Roasted Figs With Goat Cheese and Thyme

Krissa is a home cook who loves to share her recipes and baking tips.

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Easy Fig Appetizer

Every summer, when the figs start to ripen, I find myself searching out new ways to prepare them. Figs are an amazingly versatile fruit, complementing savory dishes just as well as sweet ones.

This recipe combines the perfect mixture of sweet and savory into one delicious and addicting appetizer.

With fresh and healthy ingredients, you can serve this to your guests and be proud—and never have to admit it only took you 15 minutes to make, including the cooking time!

Cook Time

Ingredients

• 15 ripe figs, stems removed and fruits halved
• 4 ounces plain goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Wash the figs well. Remove the stems and slice the fruit in half lengthways. Be sure to use a sharp knife for this, as a dull one may just squish particularly ripe fruits.
3. Lay the fig halves on a baking tray, cut-side up. You may have to take a little slice of skin off the back side of some of them to make them lie evenly. This is fine.
4. Divide the goat cheese evenly between the fig halves, placing a nice dollop on each cut surface.
5. Sprinkle with fresh thyme. Resist the temptation to pre-sample—they're good now, but they'll be better later!
6. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven.
7. Arrange them on a serving plate and devour! Best served hot or warm, and fresh from the oven.

How to Choose the Best Figs

Ripe figs may be purple, golden, or green, depending on the variety. Choose figs that feel very soft to the touch—almost like plump water balloons. Avoid any that are still hard, or those that look squashed. Figs are fragile and easily damaged, and this allows them to spoil quickly.

The best figs should have a sweet, honey-like scent when smelled.

How to Slice Figs

Wash your figs well, then remove the stems with a sharp paring knife. On a cutting board, slice the figs in half lengthwise. Be sure to use a sharp knife for this, as a dull one may just squish particularly ripe fruits.

Photo Guide

Happy Cooking!

Happy cooking and I hope you enjoy this delicious appetizer!

Comments

Cynthia Zirkwitz from Vancouver Island, Canada on August 29, 2014:

mmm... look delicious... hoping for a second crop of figs so we can try these!

Marilyn Gentry from Ontario, Canada on August 26, 2014:

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I want to try this too. Seems interesting and perfect for the season. Thanks.

Krissa Klein (author) from California on August 26, 2014:

@gmwilliams -- I agree, snacks like this are so much healthier than the sugary stuff. And to be honest, the natural sweetness of the figs is just fine; it certainly doesn't need any added!

Krissa Klein (author) from California on August 26, 2014:

@RTalloni -- Thank you!! Fortunately, the weather out here where I am has been cooperating, and it looks like we'll be having a bumper crop this year.

Krissa Klein (author) from California on August 26, 2014:

@ bossypants - never had a fig? This must be fixed ASAP! :) I think you'll like them.

Grace Marguerite Williams from the Greatest City In The World-New York City, New York on August 26, 2014:

This is one of the healthiest appetizer and snack recipes presented. It is good to eat instead of empty and nonnutritious sweets. This is a beautifully presented hub, VOTED UP!

RTalloni on August 26, 2014:

This is a fabulous recipe. Congrats on your Hub of the Day award for sharing this recipe with us. I'm really fond of basil in it, as well. Our fig trees were knocked back by last year's late winter snap, but friends we had given an air layered tree from ours has had hundreds and shared with us.

Marcelle Bell on August 26, 2014:

Very simple and easy to follow. Well done and congrats on HOTD!

bossypants on August 26, 2014:

I've never had a fig and have heard so much about them lately! I love what roasting has done to other fruits I've tried. This looks like a great intorduction to figs! Beautiful photos!

Krissa Klein (author) from California on August 26, 2014:

Wow, thank you all for the kind comments! My first HOTD was a lovely surprise to wake up to -- for a moment I was really confused by the explosion of activity!

@DealForALiving - I think next time I'll try it with a balsamic glaze, or maybe honey. Or possibly both, I can't decide!

@Sed-me - for a big enough tip, I'll deliver anywhere! :D

@Relatioshipc - I love goat cheese so much that I nearly didn't have enough to go around by the time I actually got to the stage of putting it on the figs :)

Kari on August 26, 2014:

Your hub had me on a search for my favorite goat cheese and I was distracted for about 15 minutes. I think I would sample before cooking, but I know I would love the end result of this recipe. My husband is Italian and figs are one of his favorite things. He grew up picking and eating them in Italy. So I know he would like this too.

BarbaraCasey on August 26, 2014:

Oh... this recipe is definitely worth trying.

Susan Deppner from Arkansas USA on August 26, 2014:

We would love this recipe! I might just have to seek out some fresh figs. We haven't had any in years. Congratulations on your yummy HOTD!

Kevin on August 26, 2014:

Interesting, never heard of this. They look like some of our traditional foods.

Barbara Purvis Hunter from Florida on August 26, 2014:

Hi,

My sister would love this recipe---I will return and when she visits and let her read it.

I know about canning figs my family did it every summer, and they were delicious during the fall and winter months. However, it was hot in the Florida summers canning them, standing over a hot pot and stirring until they were done.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful hub.

Bobbi Purvis

Elisabeth Ellis from Nashville, TN. on August 26, 2014:

These just look so good. I had the best thing a few months ago... bacon wrapped figs. Yum! Do you deliver? :)

Nick Deal from Earth on August 26, 2014:

A nearly perfect combination that just needs a little bit of balsamic to take it to the next level. If you've ever had this on a pizza, then you know what I mean.

William Lemios on August 26, 2014:

I have never tasted roasted figs but after seeing these yummy pics I would like to have. I will try to make it with the help of your recipe as I love cooking. Great job and congratulations.

Rebecca Mealey from Northeastern Georgia, USA on August 26, 2014:

I'll bet these are really good. Great job, and congratulations!

Maria Giunta from Sydney, Australia on August 26, 2014:

Yumm! I love eating figs and this recipe sounds so good. Summer is on its way in Australia so I look forward to using this recipe soon. Thanks for sharing KL Klein, voted up and useful. Congrats on HOTD too.

Chitrangada Sharan from New Delhi, India on August 26, 2014:

Congratulations for HOTD!

I like Figs and do enjoy it whenever possible but I have not eaten it like this. I will try this recipe, as it sounds interesting!

Voted up!

Brian Stephens from France on August 22, 2014:

Our figs are just coming into season and this is such a simple recipe we will have to try it out. Nice lens.

Krissa Klein (author) from California on August 19, 2014:

aka-rms, Thanks for commenting! I wish I had a garden big enough for figs...alas, not yet. Fortunately, there's a few trees growing around the local parks where nobody really picks them, so I can stay well supplied.

Robin S from USA on August 19, 2014:

Got the figs and thyme growing in the garden. I just need the cheese and I'll be good to go. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

Krissa Klein (author) from California on August 16, 2014:

A life without figs?? That is terrible indeed! They're one of my favorite fruits, especially dried and sprinkled over granola or yogurt.

I hope you remedy this situation quickly! [That said, I actually know someone who does not like figs. I still can't believe it. Sometimes I think they're just lying, and I search for any signs of secret fig consumption]

Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on August 16, 2014:

I honestly don't remember ever having a fig. I know, I know, a deprived life. Thanks for the tips...I'll pass it along to my wife and maybe....