When perfectly ripe figs are in season, there is nothing better than using them in a salad that compliments their wonderful sweet and succulent taste. Arugula salad with figs, prosciutto and gorgonzola dolce cheese is a great combination of bitter, sweet and salty flavors from Italy. It makes a lovely first course when entertaining friends. By increasing the amounts, the salad makes a wonderful main course for lunch or dinner.
This seriously good salad was inspired by the beautiful cheeses that I often saw combined with fruits on my husband’s and my trip through Italy last fall.
One of the best cheeses that we had in northern Italy was Gorgonzola Dolce. This Italian cheese is softer, milder, and younger that traditional Gorgonzola. The almost spreadable cheese has a more buttery taste than Roquefort and is moister than Stilton and other blues. If you can’t find it in your local market or specialty store, then any of the other blues or even a triple cream would make a good substitute.
The greens, in this case, slightly peppery baby arugula is dressed lightly with a thyme infused honey and sherry vinaigrette. Peppery watercress or baby dandelion greens would make a wonderful alternative.
Arugula Salad With Figs, Prosciutto and Gorgonzola Dolce
- 2 ripe figs, quartered per person
- 2 slices of prosciutto, rolled and sliced into ribbons per person
- cubed Gorgonzola Dolce, as much or as little as you like
- 1 c. or more of baby arugula per person
****
Thyme Infused Honey and Sherry Vinaigrette
- 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Place the chopped thyme leaves in a small glass bowl with the honey and warm in a microwave for 10 or 15 seconds. Let sit for a minute or two and then add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and whisk to emulsify. Taste and adjust to your preferences. This makes enough vinaigrette to lightly dress 2 to 3 cups of baby greens.
Place a bed of dressed greens on each plate. Top with quartered figs, prosciutto ribbons and chucks of Gorgonzola Dolce.
Enjoy this salad with a piece of crusty bread and a glass of Pinot Grigio. You can pretend that you are sitting at a little outdoor ristorante in northern Italy having a nice lunch. Buon Appetito.
Back Road Journal 
Gorgeous salad!
What a perfect combination of flavors! The rich sweetness of the figs combined with the procuitto and gorgonzola…………OMG…………skip the greens! Grazie per questa meravigliosa ricetta!
Grazie Emil (Tin Man), for your nice compliment. This dish would be a perfect appetizer without the greens if they don’t appeal to you.
Never thought of infusing the honey by warming it in the microwave – great tip!
If you wanted to make a picnic out of this, stuff the salad inside that crusty roll spread with a little grainy mustard… 🙂
This sounds just wonderful. Our figs, though small this year thanks to the funny weather, are almost ready. My problem is though for every one I pick to put in the bowl I eat two 🙂 Have a great day. Diane
Hi Diane, You have had funny weather this year. Even though the figs are small, I’m sure they are delicious. I would be tempted to eat them as soon as they were picked as well.
I’d like to pretend I am in Italy today. Love the combination of flavored here. Especially the figs and prosciutto. 🙂
You have my mouth watering. I love this combination of flavors. I’ll be looking for some Gorgonzola Dolce.
Hi Karen, Thank you for your nice compliment. The Gorgonzola Dolce goes so well in this salad but you could use any blue that you like. The Dolce is just a little milder.
I love the flavours! Figs, ham and blue cheese….ain’t they just amazing together!?
I love fresh figs in any shape or form – but especially fresh and with cheese – always serve fresh figs if available with my cheese board – also marinade walnuts (in only balsamic vinegar and honey) and fresh apricots. Never serve grapes with cheese, because the acid in the grape will spoil the good wine. In France you never get grapes with cheese .. all other fruits are served except grape and citrus fruits. Love you salad here – I use to do a very nice starter with brie filled fresh fig – wrapped in Parma ham and then grilled in the oven. To die for .. so this is a cold version – and very cool too. Goes on file NOW!!! Like Gorgonzola very much – you should try the German cheese – Cambozola, beautiful and I really prefer that.
Hi Viveka, I have had walnuts with honey but not with the addition of balsamic vinegar…I’ll have to try it. Your suggestion of stuffed, wrapped and baked figs is a good one as well. I do love Cambozola. It is always offered on the breakfast buffets when we visit Germany.
Yes, Cambozola is a beautiful cheese and most people think it’s from Italy. Your know you stuff, girl. They do the best bread in the world in Germany too – at least in my book. Yes, the balsamic will give the nuts that little special tang to the walnuts. I know you will like it.
