These roasted figs with goat cheese and honey are the perfect mix of sweet and savory. Fresh figs are filled with tangy goat cheese, sprinkled with crunchy walnuts and fresh rosemary, then drizzled with honey and broiled until warm and tender. An elegant French appetizer ready in just 15 minutes.
Fig season is here! And, as usual, it has absolutely no intention of sticking around for long. Fresh figs have a frustratingly short season, so when I spot them at the store, I take that as my cue to eat as many as reasonably possible.
And these roasted figs with goat cheese are a particularly good way to do it.
It actually took me years to appreciate sweet and savory flavors together. Growing up in France, I was firmly in the sweet is sweet and savory is savory camp. Both were perfectly lovely. They simply did not need to meet.
Then I moved to the United States.
One day, I was served a salad with fresh goat cheese, strawberries, and candied pecans. I was... skeptical. Very skeptical. I didn't particularly like the idea, and at first, I wasn't even convinced by the taste.
Fast-forward a few years, and that salad had somehow become one of my favorites. Apparently, my taste buds just needed time to accept that fruit and cheese were allowed to be friends.
Jump to:
The Perfect Sweet and Savory Combination
These figs with goat cheese and honey have that same irresistible combination: juicy fruit, tangy and creamy goat cheese, crunchy walnuts, sweet honey, and fragrant fresh rosemary.
The best part? They look rather fancy while requiring approximately five minutes of actual effort. My favorite kind of entertaining recipe.
And if you find yourself with more fresh figs than you need for this recipe-a very good problem to have-my Fresh Fig Tart is another delicious way to make the most of fig season.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These little figs work beautifully as an appetizer for a dinner party, but they're easy enough to make simply because you found a gorgeous box of fresh figs and couldn't resist.
They're also:
- Quick: About 5 minutes to prepare and 5-10 minutes under the broiler.
- Simple: Just a handful of ingredients.
- Beautiful: The figs open slightly as they roast, revealing the creamy goat cheese inside.
- Easy to customize: Change the nuts, herbs, or even the sweetener.
- Perfect for entertaining: Assemble them shortly before your guests arrive and broil just before serving.
Ingredients You'll Need
One of the best things about these roasted figs with goat cheese and honey is how little you need to make them. Just a handful of simple ingredients come together to make a rather impressive little appetizer.
Fresh figs: Choose ripe but still firm figs. They should give slightly when gently pressed but shouldn't be overly soft, or they may collapse when roasted.
Fresh goat cheese: In the U.S., I use a soft goat cheese log. Its creamy, tangy flavor is the perfect contrast to the sweet figs and honey.
Walnuts: They add a little crunch to all that soft, creamy goodness. Roughly chop them before sprinkling them over the figs.
Fresh rosemary: A small amount adds a lovely savory, aromatic flavor. Fresh thyme or sage also works beautifully.
Honey: Use a honey you enjoy since its flavor really comes through in such a simple recipe. You'll drizzle some over the figs before roasting and can add a little more before serving.
Salt and black pepper: Just a small amount of each helps balance the sweetness of the figs and honey.
How to Make Roasted Figs with Goat Cheese
Start by washing the fresh figs and gently patting them dry. Keep the skin on-there is no need to peel them.
Using a small sharp knife, cut an X into the top of each fig, cutting deeply enough that you can gently open it, but do not cut all the way through the bottom. You want the fig to remain intact.
Then:
- Gently open each fig and tuck a small piece of goat cheese into the center.
- Season with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sprinkle with chopped walnuts and finely chopped fresh rosemary.
- Drizzle with honey.
- Broil for 5-10 minutes, watching them carefully, until the figs are warm and softened and the goat cheese is just beginning to soften.
Finish your baked figs with goat cheese and honey with another little drizzle of honey if desired, and serve them while they're still warm.
Tips for the Best Roasted Figs
Choose ripe but firm figs. Very soft, overripe figs are delicious eaten fresh, but they're not ideal here. They can collapse in the oven and send your lovely goat cheese on an unauthorized journey across the baking dish.
Don't cut all the way through. Leave the base of each fig intact when making the X. This helps the fig hold its shape and keeps the filling inside.
Watch them closely under the broiler. This is not the moment to wander off and reorganize your spice drawer. Depending on your oven and the ripeness of the figs, they may be ready closer to 5 minutes than 10.
Don't overfill them. A small piece of goat cheese is enough. The cheese softens as it heats, and too much is more likely to spill out.
Serve them warm. These are at their best shortly after coming out of the oven, when the figs are warm and juicy and the goat cheese is soft and creamy.
Recipe Variations
This recipe is very forgiving, so don't worry if you don't have exactly the ingredients I use.
Change the herbs. Fresh thyme or sage can replace the rosemary. Dried herbs will also work in a pinch; just use less since their flavor is more concentrated.
Try different nuts. Replace the walnuts with pecans, hazelnuts, or even pistachios.
Add balsamic. For a little acidity, add a very light drizzle of balsamic glaze after roasting. It's especially good if you prefer a stronger sweet-and-savory contrast.
Skip the nuts. You can simply leave them out if you need a nut-free appetizer.
Change the sweetener. Maple syrup works nicely in place of honey, although I personally love the classic combination of fresh figs with goat cheese and honey.
How to Serve Figs with Goat Cheese and Honey
I love serving these as a simple appetizer or starter, especially when fresh figs are in season.
For an apéritif, arrange the warm figs on a serving platter and let everyone help themselves. As a starter, you can serve two figs per person alongside a simple green salad dressed with olive oil and a little balsamic vinegar.
They're particularly lovely for late-summer and early-fall entertaining, when figs are at their best.
You will find the full recipe below. If you make these roasted figs with goat cheese and honey, please leave a star rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- I always love hearing how my recipes turned out in your kitchen!
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Roasted Figs with Goat Cheese and Honey
Ingredients
- 8 fresh figs
- 113 g 113 g (4 oz) fresh goat cheese log (you may not need all of it)
- 30 g (¼ cup) walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or ⅓ teaspoon dried rosemary)
- Honey, for drizzling
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Set your oven to broil (grill), approximately 480°F (250°C), and arrange an oven rack so the figs will be several inches below the broiler.
- Prepare the figs. Wash the figs and gently pat them dry. Using a small sharp knife, cut an X into the top of each fig without cutting all the way through the bottom.
- Add the goat cheese. Gently open each fig and tuck a small piece of goat cheese from the log into the center. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Add the toppings. Sprinkle the figs with the chopped walnuts and fresh rosemary, then drizzle each fig with a little honey.
- Broil. Place the figs under the broiler for 5-10 minutes, watching them carefully. Remove them once the figs are warm and tender and the goat cheese has softened. Do not cook them for too long or the figs may collapse and the cheese may spill out.
- Serve. Drizzle with a little additional honey, if desired, and serve while still warm.
Notes
- Choose ripe but still firm figs so they hold their shape under the broiler.
- Fresh thyme or sage can replace the rosemary.
- Pecans, hazelnuts, or pistachios can be used instead of walnuts.
- Maple syrup can be substituted for the honey.
- For the most accurate results, I recommend using the metric (gram) measurements whenever provided.
Absolutely delicious!! I’m definitely going to add this to our Thanksgiving dinner menu this year!!
Thank you so much! I’m so happy you loved it — and I absolutely love the idea of serving it at Thanksgiving! 🧡