Grilled Potato and Fig Salad with Maple-Almond Clusters | www.floatingkitchen.net

Grilled Potato and Fig Salad with Maple-Almond Clusters

This post was originally published here on August 29, 2014. It’s a favorite recipe of mine, so I thought it was worth re-visiting with new and improved photos. I hope you try it out!

I have been in a MEGA salad mood these past couple of weeks. Like, I literally can’t stop eating salads. They’re all I want. All day. Every day.

I’ve always been a big salad eater. But you know how there are some days when you’re just eating a salad because you feel like you’re suppose too be. Like, maybe you’re trying to erase some poor choices from the day before. Yeah. I’ve had my fair share of those moments (most recently, this past Saturday). I think we all have.

But lately, I don’t feel like that at all. My appetite for salads has been insatiable. Luckily for me, there is an overwhelming amount of delectable Summer produce available right now. So feeding my salad desires has never been so easy. Or delicious.

Grilled Potato and Fig Salad with Maple-Almond Clusters | www.floatingkitchen.net

This Grilled Potato and Fig Salad with Maple-Almond Clusters has been a favorite recipe of mine for years now. And it’s currently making it’s way back into heavy rotation. I’m literally obsessed with this salad. And as long as I can reliably find fresh figs at the grocery story, that obsession will continue. Fig season is SO SHORT (which pains me greatly). So when they are around, you know damn straight I’m taking advantage of them in every way possible.

I’m also taking advantage of my grill while the weather allows, grilling both the potatoes and the figs for this recipe. The potatoes do require a little pre-cooking, which helps them to cook evenly on your grill without burning. But it’s worth the extra step. Because everything tastes better from the grill. Even salads.

Grilled Potato and Fig Salad with Maple-Almond Clusters | www.floatingkitchen.net

I find that I don’t need much in the way of dressing for this salad. Just a drizzle of reduced balsamic vinegar is plenty for me. But you can add some extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Beware these maple-almond clusters. They are pretty much like crack. CRACK I tell you! It takes a lot of willpower not to eat (demolish?) the entire batch in one sitting. You might want to just go right ahead and double the recipe, so you have enough for nibbling on and for topping this salad. Trust me when I say they are highly addicting.

Cheers,

Liz

Grilled Potato and Fig Salad with Maple-Almond Clusters

Grilled Potato and Fig Salad with Maple-Almond Clusters

At a Glance:
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sliced almonds
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
  • 1/4 tsp. salt, plus more for finishing the salad
  • 1.5 lbs fingerling potatoes
  • 16 fresh figs, cut in half lengthwise
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 6-8 cups arugula
  • 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  1. Make the maple-almond clusters. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds until they become fragrant and have started to brown slightly, about 2 minutes. Watch them carefully and stir frequently so they don’t burn. Add in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the maple syrup and 1/4 tsp. of salt, stirring until the almonds are well coated. Remove the skillet from the heat and spread the almonds out onto a parchment-paper lined baking sheet. Set aside to cool.
  2. Cook the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them with 1-2 inches of cold water. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil. Then reduce the temperature to maintain a simmer and cook the potatoes, uncovered, until they are just fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the potatoes because you want them to maintain their shape for grilling. Drain the potatoes and set them aside to cool slightly. Once they are cool enough to handle, slice the potatoes in half lengthwise.
  3. Pre-heat your grill to medium-high. In a large bowl, gently toss the potatoes in about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. In a separate bowl, gently toss the figs in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Grill the potatoes and the figs, placing them directly on the grill grates. The potatoes take about 2-3 minutes per side. The figs are more fragile and will only take about 1 minute per side. Remove the potatoes and figs from the grill and place them on a large plate or baking sheet.
  4. To make the dressing, combine the balsamic vinegar and the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of maple syrup in a small heavy bottom saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer until the balsamic vinegar is reduced to about 1/3 of a cup, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  5. Assemble the salads. Divide the arugula evenly between 4 plates. Top with the grilled potatoes, grilled figs, goat cheese and the maple-almond clusters. Drizzle with the balsamic reduction and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Enjoy immediately.
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61 comments on “Grilled Potato and Fig Salad with Maple-Almond Clusters”

  1. I am totally in love with this salad. I love grilling potatoes so that’s just icing on the cake. What a perfect way to celebrate the close of summer – as much as I don’t want to admit it’s happening, it’s definitely in the Northwest air!

