How to Eat Figs {Kitchen Tips + Recipes}

Maybe you've never had a fig. If you haven't and I handed you one you'd say: "I don't even know how to eat this!" 

Well here we are: I've made a whole list, complete with pictures, for how to eat figs. Your first fig should be fresh, right from the tree. You can eat it all, the skin and the inside, just not top of the stem. There's no seed inside. Just take a BIG OLE BITE. Then, once you're in love, use this list to get creative with your new favorite fruit. 
​
I love figs, clearly, as I've named my blog in honor of them. It all started in the backyard of  my Pap Pap (that's Pittsburgh-speak for Grandfather) when I was a kid. He'd pull fresh figs right off of the tree and he'd let me eat as many as I wanted! The hard part, back then, was waiting for the figs to be in season. The hard part, still, is waiting for the figs to be in season! 

Pap sold that house when I was in second grade and went to the eternal fig tree in the sky when I was in college. Good news, though, I grew up and bought a house that came complete with a yard and a fig tree! I never feel my Pap's spirit more than when I'm back there picking figs and eating them without a care in the world (see photo of me IN the tree).

​Those of you who've been reading my blogs since the old days might remember my older blog and "The House with the Fig Tree" stories from when we'd just moved in to our house.

Hello from my fig tree!

---

Fig Season 2019

When fig season came around this year I was bound and determined to get creative with ways to eat figs all summer long. I did a great job of trying new things and I documented it all. I prefer the flavor and simplicity of fresh fig to those that have been cut and stuffed and topped with things, but I'll try it all!

It started in June with small cartons of fresh figs at Marketime Foods. In July things progressed nicely into a 20-pack at Costco. In August we were in FULL FIG SEASON SWING with my own fig tree producing huge and ripe fruit and we held a second Neapolitan Pizza {event} at Tutta Bella complete with figs on our pizza. 

Now here we are, in September. My figs are done for the year and I miss them already. There will still be figs at the grocery store for another month or two and I'll painstakingly spend $7, $9, or $12 dollars for a small carton of them.

I've put together a whole list of ways to eat figs for you and for me, likely to be helpful for us all next summer. Then we will look back at this list and remember that summer and fig season don't last forever and we'll be a little more grateful, right?

My first in-store fresh fig sighting! End of June @ Marketime Foods.

In early July, reading under the fig tree and waiting for it to give me something to eat!

There are plenty of figs to see in July, just none that are ripe!

Mid-July and Costo's got figs! $6.49 for TWENTY figs is amazing.

August 10/11 is when we struck GOLD. My tree produces the biggest figs I've ever seen. They're huge, purple, and soft to touch when they're ready to eat.

Tutta Bella Pizzeria really celebrates figs, their menu has pizza, appetizers, and even a fig cocktail! Their Westlake location is a great spot to catch a summer Space Needle sunset. What could be MORE SEATTLE?

Picture perfect figs, still plentiful at the end of August. We got our last few for the year in early September.

---

Q: Ang - How do I eat a fig?

A: Let me show you the ways...

Mid-August = the middle of fig season. This is just ONE DAY's worth of figs from my tree.

For Breakfast

Slice figs and put them on your toast.

Start with putting them on your peanut butter toast.

I love toast two ways and did a little avocado/everything bagel seasoning toast alongside a peanut butter/fig toast which was breakfast PERFECTION. 

I got creative with some chocolate sunflower seed butter and topped it all with bee pollen. Sunflower seed butte is great for anyone with nut allergies. I'm not allergic to anything but will always accept chocolate for breakfast. 

Toast topped with peanut butter and figs is a classic combination, almost like PB + jelly's hotter older sibling!

As a Snack or Appetizer

Throw whole figs on a table or a picnic blanket, the fig lovers will appear. Everyone else will steer clear! It's a little experiment to find the figgy friends.

Cut them in half for a little presentation magic and a whole lot of questions.

Pair them with cheese. Goat cheese, grilled halloumi, mozzarella, and/or ricotta cheeses are all great ideas. You can just put both in your mouth together or do something fancy like whip the cheese, it doesn't matter because fruit and cheese is usually delicious together. 
​
If you're a meat eater you'll LOVE figs with prosciutto. It's the perfect sweet and salty combination. Include goat cheese for a little perfect trifecta. 

Make caprese with figs! Typically caprese consists of sliced juicy tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella cheese and basil leaves. Swapping the tomatoes with figs is such a great idea and another great celebration of Italian flavors. The full recipe is below.

Whole figs will attract the real fig lovers!

Halved figs will intrigue some and scare others away! Use this guide to get creative, k?

Figs with cheese is always a great idea. Tutta Bella Pizzeria paired figs with whipped ricotta cheese!

For Lunch or Dinner

Have them with your lunch, just as a side.

Grill them and make a meal of grilled figs and other grilled things. We did a great little backyard dinner of grilled figs, potatoes, green beans, and halloumi cheese over arugula and topped with Nonna Pia's Balsamic Reduction. 

​Put them on your pizza like Tutta Bella Pizzeria does! Their Calabrese Pizza comes with figs, goat cheese, rosemary, and crispy prosciutto. YES, yes, yes. 

Random lunch with a side of figs.

Grilled everything for dinner, including figs!

Tutta Bella's pizza with figs (prosciutto on half for us!)

For Dessert 

Dip figs in chocolate!

​This was my best idea all year. Welcome to your new favorite way to eat figs. The full recipe is below.

If you love the idea of a grilled fig, we also used a grilled fig to top a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Figs, chocolate, a little bit of salt. YES.

---

Fig Caprese {Recipe}

Ingredients
Fresh figs
Fresh mozzarella (Costco sells a pre-sliced package)
Fresh basil leaves
Balsamic vinegar reduction (I'm in love with Nonna Pia's)

Directions
Slice the figs horizontally. Keep all of the colorful inside parts, remove the stem.

Slice the mozzarella in a similar size to your figs. Layer the cheese on top of the figs.

Cut or tear your basil leaves and top each fig/mozzarella stack with a leaf of basil.

​Drizzle balsamic vinegar on top.

​Boom, done.

Fig Caprese on a nice little appetizer platter with smoked salmon and crackers

---

Figs Dipped in Chocolate {Recipe}

Ingredients
Fresh figs
Chocolate 
Salt

​Directions
Cut figs vertically into halves or quarters. Keeping the stem on is helpful for dipping.

Melt your favorite chocolate. I have an adorable little chocolate melter. My Mom has a fancy one. A glass bowl over a pot of boiling water is always an option if you don't have a chocolate melter.

Dip fig pieces into the chocolate. Place them on something flat to cool.

Top them with salt if you're feeling feisty.

Wait for them to cool, or not. Share them with people you like, or don't! I'm done telling you what to do :)

---

Well this sure turned into a GIANT post. I'm sure we will all enjoy it next summer. Let me know if I've missed your favorite way to eat a fig via email!

What's one more photo? Here's me and Pap, the OG fig provider in my life.

I think I'm 12 here, making him in his mid 70s. LOVE YOU PAP.

---

Similar Posts