Vegetarian Fig & Avocado Citrus Salad
This salad is a showstopper — the kind of thing that looks like it came from a restaurant but comes together in minutes with nothing more than a whisk and a cutting board. Sweet quartered figs, buttery avocado slices, and juicy orange supremes are layered over peppery baby arugula, then finished with shallot, torn mint, and optional fresh basil for an herby lift that ties everything together. The dressing is where the real magic happens: apple cider vinegar and fresh orange juice get warmed up with a touch of honey, turmeric, and ginger before being emulsified with good olive oil into something bright, slightly earthy, and completely addictive. Every single ingredient here is plant-based and naturally free of meat or fish, so there's no label-reading or substitution stress — just gorgeous produce doing its thing. The technique of supreming the oranges is a small extra step that makes a big difference, giving you clean, membrane-free segments that don't water down the dressing. Serve it immediately after assembling so the arugula stays lively and the avocado holds its color. It works beautifully as a starter for a dinner party or as a light lunch that genuinely feels like a treat.
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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
- 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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