Fig and Prosciutto Salad with Olives and Manchego
This salad is as beautiful as it is delicious, the colors and flavors making a nice contrast. Spicy arugula, salty cheese and prosciutto, and tangy olives work wonderfully with the sweet and tender figs. Serve this as a light lunch or supper, accompanied by a bottle of dry rose wine. It is the perfect summer meal.
Jump to Recipe
Let’s be honest: salads are just fancy piles of things. But that’s not a bad thing. Who says a pile of things can’t be beautiful? I mean, we’ve all seen Instagram. And if you’re gonna make a pile of things, they might as well be good things. Enter the Fig Salad with Marinated Olives, Prosciutto, and Manchego, topped with a drizzle of fig balsamic and olive oil, the lazy person’s gateway to sophistication.
I’ll level with you. This salad is so easy, I’m hesitant to call it a recipe. It’s more like a well-orchestrated snack. It’s the type of dish you throw together when you want people to think you’re cultured and refined, but really, you’re just avoiding using your oven because it’s way too hot outside for all that nonsense.
Why This Salad Works (and Why You’ll Love It)
First of all, figs. Sweet, earthy, and looking suspiciously like a fruit that knows all your secrets, figs are the star here. Then there’s the Manchego, that nutty Spanish cheese that makes you feel like maybe you should start wearing linen shirts and speaking in low, mysterious tones. Throw in some prosciutto for salt and luxury, and marinated olives because, frankly, I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t like olives. The crowning glory? A simple drizzle of fig balsamic vinegar and olive oil that brings it all together like a poorly-kept New Year’s resolution.
But the real reason this salad works? It’s basically assembly, not cooking. You get to look fancy with very little effort. And that’s the kind of math I can get behind.
Ingredients:
- Fresh figs: Halved or quartered depending on how dramatic you want to be.
- Marinated olives (about a handful): Go for the good stuff—something briny with herbs. I like a mix of green and black because variety is the spice of life.
- Manchego cheese (a generous chunk): Sliced or shaved into thin, salty ribbons.
- Prosciutto (4-5 slices): As much as you can drape artistically onto your plate without looking like you’re trying too hard.
- Arugula (a small handful): Because a salad isn’t a salad without something leafy, and arugula has that peppery bite that keeps things interesting.
- Fig balsamic vinegar: Look, if you don’t have fig balsamic, regular balsamic is fine. You’re still winning.
- Good quality olive oil: You don’t have to spend a lot, just get something you wouldn’t mind dipping a hunk of bread into.
Method:
- Start with the figs—lay them out on a plate like you’re curating a museum exhibit. They should look casual but intentional, as if you’ve spent exactly zero seconds debating their placement (even though we both know you’ll adjust them three times).
- Add the marinated olives. Scatter them around the plate like you’re Jackson Pollock with a penchant for brine.
- Now for the prosciutto. Tear the slices into smaller pieces and drape them elegantly between the figs and olives. You’re going for a vibe that says, “Oh this? Just casually tossed together.”
- Shave or slice the Manchego into delicate pieces. Don’t overthink this. Just let the cheese fall where it may.
- For the final flourish, grab a handful of arugula and toss it over the top like confetti at a wedding where nobody’s quite sure who’s marrying whom.
- Drizzle the whole thing with fig balsamic vinegar and a good glug of olive oil. This is the dressing—simple, effective, and not trying too hard, which is a metaphor for all my life goals.
- Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and maybe a crack of black pepper if you’re feeling fancy. Now, step back, admire your work, and resist the urge to post it on Instagram. Or, you know, go for it. You’ve earned it.
What to Serve This With:
This salad is a “lunch on the balcony with a glass of wine” vibe or a “dinner party starter that everyone thinks took hours” kind of dish. Pair it with some gluten-free crackers or a chunk of easy gluten-free focaccia, because who are we kidding, you’re going to need a vehicle for the olives and prosciutto.
This fig salad feels like you’re cheating at life. It’s almost unfair how easy it is to throw together something this delicious. The sweetness of the figs plays perfectly with the salty prosciutto, the Manchego adds depth, and the olives bring that briny, herbaceous punch that keeps you coming back for more. The arugula adds just the right bite, and the fig balsamic and olive oil? A match made in low-effort, high-reward heaven.
I love the sharpness of the cheese, the bite of the arugula, and the saltiness of the olives and prosciutto when paired with the tender, sweet figs. This is a gorgeous, impressive salad that quite simple to pull together. As always, it helps to have good quality ingredients on hand…like the fig balsamic vinegar my mom gave me for Mother’s Day. I know we’ll be eating some variation of this fig and prosciutto salad with olives and manchego salad all the way through autumn, or until the last fig drops from the tree.
So go ahead, pile your plate high with these goodies and act like you spent hours pulling this masterpiece together. No one needs to know that the hardest part was not eating all the prosciutto before it hit the plate.
Bon appétit!
Love Salad for dinner? Try these recipes!
- Pantry Staple Chopped Salad
- Deli Style Spaghetti Salad
- Chicken Strawberry Salad with Basil, Arugula and Quinoa
Did you make this fig salad recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and star rating below (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) and post a picture and tag us on Instagram using the hashtags #agirldefloured #deflouredrecipes! Thank you!
Fig Salad with Olives, Prosciutto and Manchego
Equipment
- large platter or board
Ingredients
- 1 dozen fresh California figs
- 4 ounces sliced prosciutto
- 4 ounces manchego cheese
- 2 handfuls of wild arugula rocket
- ¼ cup marinated California Ripe Olives
- 1 tablespoons fig balsamic vinegar or other good quality balsamic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash, stem and quarter the figs. Evenly space on a large board or tray.
- Tear each slice of prosciutto in half and place on the board with the figs.
- Using a vegetable peeler, shave the manchego cheese into thin slices and sprinkle over the figs and cheese. Top with the olives and arugula.
- Try to be artful about the placement of each item. This is not a tossed salad and should look casually elegant. Drizzle the top of the salad with balsamic vinegar and oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Nutrition
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I love you too, Alison. It was so great to see you and spend time and eat rich delicious food! Xoxo
What great travel tips, Alison! Thanks for sharing — I’m so happy you had a wonderful vacation!