Fig, Balsamic, and Walnut Flatbreads
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This Fig, Balsamic, and Walnut Flatbread is an elevated yet quick-to-make appetizer or light meal, with sweet, savory, creamy, and crisp elements all in one package. This makes a great starter for sharing with friends or adding to a holiday menu.
A flatbread to impress.
This recipe was loosely inspired by an appetizer I saw in a Taste of Home Thanksgiving magazine — why are those special editions so insanely expensive!? — that I impulsively purchased while waiting for a flight. Regular readers know I am a huge fan of simple flatbreads, whether for an easy meal or share-able snack. I love that this one is as quick and easy as any flatbread to toss together, yet feels elevated and impressive thanks to the mix of flavors and textures and the sprinkle of fresh herbs and sea salt.
Fig butter or fig preserves take the place of a traditional sauce to give this flatbread a rich, fall-inspired vibe. The largest harvest for figs in the United States runs from August through October, so it feels natural to enjoy the fruit’s jam through the remainder of the year. I find fig butter at Trader Joe’s, but jams and similar are widely available at other major grocery stores and online.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Here’s a quick overview of your key ingredients. As always, find the full printable recipe with measurements below.
- Flatbread-style crusts. Any style of flatbread can make a great base; my favorite of all that I’ve tried is the Lavash-style flatbread sold at Trader Joe’s. It has good flavor, crisps up well, and is very thin yet still sturdy when baked.
- Fig butter, jam, or preserves. This can be homemade — lucky me, one of my neighbors has a very productive fig tree — or bought at most major grocery stores. Look near other jams and fruit spreads.
- Crumbled feta. Goat cheese is a great substitute. I also have a theory that this would be delicious with dollops of ricotta, but have yet to test that out.
- Walnut halves and pieces. Swap for slivered almonds or pecans, or omit to keep this appetizer nut-free.
- To finish: balsamic glaze, fresh rosemary sprigs, and honey. If you want to keep these more on the crisp, savory side, omit or go very light on the honey.
- Basics: olive oil, kosher salt or fine sea salt.
How To Make Fig, Balsamic, and Walnut Flatbreads
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Again, find the full printable recipe with measurements below.
First, prep the flatbread. Lightly brush the outside edge with olive oil to help it crisp up and become golden in the oven. Spread a thin, even layer of fig butter, jam, or preserves in the middle of each flatbread. This is your “sauce” but use a light touch.
Add feta and bake. Sprinkle a bit of crumbled feta over the fig butter — it should not completely cover the top — and place flatbreads in the oven for roughly 8 minutes at 425 degrees F.
Add walnuts and toast for a minute or two. Sprinkle walnuts on top, then return to the oven for an additional 1-2 minutes just to lightly toast the nuts. If your walnuts are already roasted or toasted, you can skip this step and just take out the flatbreads when the cheese is sufficiently softened to your taste, then add walnuts along with the other finishing touches.
Garnish. Finish these flatbreads with a light drizzle of balsamic glaze, honey, a sprinkle of fresh rosemary, and a light dusting of flaked sea salt to taste. The honey does make these fairly sweet, so if you want to emphasize more of the savory notes, skip the honey or take a very light hand.
Slice and serve. I like to slice these into bite-sized pieces and serve as an appetizer. They’d be dreamy before Thanksgiving or at a holiday party!
Storage & Reheating
To Store: Slide pieces of flatbread into large zip-top storage containers, seal tightly, and store lying flat, with the topping side face up, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To Reheat: Use the oven or toaster oven to get the crust nice and crisp again. I use my Breville. Warming pre-cooked flatbreads takes about 5 minutes on 325 degrees F at super convection (the air fryer setting). Your standard oven will accomplish the exact same thing. For maximum re-crisping, place flatbread slices directly on the rack when warming, not on a baking sheet.
More Fall-Inspired Appetizers
- Apricot Brie Bites
- Blackberry Brie and Thyme Phyllo Cups
- Stuffed Mushrooms
- Rye Chip Chex Mix
- Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
- Easy Homemade Olive Tapenade
More Flatbread Recipes
- Mushroom Flatbread
- Pepperoni Pizza Flatbread
- BBQ Chicken Flatbread
- Easy Pesto Flatbread with Olives
- BLT Flatbread Pizza
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Fig, Balsamic, and Walnut Flatbreads
Ingredients
- 2 lavash or other flatbread crusts
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup fig butter, jam, or preserves
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta
- pinch fine sea salt or kosher salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- balsamic glaze, fresh rosemary, and honey to finish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Set flatbreads on a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Brush olive oil lightly along the outer rim of the flatbreads. Spread the fig butter or preserves in a thin layer across the top, then sprinkle evenly with the feta and top with a touch of salt.
- Transfer flatbreads to the oven and bake for 7-9 minutes, until the cheese is softened and the exposed edges are brown and crisp.
- Sprinkle the flatbreads with chopped walnuts and return to the oven for 1-2 minutes, watching carefully to be sure the nuts do not burn.
- Remove from the oven, drizzle lightly with balsamic glaze and honey, and sprinkle with fresh rosemary and more salt if desired.
- Slice into small squares or rectangles, serve warm, and enjoy!
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes 2 flatbreads, but is super easy to scale up or down. I find each flatbread yields roughly 10 small bites if sliced as an appetizer, but this will vary depending on exactly what type of bread or base you use.
- To Reheat: Use the oven or toaster oven to get the crust nice and crisp again. I use my Breville, and warming pre-cooked flatbreads takes about 5 minutes on 325 degrees F at super convection (the air fryer setting). Your standard oven will accomplish the exact same thing. For maximum re-crisping, place flatbread slices directly on the rack when warming, not on a baking sheet.
- Recipe: Inspired by Taste of Home’s 2024 Thanksgiving magazine.
