Fig Toast with Basil Oil

Fig Toast is one of the most delicious ways to celebrate the peak of fig season. It's easy to put together, loaded with bright flavors, contrasting textures, and it's really beautiful!

If you want to make a stunning, incredibly delicious and impressive appetizer, lunch or dinner with figs, this Fig Toast is the answer.

While more often than not, I serve this as an appetizer, much like my Avocado Tomato Toast, it can definitely stand on its own as a satisfying meal.

Crunchy bread, soft cheese and sweet figs, all drizzled with a subtly sweet, earthy basil oil.

You can make the basil oil ahead, and put everything together in a few minutes when you're ready to serve.

The Key Ingredients

• fresh figs - Choose plump figs that have a little bit of give when pressed lightly. They should not be too soft. Black Mission figs are featured here, though you can use any variety you like. Several fig varieties are described here.
• fresh basil - Choose bright green perky bunches. The basil is used for basil oil which is drizzled over the figs.
• fresh mozzarella - Fresh mozzarella cheese has a mild flavor and its texture is soft and sliky-smooth. I would not try using a hard mozzarella -- if it's not fresh, it won't be soft and it would take away from the delightful eating experience. Fig toast is also excellent with goat cheese. If you substitute the fresh mozzarella with it, spread a nice, thick layer of it on top of the basil oil. A thin slice of a soft Brie or Feta would be very tasty, too, though stronger in flavor.
• bread - Use any bread you like that's going to be firm enough to hold the ingredients. Sturdy yet soft is perfect. I use large slices of bread (imagine a typical loaf of sourdough in terms of shape and size) and cut them into thirds. I like to use a darker bread, like Squaw, which you can find in most grocery stores. I love the delicious deep flavor and it's beautiful with the figs.

How to Make Fig Toast

- Add the washed and dried basil leaves to a blender with the oil, salt and sugar. Blend until smooth and set aside.

Recipe Tip: The recipe will likely make more of the basil oil than you'll need. It won't blend properly in the blender if you use less of the ingredients. Save any extra for salad dressing or to drizzle over chicken, fish, or anything you desire.

- Once the figs are washed and dried, cut them into fairly thin wedges. The number of them will depend on the size of the figs. (In the instructions, I list the weight needed because of this.)

Recipe Tip: I like to slice the figs into wedges (see images), but you can also slice them into rounds.

- Cut the mozzarella into thin slices (about ¼-inch).

- After the slices of bread are toasted, drizzle them with the basil oil, about 1 ½ tablespoons each. Then distribute the cheese slices evenly among them, followed by the fig wedges. Drizzle each with more of the basil oil, about 2 teaspoons.

- Now you can either leave the fig toast as is, or cut each one in half or into thirds, which is what you'll want to do if you're serving this as an appetizer.

Pro Tip: If you happen to have a fig tree, use some of the fig leaves to place on your serving plate, beneath the toast. They're gorgeous!

Variations

• To give recipe a sweeter vibe, drizzle it with honey. You can use it instead of the basil oil, or with it.
• It's also delicious to make this with pesto. My favorite is Basil and Lemon Verbena Pesto. It would replace the basil, extra virgin olive oil, salt and sugar.
• Sprinkle it with nuts! Roughly chopped hazelnuts or pistachios are my top choices.
• Using other fruits. Of course this recipe is all about figs, but you can also make it with fresh strawberries, peaches, nectarines, mangoes, whatever suits you that can be sliced nicely.
• Vegan? For a vegan version of this fig toast, swap the cheese with a spread of plain hummus, or this super special Roasted Macadamia Nut Hummus. You can also use your favorite vegan cheese or plain yogurt. Hummus will change the overall flavor, but it will still be wonderful.
• Gluten-free? Just use your favorite gluten-free bread that gets crisp when toasted.
• For a non vegetarian version. Prosciutto is excellent with figs! Add a few very thin slices beneath them, over the cheese, or instead of it.

Serving Suggestions

• As I said, this easy Fig Toast recipe can stand on its own, but it's also lovely with other dishes. I would suggest Watermelon Basil Salad, Grilled Little Gem Salad or Papaya Salad with Avocado.
• At a brunch it would also be fantastic alongside Egg White-Potato Frittata or Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs.
• And it's an amazing appetizer when the fig toast is cut into smaller pieces.

More Recipes with Figs

Can you make it ahead?

You can make the basil oil up to a couple of days ahead of time, but everything else should be done close to the time you'd like to serve.

Fig season is generally May through November, depending on the variety and weather conditions. Peak season is August to October.

I hope you love this easy and beautiful fig toast!