously one of my favorite recipes :) -- Elizabeth

June 7, 2022

Harriett Whited

Love it!!! Wonderful!

Thanks for your feedback! Glad you love this recipe :)

June 7, 2022

Katherine

Hi Elizabeth! I found you by searching for plant based Catholics! There are very few of us! Thank you for your site and sharing recipes!! I look forward to trying these muffins! Can sugar be reduced safely in most of your recipes? -JMJ-

Hi Katherine, Thanks so much for reaching out! Glad to meet another plant-based Catholic - agree, there are so few of us. As for sugar, I never use white granulated sugar in any of my recipes. Most use maple syrup or date sugar/date syrup. I'm not sure if this is what you mean, or if you're asking about reducing the amount of date sugar that the recipe calls for. If that's the case, it really depends on the recipe. A lot of the baking recipes have specific ratios of flour to sugar and wet to dry, so it may not go well if you change the amount of sugar. I hope this helps, but if I didn't answer your question, please let me know. Also happy to advise on a particular recipe if you're looking to change it. Let me know how I can help :) Elizabeth

June 2, 2022

Sharon

Love this vegan lentil/mushroom stew! For some odd reason, I had never thought to put mushrooms into my lentil stew. Thank you for a wonderful addition to my recipe box!

Hi Sharon - I'm so glad you are enjoying this recipe (mushrooms are so good!!). Thank you for taking the time to share :) Elizabeth

May 23, 2022

Geraldine

Hello, I found you on FB and really enjoy your Catholic Plant Based GF information & recipes. About the Chickpea beet burgers: if the beans are dried and not cooked, do you think it is enough cooking for the beans? If beans are not cooked completely I have read they are toxic with phytic acid & also cause digestive problems. I am just wondering and will leave it to you to decide/research. To be safe I am toasting canned garbanzos and trying that way out. God Bless

Hi Geraldine, Thanks so much for reaching out. In the beet burgers, the beans do get cooked when the burgers are cooked. You soak them first and then incorporate the beans into the burger patty, then cook the patty. I find that this is the best way to achieve the proper burger texture - if you use pre-cooked beans or canned beans the burgers are mushy and don't get crisp. Your solution of toasting the beans sounds like a great idea to completely ensure the beans are cooked fully - I hope that it worked for you and your burgers turned out well! -- Elizabeth

May 18, 2022

viki avgen (i am israel)

hi,thank you for the recepie of the banana.Iam diebetik and i would love any recepies without sugar. thank you

Hi Viki - thanks so much for your kind words! Several of my other dessert recipes are only sweetened with fruit - you can find them on my Desserts page. If you have any specific requests, please let me know! -- Elizabeth

April 28, 2022

Jean Mastin

Elizabeth: Thank you so much for making my meal times wonderful again. I am 86 yrs plus, and was finding eating dull and dreary. Now it is " scrum delicious time to eat". . Blessings de Jean

Hi Jean - Thanks so much for your kind words. I'm so glad you are enjoying my recipes. Please let me know if you ever have recipe requests or if there's anything else I can do to keep your meals delicious!

April 9, 2022

Katie

Can you leave nutritional info for your recipes? Serving size/calories would be so helpful! Trying mushroom lentil stew tonight! and looking forward to crispy chickpea stuffed sweet potatoes very soon. Thanks for creating healthy, attractive recipes!

Hi Katie - so excited to hear that you are trying some of my recipes! I'd love to hear how they go. I haven't posted nutritional information for my recipes because I know it can be difficult for some people with disordered eating to see nutrition facts. I've gotten a lot of requests to add them recently, so I'm working on a solution that can provide information for those who want it but not be triggering for others. In the meantime, if you're curious about the nutrient info about a particular recipe, I recommend using Cronometer. It's a website/app to track and understand nutrient info and I think it does a great job of emphasizing all the nutrients (not just macros). I hope this helps! Please let me know if I can help in any other way.

April 9, 2022

Vickey

U mentioned date sugar on this recipe but it’s not in the instructions. I know u add it but just in case u wanna add to instructions. Love ur recipes! Thank u. I’m thinking of going to vegan a little nervous tho lol

Hi Vickey - thanks so much for catching that! I am updating the post now. So happy to hear you enjoy my recipes. And exciting that you are thinking about going vegan!! If there's anything that I can do to help, please let me know.

March 28, 2022

Sr Maureen Egan

I'd love to try this soup. What are the nutritional values, like how much fat does it contain, carbs, etc.

