AIP Friendly Fig & Avocado Citrus Salad
This salad is a stunning collision of sweet, creamy, and bright — fresh figs and buttery avocado slices layered over peppery arugula with juicy orange supremes and a golden turmeric-ginger dressing that ties everything together. It's the kind of dish that looks like it took serious effort but comes together in minutes, and it serves four beautifully as a starter or a light lunch. Following an autoimmune protocol means navigating a long list of off-limits ingredients, and salads can quietly hide problematic additions like nightshade-based spices, seed oils, or processed sweeteners — none of which show up here. The dressing is built on apple cider vinegar, freshly squeezed orange juice, raw honey, and extra-virgin olive oil, so every component is clean and intentional. Ground turmeric and ginger add warmth and anti-inflammatory depth without straying outside protocol-friendly territory. Torn fresh mint brightens each bite, and optional basil layers in a little herbal complexity if you have it on hand. Serve it immediately after drizzling the final round of dressing so the figs stay vibrant and the avocado holds its silky texture.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp raw honey
Ingredient noteAIP restricts added sweeteners, but small occasional amounts of unrefined honey are accepted on the protocol; the ~1/4 teaspoon per serving here likely stays within that limited allowance. If you prefer to always avoid honey, please tap it and change its rating to Red.
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
For the salad
- 5 oz baby arugula (about 5 lightly packed cups)
- 8 fresh figs, stemmed and quartered
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced
- 2 navel oranges, supremed (peel and pith removed, segments cut free from membranes)
- 1 small shallot, very thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, fresh orange juice, honey, turmeric, and ginger until the honey dissolves. Drizzle in the olive oil in a thin, steady stream while whisking continuously until the dressing is emulsified and slightly thickened. Season with the sea salt and set aside.
- 2
Supreme the oranges: slice off the top and bottom of each orange, then stand it upright and cut away the peel and white pith following the curve of the fruit. Hold the orange over a bowl and cut each segment free from the membranes, letting the segments fall into the bowl. Squeeze the spent membranes over the bowl to catch any juice, then discard the membranes.
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