Shellfish Free Fig & Melon Cucumber Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
This salad is a stunning collision of sweet, cool, and herbaceous — juicy figs and honeydew melon tumbling together with crisp cucumber, fresh mint, and torn basil in a way that feels effortlessly summery. The dressing is a simple whisk of apple cider vinegar, honey, olive oil, and a touch of ground ginger, and it ties every element together with a bright, lightly spiced tang. Letting the salad rest for ten minutes before serving is a small but genius step — the fruit softens just slightly and releases its natural juices, turning the dressing into something even more luscious. A final pinch of flaky sea salt over the top pulls the whole thing into focus and makes the sweetness pop. Every ingredient here is naturally free from shellfish and ocean-derived proteins, so there's zero guesswork about what's in the bowl. It works beautifully as a starter, a light lunch, or a refreshing side alongside grilled dishes on a warm evening.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the dressing
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For the salad
- 8 fresh figs, stemmed and quartered
- 3 cups honeydew melon, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into half-moons
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
For serving
- flaky sea salt, to taste
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, honey, olive oil, fine sea salt, and ground ginger until the honey is fully dissolved and the dressing is smooth and slightly emulsified.
- 2
Combine the quartered figs, honeydew cubes, and cucumber half-moons in a large mixing bowl.
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