The question is, what cheese goes well with figs? Fig and cheese pairing depends on whether you have fresh figs, dried figs, or fig jam. Both hard and soft kinds of cheese will pair well with a fig.
Fresh figs are the fruit of a tree or shrub, which grow in warm climates, although they grow in various environments. People that grow them take great pride in their fig trees, and there are Reddit and Meta (Facebook) groups dedicated to growing figs.
Keep in mind that you should eat fresh figs as soon as possible after purchase as they tend to have a short window between picking the fig and when you need to eat it. The most popular variety in a supermarket is the Black Mission Fig, but other types include Brown Turkey and Kadota.
Additionally, figs contain small amounts of many nutrients but are exceptionally high in copper and vitamin B6. Figs are commonly eaten fresh but can also be dried or made into preserves or jams.
To make a good cheese board, you’ll want variety. Sometimes it’s nice to have a few different types of hard and soft cheeses. While I prefer the hard cheeses, my husband prefers the more delicate cheeses. An important thing to keep in mind about fig pairings is that you must like the salty and sweet combo to enjoy the cheese’s saltiness paired with the sweetness of the fig. So learning what cheese goes with figs is important if you want to impress your guests.
Today when I asked my husband what his favorite cheese was for pairing with figs, he said, “all of them.” So with that in mind, let’s begin!
Fig Pairings
Pairing figs with cheese has been going on for ages. However, plenty of fig substitutes will work if you don’t have figs. Sometimes using a quince jam will taste just as good as a fig jam.
Fresh Figs
It makes no difference whether you are talking about the sweetest figs like the Italian Honey Fig or just one of the usual varieties you find in the supermarket. You can pair any type of fig with some of our fig pairings below; just keep in mind that fresh figs have a short shelf life, so eat them as quickly as possible after purchasing.
What Cheese Goes With Figs? (fresh figs)
Murray’s Delice de Bourgogne – is a pasteurized triple creme – it’s a pungent but approachable cheese that complements the sweetness of the fig.
New Zealand Grass Fed Cheddar – having a cheddar on hand is incredible since it is a more approachable cheese for some people than the stinkier softer varieties.
The Humbolt Fog Goat Cheese – has a lemony, slightly acidic taste and often becomes earthier with age.
Asiago – Asiago is a semi-hard cheese with a mild and nutty taste. It tends to be dry and crumbly but pairs well with a soft ripe, and sweet fig.
Dried Figs
Those who prefer their figs dried over fresh will enjoy pairing them with a cheese such as blue cheese or goat cheese which is strong enough to stand up to the full-bodied taste of the dried fruit. For dried figs, choose your cheese based on how sweet or savory you want the pairing to be.
While cheeses on our list have a robust and tangy flavor, there are also many sweet varieties. Rehydrating dried figs are a great option if you prefer a softer texture. Dried figs pair better with a softer cheese because a dried fig is complex and chewier, which complements the soft cheese.
What Cheese Goes With Figs? (dried figs)
Tomme de Chevre Aydius – this raw goat’s milk cheese and dried fig pairing will make you savor every bit of cheese.
Montchevré – a goat cheese that is both mild and rich, will pair wonderfully with dried fig.
Fig Preserves – Fig Jam
What cheese goes with fig jam? If you want to know all about fig preserves and cheese, we can help! Fig preserves are sweet since most people make them with sugar. When pairing a fig jam with good cheese, it’s all about the complement. You want the cheese to complement the fig and bring out deeper flavors and vice versa. When pairing with a fig jam, the firm cheeses will complement the soft texture of the fig preserves.
What Cheese Goes With Figs? (fig jam)
Murray’s Cave Aged Reserve Annelies – After a long, careful aging process in our Alpine Cave, our Affineurs coax out sweet flavors of roasted hazelnuts and vibrant alpine grasses, with lush undertones of butterscotch and cocoa. You’ll love the taste of this rich, creamy cheese.
Murray’s Asiago Pressato – An excellent hard cheese that pairs well with any type of fig, especially fig preserves.
Wisconsin Cheddar – A bold, sharp cheddar will make your taste buds explode when you pair it with a high-quality fig jam.
Murray’s 3 Year Comte – This semi-hard cheese will add a layer of depth and umami to any cheese board that you create.
How to Eat Figs With Cheese
There are some pairing essentials you’ll need to get started. However, there is no right or wrong way to eat figs with cheese.
- A good cheese slicer board with a wire cheese cutter and a knife.
- A variety of soft and hard cheeses.
- A mix of fresh figs, dried figs, and fig jam.
Take a plain cracker that does not have too much salt or flavor of its own, add a tiny piece of cheese with a small amount of fig. Eat it! We hope you got a lot out of our article “What Cheese Goes With Figs?” and now have some unique ideas for your next cheese board.
The key is not to overdo it with either the figs or the cheese. You don’t want one overpowering the other. I prefer simple crackers like the Z crackers, they are not too thick and don’t carry a lot of flavor on their own.
Final Thoughts on “What Cheese Goes With Figs?”
Fig and cheese pairings can be a delicious way to enjoy each food’s sweet and savory flavors. When pairing figs with cheese, it is essential to consider the taste and texture of both foods to create a complementary flavor profile. With so many different types of figs and cheeses available, there are endless possibilities for unique combinations that will tantalize your taste buds. Have you tried any of our suggested pairings? Let us know in the comments!