Hi Sr Maureen - I usually don't post macronutrient information because I know each person has their own goals and I don't want to encourage or discourage anyone's specific goals. But I often use Cronometer as a tool to understand the nutritional profile of my recipes. I plugged the ingredient information for this recipe into Cronometer and got the following nutrient information per serving: 521 calories, 44g fat, 23g carbs, 16g protein. I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions and if you try the recipe!

March 26, 2022

Margareta Ahle

This curry is absolutely delicious.

Thank you so much! It's one of my favorites :)

March 23, 2022

Martha maloney

Thank you I have been doing the fruit and oatmeal, etc for years and I love it. I will try the pears. I refrigerate my left over oatmeal and with a touch of milk or fruit juice liquid it’s fine the next day. Just a warning about tofu; it interferes with some medicines especially Thyroid medicine. Thank you for the short prayers, there are lovely.

Hi Martha - thank you so much for your kind words. I'm glad you like the prayers! As someone who doesn't take any medications I have no issues with eating tofu and encouraging others to eat it too (it's a great source of protein!). That said, you should always consult with your doctor about possible interactions with medications. I have plenty of recipes without tofu, so hopefully you can find things that work for you!

March 3, 2022

Susan Cunningham

I made this for Ash Wednesday and it was delicious. It was also simple and not much work time once the mushrooms and onions were cut.

Hi Susan - I'm so glad you liked it!

March 1, 2022

Jade

When you say shape into a rectangular loaf, what dimensions? 1/2 thick by 8 inches long or?

My loaf was about 7" long and 4" wide with about 1" of height. Then I sliced it 1/2" thick along the long end to get 12ish biscotti. I will clarify this in the post! Let me know if this makes sense and if you have any other questions.

January 16, 2022

Tracy Henry

Made this tonight. Absolutely delicious Elizabeth. You got this one just right!

Oh yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it :)

January 16, 2022

L Collins

Hi Could you please confirm two things:1. The amount of salt. Seems like too much. 2. The directions say there is lemon juice in the dressing but it’s not listed under ingredients. ThanksL.

Hi there! Confirming that the two teaspoons of salt in the dressing is correct. I didn't salt the cauliflower when roasting it or the salad after it was done, so this amount of salt was perfect. If you're concerned about it you can decrease the amount of salt in the dressing and then add more at the end if you need it. As for the lemon juice, SO sorry about that! It was a typo in my directions and I've removed it now. Hope this helps :)

December 20, 2021

Martha

This looks lovely! Do you have a recipe for the red pepper hummus also? Thank you!

Hi Martha! I don't have a recipe for red pepper hummus on my site. I suggest taking a traditional hummus recipe and blending in roasted red pepper.

November 22, 2021

Amanda J Lehmann

I tried these and they were delicious! A bit dense but flavorful and the "buckeye" blend of peanut and chocolate was on point! Recommend!

Yay! I'm so glad you liked them! -- Elizabeth

December 6, 2021

Grace

Hi, these look amazing. I was wondering, could I used powdered peanut butter in place of creamy for the recipe? thanks

Hi Grace! There is already some powdered peanut butter in this recipe, so adding more might make the texture more gluey. Also, the real peanut butter adds some fat, which helps create flavor. That said, if you want to use powdered peanut butter, I would suggest mixing it with a high-fat liquid like coconut cream and then measuring out 2/3 cup. Hope this helps! Let me know how it goes :) -- Elizabeth

November 15, 2021

Becky

You mention using vegetable broth in your introduction but it isn’t included in the recipe

Hi Becky - thanks for pointing this out. I have removed mention of vegetable broth from this post. You do not need any vegetable broth. The mushrooms will release natural liquid which will prevent any sticking. -- Elizabeth

September 23, 2021

Tracy Henry

Hi Elizabeth, LOVE you recipes. Please keep them coming. :)I was wondering, can you share what is the vegan chocolate bar you used in this recipe?

August 28, 2021

Henry (Hank) Mader

thank you for the oil free recipe. I'm getting introduced to wild Bolete mushrooms here in Colorado, and everyone sautes Bolete's in butter or olive oil. I'm on a veggie, oil free regimen for heart health reasons. and your recipe suggestion may fill the bill. I can't wait to give it a try.

August 13, 2021

Lindsey Kuhn

This is so fun! Loving your creamy photography :)

August 13, 2021

Lindsey Kuhn

This looks incredible! So yummy and pretty photography

Salads

Arugula Fig Salad with Easy Balsamic Dressing

Why I love this Arugula Fig Salad