This savory roasted figs and potatoes recipe combines fresh figs with buttery potatoes, lemon and thyme in a show-stopping, Mediterranean-style side dish you'll make again and again.
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I recently had a bounty of figs and I couldn't wait to use them in a dish I'd been dreaming of making for weeks. It involved placing the figs with baby potatoes in a lemony, thyme-scented bath and baking them until the figs were meltingly soft and caramelized at the top and the potatoes were creamy and golden. It was a simple idea but it worked so well when I actually made it, I couldn't wait to share it with you.
The reason I called this a Mediterranean-style recipe is the figs, of course, and also because this was inspired by my Greek lemon potatoes recipe, where potatoes soak and bake in a lemony broth. This dish is even simpler but just as good. I make a simple dressing of lemon juice and zest, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, pepper and thyme, and pour it over the figs and potatoes. The oven and the broiler do the rest of the work.
Why you will love this recipe
Simple and easy
All you have to do is place the figs and potatoes in a baking dish, mix the dressing in another bowl and drizzle it over before you bake. It takes about 15 minutes of prep time, most of which is halving the figs and baby potatoes.
Sweet and savory
You might have run into dessert recipes for roasted figs before but this recipe turns that concept on its head. What you get is a side dish with a twist and a vibrant mix of savory, tangy and sweet flavors.
Seasonal
Figs are in season from summer until early fall, and this is a great time to add them to recipes like this and my vegan fig and almond cake.
Gorgeous presentation
I called this a show-stopping dish and it truly is: the figs turn pale in the oven but five minutes under the broiler caramelizes the tops and perks them right back up to a gorgeous pink color. The potatoes - well, potatoes hardly need any selling, do they? Especially when they've turned butter-soft on the inside with a golden crust? When you bring this dish to the table you will definitely get a few oohs and aahs.
What is the best variety of figs for this recipe?
There are so many varieties of figs available in the United States, including black mission figs, brown turkey figs, Calimyrna, Kadota, Adriatic and celeste. Depending on where you live, you may or may not have a wide range to choose from at the market, so just use whatever variety of fig is available to you. Ideally the figs should feel firm to the touch but should be ripe and sweet on the inside.
How to make Mediterranean-style roasted figs and potatoes with thyme
Make the dressing
- In a bowl whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, chopped thyme and salt.
Prep and bake
- Place the halved figs and baby potatoes in a baking dish in a single layer. Pour the dressing over and toss to coat the figs and potatoes evenly. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/205 degrees Celsius.
- Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Remove the foil, set the oven to broil, and broil until the potatoes are lightly golden on top. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it stand 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe card
Mediterranean-Style Roasted Figs and Potatoes with Thyme
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds ripe figs (halved)
- 1½ pounds baby potatoes (halved or quartered if large, or use regular-sized waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold, cut into 1-inch cubes.)
For dressing/sauce/lemony broth
- ¼ cup lemon juice (from one large lemon)
- Zest of one lemon
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (adjust to your preference)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (stems removed and leaves roughly chopped. You can also leave some thyme sprigs whole for topping the bake, which makes a nice presentation)
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make dressing
- Whisk together the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, red pepper flakes, chopped thyme and salt.
Mix and bake
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/205 degrees Celsius.
- Place the figs and potatoes in a baking dish in a single layer. Drizzle the dressing over them and toss to mix evenly. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Remove the aluminum foil from the baking dish, turn on the broiler, and broil for five minutes until the figs look redder and the tops of the potatoes look lightly golden and caramelized.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it stand 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information
More oven-roasted vegetable sides
- Roasted Brussels sprouts (with rosemary and garlic)
- Rosemary roasted potatoes
- Roasted carrots with za'atar
- Roasted golden beets
- Roasted honeynut squash
Recipe FAQs
Rosemary and mint are both wonderful with figs and with potatoes.
Yes, substitute the tablespoon of fresh herbs with a teaspoon of dried herbs.
No, you need fresh figs for this recipe. Dried figs are lovely but their intense, concentrated flavor and chewy texture are not appropriate for this recipe.
Serve these roasted figs and potatoes with any Mediterranean-style entree, including vegan moussaka and Greek baked lima beans, or with a soup like fasolada.
Refrigerate the figs and potatoes for up to three days or freeze for up to three months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw and reheat in the oven set to 400 degrees Fahrenheit/205 degrees Celsius for 7-8 minutes or until warmed through.
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