• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Devil Wears Salad
  • Recipe Categories
  • Salad Recipes
  • Side Dish Recipes
  • Salad Dressings
  • Pairings
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Fall Salads
  • Recipe Categories
  • Salad Recipes
  • Side Dish Recipes
  • Salad Dressings
  • Ingredient Pairings
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Salads with Fruit

    Red Currant Salad with Figs

    Published: Mar 1, 2023 by The Devil Wears Salad

    Jump to Recipe

    Nothing quite screams the ultimate summer salad recipe than one that incorporates all the wonderful summer fruits. Brown Turkey figs, red currants and blackberries, all beautifully combined to make a super simple savoury salad.

    2 serves of Red Currant Salad with Figs on white plates this recipe

    Why You’ll Love Red Currant Salad with Figs

    Easy. Fancy. Quick. No cook. Need I say more?

    When the produce is as stunning as these gorgeous summer fruits are, sometimes it’s best to let them do all the hard work and not overcomplicate what’s right in front of us.

    This red currant salad only takes 15 minutes to put together. Not only is it gracefully plated, but it is also completely uncomplicated by any cooking process. Red currants also pairs well with figs, making it a salad to keep coming back for.

    To really enjoy this recipe, this summer salad recipe is individually plated rather than put in a big heap for sharing. No doubt your family and friends will think you’re so sophisticated. Let’s not tell them all you did was chop, blitz and assemble, shall we?

    What Are Red Currants?

    Red currants are small round pops of berries usually picked with the fruit still attached to the stem. 

    They are a fruit of a shrub and are members of the Ribes family that grow well in warm summers and cold winters. There are over 150 species within the Ribes family, including white or black currants and gooseberries.

    These berries grow in clusters and are allowed to ripen on the plant before they are picked.

    Red currants are rich in vitamins and minerals. Therefore, they are healthy with very few calories whilst also being rich in fibre.

    bunch of fresh red currants

    What Do Red Currants Taste Like?

    Red currants are the size of a small pearl and are bright red in colour. The skin is slightly translucent and you can see through to the pulp flesh.

    The berry is acidic and can be quite tart with sweet notes. It does contain a fair bit of tannin, and like all fruits that do, they can make your mouth pucker. 

    How to Store Red Currants?

    Red currants are best refrigerated. They are very fragile fruits so they will only really last for about 3 days if you wish to eat them fresh.

    You can also freeze red currants. Gently remove the berries from the stem and lay them separately. After they have frozen, you can put them all together in a freezer bag. This will last for several months.

    Instead of freezing them, they make for excellent fruit platter presentation ideas or if you’re enjoying Southern Hemisphere Christmas, they would look spectacular in our Christmas fruit platter: chocolate salad!

    Recipe Overview

    Flavour/Texture: The first impression you’ll get of this red currant salad is that it’s stunning. The first mouthful will give you nothing but fresh produce that is both tart and sweet at the same time. 

    The trick is to eat everything together so that it balances the tartness from the red currants with the sweetness from the figs. The mixed leaves bring all the fruit down to a savoury level as you use it to envelop the soft fruit between your knife and fork.

    Ease: Sophisticated yet oh so simple. No cooking involved. All you’re doing is cutting some figs, chopping some chervil and blitzing the salad dressing. Nothing else!

    Time: Flat 15 minutes. Don’t overthink the individual plates. It will look stunning if you follow the assembly instructions properly. Or, if you’re creative, plate it as you wish! You can’t go wrong.

    Ingredients

    Here are the ingredients for red currant salad with figs:

    individually labelled ingredients for red currants salad

    Brown Turkey figs: Figs are never very cheap, so ensure you pick the best of the lot. Figs are incredibly fragile, so even though you have to press gently to see if they are suitable, you don’t want to spoil them. 

    You want firm figs. The skin should be taut and not wrinkly; the stem should be a fresh bright green, and ensure there are no dents. Make sure mould has not started to form anywhere on the fruit.

    The preference is to purchase individual figs rather than in a packet. This way you get to inspect them one by one.

    If you’re lucky enough to be gifted some figs or have a fig tree, be sure to also try our grilled fig and whipped goat cheese salad and fresh fig salad recipe with mango.

    Mixed leaves: Any mixed leaves will do. If you like the anise-like flavours of rocket/arugula, select mixed leaves which have them. All you are looking for are fresh greens.

    Red currants: These are just pops of joy! They can be quite tart on their own but some are also on the sweeter side. Get red currants that are still on the stem, as they will place beautifully on top of the figs and mixed leaves.

    Blackberries: As they appear in the summer, blackberries are simply glorious. Sweat, tart and fresh, it’s so easy to keep eating them all summer long! 

