Late Summer Salad w/ Figs, Blackberries and Sweet Potatoes + Roasted Shallot Dressing

This post is a salad recipe, but I will just say this upfront – it’s really about the dressing. To say that I am obsessed would be putting it mildly. I make this every week, and I may go weeks without making any other dressings. It is just that good. I cannot believe I have not shared it yet. Perhaps it deserves a post unto itself? Anyways, I typically make a large batch on Saturday or Sunday, popping the shallots into the oven while I am roasting something else. Yay for multitasking! I use this throughout the week, treating it like tangy, liquid gold. I drizzle it over salads, grain bowls, stir it into rice or blob it on top of eggs. It is very versatile and complements a wide array of flavor profiles.

Roasting the shallots in a packet of foil brings out their natural sweetness and adds an incredible depth of flavor to this dressing. I usually add rosemary or thyme sprigs to the packet, along with olive oil, to add a bit of herbaceousness. Mustard, lemon, apple cider vinegar and maple syrup round out the flavors here, blending with the shallots to yield this delicious dressing.

It is particularly delicious in this salad, which is hearty enough to make an entire meal when served alongside crusty bread. I wanted to make the most of all the beautiful late summer produce out there right now. I love the colors of late summer fruits and veggies – with hues so rich and deep they look like they will almost burst. This salad captures those ripe late summer flavors, while also hinting at the season to come with roasted spiced sweet potatoes.

I love food that embodies the changing seasons. There is something so delicious and poignant about the contrasting seasonal flavors. A meal like this reminds me of the rich but fleeting bounty our planet offers us. It reminds me that seasonal, simply prepared food is usually the most nourishing for body and soul.

I hope you enjoy! xo

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