I’ve never had fresh figs before, and I’ve seen them now twice in 2 days so I think that I must buy them this week! The salad looks delicious! I cannot wait to try the combination of blue cheese & figs!
Hi Dana, Thank you for your nice compliment. Head over to your market today and buy yourself some figs. I think you will really enjoy their sweet goodness. A creamy blue cheese goes so well with them. Enjoy!
The photo with the figs and cheese is bite-able!
It’s great to be bad … at times, so long as it’s the right time. That photo with the close up with the open fig are illegal.
I totally agree!
This makes me miss Italy and makes me hungry all at once. Great salad!
I adore figs almost any way you use them, but this thyme-infused honey and sherry vinaigrette must be one of the most outstanding ways to dress them that I’ve seen. Thanks so much for sharing, Karen. Beautiful photos as well.
Thank you so much Victoria, for your lovely compliment. The vinaigrette really added to the overall flavor of this salad. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos.
My kind of salad for sure. Anything with figs in it is going to be something that I like! Enjoy your day.xox
That is definitely one of my favorite combinations when figs are in season. I love your dressing…warming thyme in honey, oh my, sounds so very good. I’ve got to give that a try right away! Was that something you came up with from your travels in Italy?
Hi Linda, I was so happy that the market had just ripening figs…they were so sweet. Warming the thyme in the honey creates a lovely flavor for the vinaigrette. My inspiration for the salad did come from the lovely figs served with cheese that I enjoyed in Italy. The inspiration for the dressing was just a flavor combination that I thought would work and I did.
This is such a wonderful salad, Karen, to set before your guests. The colors are beautiful, the ingredients unexpected, and the combinations of flavors, for me, simply can’t be beat! I’m quite literally on my way out to buy some figs for another “project.” Maybe I should buy a few more. This could prove to be a very good lunch today! 🙂
I absolutely love arugula! This looks like a fantastic salad!
Looks fantastic!
Fantastic Karen! I too absolutely adore Gorgonzola Dolce Cheese. What a lovely compliment to the figs and prosciutto. And I just happen to have a pint of figs! Now all I need is the cheese and I think this will make a grand end of summer dinner. 🙂
Thank you for your nice compliment, Karista. My husband and I thought this meal was just right for a summer evening. I hope you will enjoy the salad.
Figs, figs, figs… yum. I love them. I can’t wait to use them myself… just you wait :D. Oh and this looks divine 😀
That salad looks absolutely gorgeous my friend, a great use of figs 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
This salad looks perfect for fig season!
I’m salivating, and it’s time for dinner! How could you do this to me! LOL!!!
Hi Mary, Thank you for your compliment. I’m glad you like this recipe…good thing it’s dinnertime for you.
No more ripe figs on my tree, hopefully the few unripe ones will have sufficient time to ripen so I can make this salad.
Love your Thyme Infused Honey and Sherry Vinaigrette, would be great with any salad. Drizzled over slices of sun ripened homegrown heirloom tomatoes, heavenly, I am drooling.
Hi Norma, I do hope your remaining figs get a chance to ripen. You are right…the vinaigrette would be great with any salad. Thank you for your nice compliment.
These simple dishes require the best of ingredients to make the most of them. You have presented them beautifully.
Gorgeous! Are those Black Mission Figs? Your picture with the figs and the aged cheeses is just out of this world! I love fig season and your salad is one I am bookmarking. Take care, BAM
Hi Bam, Thank you for your nice compliment. The photo of the fig with the aged cheeses was from a selection of fruits and cheese that I had one morning for breakfast during our trip though southern Italy last year. The figs that I used in my recipe were the green skinned Calimyrma figs which are typically available in my market most often. I do love the black mission figs but they are harder to find in my area except as dried. I’m so happy that you like my recipe.
Yuum!!! All of my favourite flavours combined on one plate! 🙂
Cheese and figs. Sounds heavenly!
Arugula, fruit and cheese go SO well together! I could eat this salad every day of the week. Yum!!
I love this classic salad but I love more your amazing dressing Karen!
Have a nice weekend my friend.
Thank you Eri, for your nice compliment. It seems that everyone likes the dressing…it is good.
What a beautiful salad Karen. It looks so gorgeous. I love figs too and often use them in salads (when in season). And that’s my favourite blue cheese. Love the image of the outdoor restaurant in Italy. I would just love to be there xx
Hi Charlie, Thank you for your nice compliment. Gorgonzola Dolce is delicious…isn’t it. It goes so well with the figs. I outdoor cafe in Italy was a good choice for a meal when we visited last fall.
The salad is lovely, the dressing superb! Onto my next salad for certain and friends shall share!!