    They make for an excellent salad dressing, providing lovely berry notes while adding a fresh and fruit element, just like our raspberry walnut dressing.

    Chervil: A herb which also belongs to the parsley family but is less intrusive. Soft and delicate, it is a great accompaniment to the salad.  

    Walnut oil: An oil that doesn’t get used enough. Cold-pressed walnut oil is fragrant and perfect for salad dressing. But, of course, this is a bit of a luxury, so off-the-shelf walnut oil will suffice.

    Honey: A fair bit of tartness is going on with the berries and red currant, so a dollop of honey will help to take the edge off.

    Sherry Vinegar: Adds depth to the salad dressing. It doesn’t compete with walnut oil as it has less bite compared to white wine vinegar, yet it is more complex than apple cider vinegar.

    Variations and Substitutions

    Vegan recipe: To make this recipe vegan friendly, you can substitute the honey in the salad dressing with maple syrup or organic rice malt syrup. If you prefer, you can just omit it altogether. 

    Baby spinach: If you’re not a fan of mixed leaves, especially if it has peppery leaves like radicchio or rocket/arugula, then simply get a bunch of baby spinach leaves. They will be perfectly fine for this recipe.

    Red currant substitute: There is nothing quite like fresh red currants. But you can certainly use raspberries for this recipe.

    Blackberry substitute: For the fresh component on the plate, you can try mulberries or blueberries. For the salad dressing, you can use frozen blackberries if you can’t find fresh ones.

    Figs: Figs are one of a kind. If you can’t find figs, wait until you can. This salad is nothing with the mighty fig!

    Chervil substitute: As chervil and parsley are from the same family, some finely chopped flat leaf parsley will do nicely if the chervil eludes you.

    Instructions

    Step by step instructions for how to make red currant salad:

    How to Make Salad

    Remove the stem from the Brown Turkey figs. Cut into quarters.

    whole and quartered figs heaped on a brown bowl

    Roughly chop chervil to yield 1 tbsp.

    bunch of fresh chervil herb

    Wash mixed leaves, red currants and blackberries separately and pat dry.

    How to Make Blackberry Vinaigrette

    In a food processor, add the walnut oil, blackberries, honey and sherry vinegar.

    Blitz until well combined.

    How to Assemble Salad

    In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the mixed leaves and blackberry salad dressing. Toss until well combined.

    This is an individually plated salad, so 4 x small plates will be required. 

    On each plate, place the mixed leaves tossed with the salad dressing.

    Add 4 Brown Turkey fig quarters and make sure they are together.

    Place a small bunch of red currants on top.

    Divide the blackberries equally among the plates and place on the side, on top of the leaves.

    Sprinkle some chopped chervil on top.

    Season with salt and pepper to taste.

    Serve.

    Great Main Dishes for This Salad

    Looking for some great summer mains for this red currant salad? Here are some great ideas:

    A great summer salad deserves an equally delicious summer inspired main dish. Nothing quite beats steak and salad so this grilled tomahawk steak and the sweet flavours of the red currant salad is such a great combination.

    Easy to make chicken kebab recipe for some al fresco dining is fantastic while a delicious and juicy apple mustard pork burgers served up with a fruity salad just makes sense.

    How to Make This Salad Perfectly [Expert Tips]

    Quality of the figs: Figs have a relatively short shelf life so it is always best to consume them as soon as you purchase them, or if you’re lucky enough, pluck them off the tree! 

    Ensure they are plump, bright, and have no bruised or brown spots. They should be soft to hold but not squishy. For this salad to work, the figs must be of excellent quality.

    Toss lightly: Almost all fruit in this recipe are delicate to touch and prone to being mashed easily. When tossing the mixed leaves with the blackberries, be sure to do it gently, and it is more of a fold than a mixing of ingredients.

    Handle with care: We want the red currants to remain on their stem, so if you’re hand-picking a bunch from the farmer’s market, don’t be throwing them at the bottom of the grocery bag. I usually carry it separately, just in case!

    Frequently Asked Questions

    When are red currants in season?

    Red currants can be found in the summer season. For those in the Southern Hemisphere, they are the perfect fruit to get to spruce up that Christmas table.

    Frozen red currants can often be found year-round should you require them for a special recipe.

    Where can I buy red currants?

    When in season, red currants can usually be found in the refrigerated section of our everyday supermarket. Specialty grocers and farmers markets will most certainly have them too.

    Can I bring this red currant salad to a potluck dinner?

    Absolutely! There is no cooked component involved in this salad so it’s easy to transport.

    Make the dressing in advance and transport in a well-sealed jar or container.

    If you can assemble the salad at the destination, that would be most ideal. If you can’t, you can make the salad on one big platter and then drizzle the salad dressing just before serving. That way, the leaves won’t get soggy and will be sprightly and fresh.

