Fig and Pomegranate Salad with Labneh and Honey
Ripe figs and ruby pomegranate seeds sit on a swoosh of tangy, creamy labneh, finished with honey, toasted pistachios, fresh thyme and a pinch of flaky salt. A no-cook salad that works as a starter, side or light dessert.
- Prep
- 24 min
- Cook
- —
- Wait
- 5 min
- Total
- 29 min
- Makes
- 1 shared platter (4 servings)
Steps
Before you start
- Use figs that are soft to the touch, fragrant and slightly drooping at the neck; hard figs taste bland.
- Take the labneh out of the fridge 15 minutes ahead so it spreads easily.
- If using a whole pomegranate, seed it first (see step 2) because it is the messiest task.
- Assemble just before serving so the figs don't weep and the seeds stay crisp.
Toast the pistachios
- Place the pistachios in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir or shake the pan often for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate to cool, then chop coarsely.
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Ready when: Nuts smell toasty and look slightly deeper green, with a few golden spots.
Tip: Pistachios burn quickly once they smell nutty; remove them from the hot pan right away.
Seed the pomegranate
- Cut the pomegranate in half around its middle.
- Hold one half cut-side down over a large bowl and whack the skin firmly with a wooden spoon so the seeds fall out.
- Pick out any white pith that floats or sticks.
- Measure ½ cup (80 g) of seeds and save the rest for another use.
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Ready when: Seeds are glossy, fully separated and free of white membrane.
Tip: Seed it in a bowl of water if you like: seeds sink and pith floats. Drain and pat dry well afterward.
Prepare the figs
- Wipe each fig with a damp paper towel.
- Trim off the hard stem tip, then cut each fig in quarters lengthwise, leaving them attached at the base if you like a blooming look.
- Set aside on a plate.
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Ready when: Fig flesh is soft, pink to deep red and glistening.
Tip: Don't soak figs in water; they absorb it and turn mushy.
Make the honey dressing
- In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of the honey, the lemon juice and the olive oil until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Stir in half of the thyme leaves.
- Taste: it should be sweet first, then bright and tangy.
- Add a few more drops of lemon if too sweet.
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Ready when: Dressing looks glossy and fully blended with no separate pools of oil.
Tip: If the honey is stiff, warm the jar in hot water for a minute first.
Spread the labneh
- Spoon the labneh into the center of the platter.
- Using the back of a spoon, spread it into a rough circle about 8 inches (20 cm) wide, pulling the spoon in a spiral to make a shallow swoosh with raised edges.
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Ready when: Labneh is a smooth, even layer about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick.
Tip: If the labneh is too thick to spread, stir in 1 teaspoon of water or olive oil.
Toss figs lightly
- Add the figs to a bowl with about half of the dressing.
- Turn them gently with your hands or a spoon once or twice just to coat, being careful not to crush them.
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Ready when: Figs are lightly glossy but still hold their shape.
Arrange the salad
- Nestle the dressed figs over the labneh, cut sides up, leaving some white showing at the edges.
- Scatter the pomegranate seeds and chopped pistachios over the top.
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Ready when: Platter looks balanced, with red, white and green in each section.
Finish and rest briefly
- Drizzle the remaining dressing and the last 1 tablespoon of honey over the salad.
- Sprinkle with the remaining thyme, flaky salt and a few grinds of black pepper if using.
- Let it sit 5 minutes so the flavors meld, then serve with a spoon, scooping up some labneh with each portion.
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Ready when: Honey has softly pooled into the labneh and the thyme is fragrant.
Tip: Add salt at the end; labneh is already lightly salted.
Good to know
Tips
- Choose figs that give slightly when pressed; they should smell sweet and have no sour odor.
- Serve on a cool, not cold, platter so the labneh stays creamy and spreadable.
- Warm flatbread or pita alongside turns this into a shareable meze.
- Pat pomegranate seeds dry so they don't thin the labneh with juice.
Make ahead
Toast the pistachios, seed the pomegranate and make the dressing up to 1 day ahead; store the nuts airtight at room temperature and the rest covered in the fridge. Spread the labneh on the platter up to 2 hours ahead, covered, then add the figs just before serving.
Storage & reheating
Best eaten immediately. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 1 day, though the figs soften and the pistachios lose crunch. Do not freeze. Let leftovers sit 10 minutes at room temperature before eating; no reheating needed.
Substitutions
- labneh → thick strained Greek yogurt. Use full-fat and stir in a pinch of salt; slightly less tangy than labneh.
- shelled unsalted pistachios → toasted walnuts or slivered almonds. Chop to a similar size and toast the same way.
- honey → pomegranate molasses mixed with maple syrup. Use 1 tablespoon molasses plus 2 tablespoons syrup in the dressing for a tarter finish.
- ripe fresh figs (Black Mission or other dark-skinned variety) → ripe peaches or plums. Slice into wedges; out of fig season, they give a similar juicy texture.