Ciao Karen. as usual your pictures are fantastic! I love goronzola PICCANTE, because gorgonzola DOLCE is too mild (a girl cheese???!! My husband loves it, of course). At the moment I have 1 ripe fig in my garden (yes, only 1, but it is large), and I belive that this salad is the perfect way to eat it.
Ciao, Rita. As a cheese lover myself, I love both Piccante and Dolce Gorgonzola. I hope you will enjoy the salad with the ripe fig from your garden.
I went into the garden yesterday decided to pick the ripe fig and prepare the salad with gorgonzola: I found the fig on the ground half eaten by some animal! Dear Karen you should have seen the expression on my face, my husband says it was a lot of fun! Argh!!! RITA aka RITACOOKSITALIAN
Oh noooooo. I can just imagine the expression on your face. Critters seem to always take the best, the sweetest of our crops. Very sorry, Rita.
That is so Italian. I love Gorgonzola Dolce, it’s less salty and has less ‘bite’ but still soft and flavourful. Great salad. GG
Hi GG, Gorgonzola Dolce is a flavorful cheese that will change peoples opinion that blue is too strong. As you say…it has less bite. I’m glad you like the salad. Thank you for your nice compliment.
Quite simply, pure decadence!
🙂 Mandy
just reading this makes me think i am in italy having pinot grigio… love the salad. wish l could grow my own figs.
How lovely is that salad? I adore Gorgonzola and I know I would adore Gorgonzola Dolce too. The figs look incredible. Arugula is by far my favourite green, I go through buckets of it (really should buy stock!)
Hi Eva, I think this is a salad you would enjoy…especially if you love Gorgonzola. You did a very nice guest post on Charles’ blog. I see that there is a link that refers to your post where you were inspired to make my eggplant parmesan…nice. My thanks to both you and Charles.
Thanks Karen, the eggplant parmesan was quite the success at the cottage, our vegetarian friend loved it.
Deliciously tasty combination and you’ve married a few of my favourite ingredients together once again! I think I’m always channeling some great European adventure (I’m yet to have) whenever I cook, lol!
Thank you Alli, for your nice compliment. My food is definitely inspired by the ingredients and meals that I have enjoyed when traveling. It is also wonderful that we have bloggers that share their European food traditions with us as well. I hope you will be able to have your travel adventures in Europe in the future.
Great salad, we’ve really been enjoying the figs this season.
This salad looks really good. I have been putting dried figs on salads lately (with apple slices and brie–yumminess indeed!). I don’t think I have ever had a ripe fig. Again, you give me something to aspire to.
Thank you Heather, for your nice compliment. Do try to find fresh figs at one of your markets. If you like dried figs, you will adore fresh ones. I happy that I am inspiring you to try new things.
I love it when the figs get ripe! What a great salad! Love this combination of flavors! Now I just need some figs. 🙂
Lovely Karen. The dressing sounds particulalry good, I must give that a try so thank you !
Hi Claire, I’m glad that you like the recipe for the dressing. It has just a little sweetness without overpowering the greens…I hope you will enjoy it. Thank you for your nice compliment.
love this salad! think that my regular lunch when going to the beach (back in Rome) was pizza bianca with prosciutto e fichi. actually… you gave me the inspiration to try this combination soon. and the arugula and gorgonzola addition would make a spectacular salad when we have friends over, you are totally right. and that picture with the cheese is beautiful, and so the one of the restaurant. were was that taken?
Hi Barbara, Thank you for your nice compliment. I hope you and your friends will enjoy the salad. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. The outdoor restaurant was in the town of Bardolino, on Lake Garda. We were there during their wine festival and the town was very busy.
Love the sounds (and look) of this salad Karen (though the prosciutto is out for me.) this dressing is one I must try! Thyme-infused honey and sherry vinegar, fantastic!
Thank you Spree, for your nice compliment. The salad would be delicious without the prosciutto as well. I hope you will enjoy the vinaigrette.
You’ve included ingredients that always hit the spot with me! I love figs! It’s funny but I’m kind of alone in that within the family but I actually crave them at times. I think this salad is elegant. It won’t take me long at all before I will have made this salad. And Karen, your photos are just gorgeous! Debra
Thank you Debra, for your very nice compliment. I’m glad you enjoyed the photos. The salad does have an very pretty look about it…perfect when serving guests. I hope you will enjoy the salad…perhaps it will change your family’s mind about figs.