    How do I pick the best figs?

    Figs are best eaten when they are slightly soft as hard figs mean they are not ripe. Figs are highly perishable so you should only be buying them no more than 2 days out before you make this salad. 

    Ensure there is no mould on the fruit and the stem is intact and bright green. The skin shouldn’t be wrinkly nor should it be bruised.

    Always buy them as individual fruit instead of in a pre-packaged scenario so that you can inspect each of them separately. At the price we have to pay for them, you can afford to be picky!


    This salad truly epitomises the warmer months and there is no better way to showcase this gorgeous produce than by creating gorgeous plate ups. With no cooking required and mere 15 minutes to whip up, you really have no excuse not to give this a try!

    That’s all!

    More Salad Recipes with Fruit

    • Roasted Feijoa Salad on a grey earthen plate with 2 forks
      Roasted Feijoa Salad with Streaky Bacon
    • Purple Kale Salad with Rainbow Chard.
      Purple Kale Salad with Rainbow Chard
    • Pear and Rocket Salad with Provoletta Blue Cheese
      Pear and Rocket Salad with Provoleta Blue Cheese
    • 2 serves of Mango Avocado Salad with Crispy Chorizo on a white plate and on a black plate
      Mango Avocado Salad with Crispy Chorizo
    Pouring blackberry salad dressing over red currant salad
    Red Currant Salad with Figs on a white plate and gold serving cutlery
    Print Recipe
    5 from 10 votes

    Red Currant Salad with Figs

    Nothing quite screams the ultimate summer salad recipe than one that incorporates all the wonderful summer fruits. Brown Turkey figs, red currants and blackberries, all beautifully combined to make a super simple savoury salad.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: International
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Fat, Low Lactose, Vegetarian
    Dietary: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, Vegetarian
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 170kcal
    Author: Amy Chung

    Ingredients

    Salad

    • 4 figs, Brown Turkey
    • 40 g mixed leaves
    • 40 g red currants
    • 60 g blackberries
    • 1 tbsp chervil, chopped
    • salt, to taste
    • pepper, to taste

    Salad Dressing

    • 3 tbsp walnut oil
    • 60 g blackberries
    • 1 tbsp honey
    • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar

    Click on the toggle below for conversion to US Cooking Units.

    Instructions

    Salad

    • Remove the stem from the Brown Turkey figs. Cut into quarters.
    • Roughly chop chervil to yield 1 tbsp.
    • Wash mixed leaves, red currants and blackberries separately and pat dry.

    Salad Dressing

    • In a food processor, add the walnut oil, blackberries, honey and sherry vinegar.
    • Blitz until well combined.

    Assembly

    • In a medium sized mixing bowl, add the mixed leaves and blackberry salad dressing. Toss until well combined.
    • This is an individually plated salad, so 4 x small plates will be required.
    • On each plate, place the mixed leaves tossed with the salad dressing.
    • Add 4 Brown Turkey fig quarters and make sure they are together.
    • Place a small bunch of red currants on top.
    • Divide the blackberries equally among the plates and place on the side, on top of the leaves.
    • Sprinkle some chopped chervil on top.
    • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • Serve.

    Notes

    • Any form of mixed leaves will work for the salad. If you prefer, you can use just baby spinach leaves if you’re not a fan of the peppery flavours of rocket/arugula.
    • You can substitute the red currants with raspberries, although you won’t get the same tartness or the delicate pops of the currants.
    • You can use frozen blackberries for the salad dressing but advise against using it on the salad.
    • If you can’t find fresh blackberries you can substitute them with blueberries.
    • For a vegan salad, organic rice malt syrup or maple syrup in the salad dressing will work.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

    *Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided is an estimate only and generated by an online calculator.

    Tried this recipe? We’d Love To See It!Mention @thedevilwearssalad or tag #thedevilwearssalad!

    Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates!

    Disclaimer: This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you.

    « Quick Pickled Mushrooms Recipe
    Baked Tempeh Salad »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Liz

      March 10, 2023 at 10:40 pm

      5 stars
      This was a gorgeous salad and the dressing was phenomenal!!

      Reply
    2. The Sudden Cook

      March 10, 2023 at 6:27 pm

      5 stars
      THis looks so so amazing and beautiful! We don’t have figs here often but will surely bookmark this recipe to try!

      Reply
    3. Stephanie

      March 08, 2023 at 2:11 am

      5 stars
      Delish! The figs and the dressing take this salad to a whole new level.

      Reply
      • The Devil Wears Salad

        March 08, 2023 at 10:45 am

        Thanks Stephanie! Glad you enjoyed it:)

        Reply

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    The Devil Wears Salad Team

    United by a common love for salads, us 3 girls decided to embark on a journey to show you that you CAN win friends with salad!