  2. What a gorgeous salad! I love how you’ve done something totally different from the usual mayo-laden potato salad. And those fresh figs and maple almond clusters look delicious!

  3. This is beautiful and I love your take on potato salad! Those maple-almonds sound perfect. I’d be eating those by the handful, too 🙂

  4. I can’t get enough of figs! I always add them to salads, but I’ve never tried them with potatoes before. This would make the perfect Labor Day side dish. Thanks for sharing!

  5. What a delicious and pretty take on potato salad! I love how you finished off the potatoes on the grill. I did that for the first time with sweet potatoes a few weeks ago and the flavor boast was definitely worth it! I hope you’re having great holiday weekend 🙂

  6. This looks so delicious! This is such a lovely combination!

  7. This is totally my kind of potato salad! Figs? Yes. Goat cheese? Heck yes. Maple almond clusters? Duhhh.

  8. Liz this looks amazing! I love the potato and fig combo in this salad.

  9. I was sort of weirded out the first time I had fingerling potatoes in a salad, but it’s SO good!! This salad sounds beyond delicious. Love all the yummy things in there!

    • Thanks Rachel! They are really good! And I like the hearty-ness they give to a salad. Make it more of a complete meal.

  10. Beautiful! and I loath mayonnaise, I always make my potatoes salads without it.

  11. This looks absolutely divine. Like, you’ve combined all of my favourite things into a bowl and then mixed them up together into an incredible combo salad. I’m definitely bookmarking this for later. Thanks!!!

    Owl Girl | A London lifestyle blog

  12. Gorgeous combination of the ingredients..

  13. What a beautiful salad, Liz! I absolutely love the figs and potatoes together. And the goat cheese sounds like the perfect touch! Gorgeous pictures, too!

  14. This looks divine, Liz! Love the flavours all packed into this one dish! So good!

    • Thank you, Jess! It is flavor packed. And hearty enough for a main meal, which is something I really love about it!

  15. I love love the addition of potatoes in this salad!!! Gorgeous looking too!

  16. Wow, this has everything I like! Figs, maple-almond… Sounds too good to be true. Definitely trying this out, thanks for the recipe 🙂

    http://mindfullyaudrina.blogspot.com/

  17. gorgeous gorgeous salad!! I also never put mayo in my potato salad anymore . . love everything about this.. loaded with grilled figs, crumbled goat cheese and maple-sweetened almond clusters?! Wow!! Potato salad reinvented, indeed!! love this!

  18. Hi Liz, I’m new to your site and I’m already loving it. I can’t wait to look at all your recipes. Beautiful salad! Figs are heavenly.

    Brownie and bites

  19. Wow. What a delicious salad!

  20. Pingback: Maple Syrup Farm - 2Teaspoons

  21. I missed this one the first time around Liz. So glad you re-shared! It looks delicious. Love that list of ingredients!

  22. You had me at figs! This is such a perfect Summer salad! I can’t wait to make it!

  23. I have been warned but I still want those maple clusters NOW! LOL!

  24. Those grilled potatoes look AMAZING! Adding grilled ingredients to salads is the best!

  25. Those clusters!!! LOVE!

  26. This salad is BEAUTIFUL. Thanks for the inspiration!

  27. Oh ma gerd! This is so beautiful and I love the clusters tucked in there 🙂

  28. I’m completely with you on Salads, Liz! So much summer produce coming in and you absolutely cannot have better lettuce anytime of year than now. Tender, sweet, fresh! Sublime… I adore this flavor combination! Thank you for bringing this scrumptious salad to our attention again with your gorgeous rephotographed salad! Gorgeous!

  29. Gorgeous!! I love anything with figs!

  30. Hi Liz! I am a big salad eater as well! I have a salad practically every day for lunch. This one would be such a good change from my usual mixed greens salad! The combination of ingredients sounds delicious. Can’t wait to try it! ?

  31. what if i don’t have a grill? (gulp)

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