I have some figs that would be perfect for a salad..thank you for the inspiration Karen
Karen, the first fresh figs have appeared in the markets around here too, so it is quite nice to see them featured so prominently in your wonderful salad. I agree, Gorgonzola Dolce is a wonderful creamy Italian cheese and I also agree that that the Triple Cream is a good substitute – they both are lovely, interesting cheeses. Great recipe, wonderful post.
Have a fantastic weekend filled with all kinds of delicious food!
Thank you Andrea, for your lovely compliment. I’m glad that you enjoyed the post and recipe. I appreciate your kind wish for the weekend…have a wonderful one as well.
MMMMMMMM,… What a stunning & fabulously salad!! I will use fresh homelygown figs from my own fig tree in here! 🙂 Lovely, appetizing & so satisfying too! That vinegraitte rocks too!
Hi Sophie, You are so lucky to have your own fig tree with ripening fruit. I hope you will enjoy the salad. Thank you for your nice compliment.
Excellent!
This is by FAR my favorite salad. I have yet to try it with your vinaigrette, which sounds awesome. Look forward to it.
What a glorious salad….decadent yet somehow virtuous at the same time…kinda like a few people I know…
I’m not a fan of arugula and don’t think I’ve eaten fresh figs, but this looks so good, I’d sure have to give it an ernest try.
Hi Larry, If you are not a fan of arugula, use a spring mix or any other small lettuce of your choice. You must give fresh figs a try. When ripe and a little soft, they are absolutely sweet and delicious. I do like you attitude about an ernest try…my kind of guy. Thank you for your compliment.
I love this salad and need to buy more figs when I get back to DFW. They have such a short season but are so wonderful.
Thank you Richard, for your nice compliment. I agree with you…figs do have a short season but I guess that is why they are so special when we have them.
Hi, Karen! This looks like one of those wonderful salads that is the sum of the freshest of ingredients. I’ve never heard of that Gorgonzola Dolce but I’m going to have a look at my local cheese merchant, Janice Beaton:D If anyone would have it, she would. I really love that photo of the cheeses on a platter.. the smaller cheeses are so pretty because of their interesting and unique colors, shapes and textures.. I would love a glass of wine and this salad tonight!! xx
Hi Barbara, I’m glad that you like the salad. When a salad is the star of a meal, it does need the freshest of ingredients. I don’t think that you will have any trouble finding the Gorgonzola Dolce if you have a nice cheese shop. I think you will enjoy the cheese…it is quite lovely. Thank you for your nice compliment about the photo….I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Now that looks like one serious salad. I never would have thought to add figs but what a great idea. I’ll have to check our Wegman’s for the Gorgonzola Dolce – they seem to have just about everything & their quality is superb.
Ahh the figs!! I loveeeee figs, one of my favourite fruits but it’s quite expensive and not always available. In fact, I haven’t seen it at the shops in ages…hope it will be available again because your awesome recipe has me salivating!
Hi Jenny, I agree with you, I love the wonderful flavor of figs. I am always surprised when I learn that certain ingredients are hard to find and expensive in some parts of the world. When in season, I usually pay less than 50 cents for a fig…these 4 cost $1.50. Thank you for your lovely compliment.
What a delicious looking salad! Nothing beats fresh figs! Yum! 🙂
WOW! The photo of the figs and cheese on the plate make me want to paint its portrait in the style of the Dutch Masters. (Not that i have that any talent LOL)That is a fantastic way to enjoy figs and cheese. I have not tried that particular cheese and will have to pick some up!
Thank you Carol, for your nice compliment about the photo and salad. I know that it won’t be a problem in Boston for find the Gorgonzola Dolce. Hope you will enjoy the salad.
Figs and cheese is such a tremendous combination. I haven’t had figs for awhile now – but of course now that I’ve seen your wonderful salad I’m craving them! Thanks for this.
Karen, the salad looks gorgeous and the photos are beautiful. Especially the second one: it looks like a painting! I find good tasty figs difficult to get here. There are lots of them on the markets, but often bland…
I am one of those who love the stronger Gorgonzola and am really sad because here and in France it’s very difficult to get (in France in general foreign cheese is not easy to get). Everyone prefers the creamy one and it’s available everywhere (also it’s always the pasteurised milk version with much less taste and aroma). Luckily, I have found in France an excellent cheese vendor who carries the type of Gorgonzola I love and it’s raw milk too. 99% of time we eat cheese on its own, with bread. Maybe this is why strong cheese can be appreciated more than in dishes.