    Tried and tested, these recipes are designed for all discerning home cooks. We have everything from no cook recipes right through to showstoppers. Something for everyone!

    More About Us →

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Korean Cucumber Salad - Oi Muchim (오이무침)
      Korean Cucumber Salad – Oi Muchim (오이무침)
    • Roasted Asian Eggplant with Gochujang Glaze on a brown plate with black cutlery served with noodles
      Roasted Asian Eggplant with Gochujang Glaze
    • Air Fryer Parsnip Fries with Red Pepper Mayo on dotted grey and white napery
      Air Fryer Parsnip Fries
    • Kachumber Salad [Authentic Indian Salad] served with naan bread and veg pulao
      Kachumber Salad [Authentic Indian Salad]
    • Miso Mayo Dressing
      Miso Mayo Dressing
    • Yuzu Dressing
      Yuzu Dressing

    Spring Salad Recipes

    • crunchy noodle salad with wombok in a round grey bowl with serving spoon on the right
      Crunchy Noodle Salad with Cabbage
    • fennel courgette salad on a white plate in the middle with a smaller black plate filled with salad on the top left corner
      Courgette Salad with Fennel and Citrus
    • Grilled Little Gem Salad with Tahini Ranch Dressing served on a white plate over grey napery
      Little Gem Salad with Vegan Ranch Dressing
    • White Asparagus Salad Recipe on a grey plate with blue napkins and a bunch of parsley in the background
      White Asparagus Salad Recipe
    The Devil Wears Salad | Salad Gazette

    Fall Salad Recipes

    • Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin Salad surrounded by fresh feijoas and fall leaves
      Sous Vide Pork Tenderloin Salad
    • 2 serves of Baked Tempeh Salad on a grey plates
      Baked Tempeh Salad
    • brown mushrooms marinated in parsley, shallots, garlic, chilli flakes and vinegar served in a bowl with spoon on the side
      Quick Pickled Mushrooms Recipe
    • a bowl of freekeh grain salad with roasted beetroot and spiced sumac dressing drizzled on the side. Using gold fork and spoon to serve.
      Freekeh Grain Salad with Preserved Lemons
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    The Devil Wears Salad Team

    United by a common love for salads, us 3 girls decided to embark on a journey to show you that you CAN win friends with salad!

    Tried and tested, these recipes are designed for all discerning home cooks. We have everything from no cook recipes right through to showstoppers. Something for everyone!

    More About Us →

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Korean Cucumber Salad - Oi Muchim (오이무침)
      Korean Cucumber Salad – Oi Muchim (오이무침)
    • Roasted Asian Eggplant with Gochujang Glaze on a brown plate with black cutlery served with noodles
      Roasted Asian Eggplant with Gochujang Glaze
    • Air Fryer Parsnip Fries with Red Pepper Mayo on dotted grey and white napery
      Air Fryer Parsnip Fries
    • Kachumber Salad [Authentic Indian Salad] served with naan bread and veg pulao
      Kachumber Salad [Authentic Indian Salad]
    • Miso Mayo Dressing
      Miso Mayo Dressing
    • Yuzu Dressing
      Yuzu Dressing

    Spring Salad Recipes

    • Watercress Salad with Apple and Pear in a grey bowl with cheese and bread on the side
      Watercress Salad with Apple and Pear
    • Creamy Cucumber Avocado Salad on a grey plate with black cutlery and grey napkin
      Creamy Cucumber Avocado Salad
    • Spicy Asian Chicken Salad in a grey bubble plate
      Spicy Asian Chicken Salad
    • hand holding spoon scooping chickpea salad from a beige plate with a small bowl of salad, lemons and feta around the plate.
      Chickpea Salad with Feta
    The Devil Wears Salad | Salad Gazette

    Fall Salad Recipes

    • soba noodles, pearl mushrooms, edamame, spring onions, cilantro and sesame seeds served in a grey bowl with fork on side
      Pearl Oyster Mushroom Noodle Salad Recipe
    • pear arugula salad on large grey plate next to a bowl of candied walnuts and arugula
      Pear Arugula Salad with Candied Walnuts
    • a plate of Waldorf salad with gold fork and spoon serving, a smaller bowl of salad and two bread rolls at the top of the plate.
      The Best Waldorf Salad Recipe
    • Vegan Couscous Salad with Blistered Tomatoes on a blue plate served with fresh basil and lemon on the side
      Vegan Couscous Salad with Blistered Tomatoes

    Footer

    The Devil Wears Salad Favicon

    About Us
    Accessibility Statement
    Privacy Policy
    Terms of Use
    Work With Us

    Facebook
    Instagram
    Pinterest
    Twitter

    ↑ back to top

    Copyright © 2022 The Devil Wears Salad