Barley Free Fig & Endive Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Bitter endive, jammy figs, and a bright herb finish make this salad one of those combinations that sounds fancy but comes together in minutes. The apple cider vinaigrette is whisked right in a small bowl — no blender, no fuss — and the honey and ground ginger give it a warm, slightly sweet edge that plays beautifully against the endive's natural bite. Thinly sliced shallots add a little sharpness, while fresh parsley and torn mint keep everything feeling light and alive. For anyone navigating grain sensitivities, salads can still be a minefield when store-bought dressings sneak in unexpected thickeners or malt-based vinegars. Here, every single component is naturally free of those concerns — the vinaigrette is built from apple cider vinegar, olive oil, honey, and spice, nothing more. It's the kind of recipe where you can read the ingredient list in five seconds and just get cooking. Serve it as a starter for a dinner party or pile it onto a plate for a satisfying lunch that feels genuinely elegant without any of the stress.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the salad
- 3 heads belgian endive (about 12 oz total)
- 8 fresh figs, quartered
- 2 shallots, very thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, torn
For the vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, ground ginger, and fine sea salt until the honey dissolves. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking continuously until the vinaigrette is emulsified and slightly thickened.
- 2
Arrange the endive leaves in a large salad bowl. Scatter the quartered figs and sliced shallots over the endive.
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