Hi Sissi, Thank you for your lovely compliment. I always find it interesting when I learn that certain items are hard to find in different parts of Europe. I thought trading restrictions within the EU had been lifted. I love the strong cheeses, especially the ones that are made from non pasteurized milk that I enjoy when we travel in Europe…they aren’t available here.
Karen, this looks so good! How many of us are drooling here at your blog! I have been thinking about figs a lot lately. My daughter says she can get them in NYC, but we rarely seem to have fresh figs here in Upper Michigan, unless I haven’t looked closely enough. Will sleuth around and see because I would love to try your salad!
Hi Kathy, I do hope you will be able to find figs at one of your markets. I know where I live that one market carries them and one doesn’t. I think ripe peaches or plums would be good in this salad as well if you are not able to locate figs.
That looks like a wonderful salad! I’m often craving salads these days, living in South Korea, where it’s not easy to get a quality one.
Hi Samuel, Thank you for stopping by for a visit and your nice compliment. I’m glad you like the salad…hope you can find the ingredients to make something similar.
Hi Karen! I *do* a similar salad using your ingredients, plus fresh peaches that are pulled into chunks rather than sliced. I often use mozzarella as Mr Misky isn’t fond of goat cheese. I can’t wait to try your salad dressing – I’m always looking for good variations on a classic. 🙂
Hi Misky, Nice ripe peaches work well in this salad as well. Your husband might like Gorgonzola Dolce as it is a cow’s milk cheese that tastes very different from goat’s milk cheese. I hope you will enjoy the dressing. Thank you for your nice comment.
Very nice combination of flavours on this salad! Love those figs
I’ve been dreaming of figs…but have not found any at the markets. Even at the downtown farmers market in Austin there were none to be had. I’ll close my eyes and pretend I’m eating your salad at that cafe in Italy – looks fabulous!
Hi Linda, Thank you for your nice compliment. Sorry that you haven’t seen any figs at your market. Yes, just pretend that you are at the cafe in Italy. Ripe plums or peaches would go with the cheese and proscuitto for a lovely salad as well.
Seriously, this salad is making me happy just looking at it. I really need to get out of this dream state and go get me some prosciutto and make this pronto
What a fantastic salad Karen – I’m digging the look of those figs. Must make for a lovely meal – so light and simple, and yet so packed with flavour.
Karen, I am always pretending I am sitting at a little cafe in Venice, Paris, or Amsterdam…it makes every meal even better.
I Loooove figs!. I can’t wait for summer to arrive here and we can finally enjoy them. I’ll definitely be trying them with your salad dressing – sounds perfect.
Hi Jenny, Your summer will be here before you know it. I hope you will enjoy the salad dressing…it goes well with the figs. Thank you for your comment.
Karen, if I saw this on a restaurant menu, I would go straight for it!! 😀 What a delicious combination!
Thank you Lorraine, for your nice comment. The salad is a nice combination of flavors.
Wow … I had to scroll down a lot to get to my turn to comment. Your salad is a hit! I love arugula and eat it almost every day. Now I know what to with all those figs my mom brought home last week. What a fantastic idea!
Hi Liuba, Thank you for stopping by and your nice comment. You are right…this salad seems to be very popular with everyone. I hope you will enjoy the salad.
Delicious! Love the bitterness of arugula and the sweetness of figs that with the taste of Gorgonzola dolce are just perfect! The prosciutto adds that richness that makes this such a hearty and complete dish yet so fresh!
Thank you Ambrosiana, for your nice compliment. You are right…this is a complete meal. All that is needed is some crusty bread and a nice glass of wine.
What an amazing salad – this totally looks like something I ate in Italy. must try soon!
Hi Amy, Thank you for stopping by for a visit and your nice compliment. My inspiration for many of my recipes is from dishes I have had while traveling. I hope you will enjoy the salad.
That looks like such a delightful salad – perfect use of seasonal ingredients. We have been eating figs and cheese this past week as our “sal-ad-tizer” (tee hee!) and had the idea of adding fresh sliced peaches, too. Topped the peach slices with bits of Spicy Globe Basil, and the flavor combo was to die for!
Thank you Susan, for your lovely compliment. A week of eating sweet figs sounds great. Adding peaches and basil must be delicious.
This salad sounds wonderful, Karen! My husband and I just enjoyed some fresh figs for dessert with plain yogurt, honey and a little bit of plum sauce (that was saved from a plum gallette that I had made). Fresh figs are so delightful and will definitely liven up any salad! Yum!
Thank you Laura, for your nice compliment. The fresh figs with the cheese and prosciutto were lovely in this salad. Your dessert sounds good!
Truly a taste of Italy on a plate!