Fig-purslane salad with toasted pecans & fig balsamic dressing

Last Updated on September 4, 2023 by Aaron von Frank

Purslane and fig salad? Find out how to turn two summer garden treats into a delicious meal or side dish! 

First, a bit about purslane…

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is one of the 14 leafy green vegetables we recommend for warm-climate summer gardens. Why?

First, purslane is incredibly robust, drought-resistant, and low-maintenance. It’s also fast-growing and highly productive. 

Yes, these attributes also cause purslane to be labelled a “weed” by people who are trying to grow plants other than purslane, including many farmers. However, we prefer to see it for its many virtues.   

Fruits and veggies. A purslane plant and a watermelon plant commingling in our garden.

Purslane: a nutritional powerhouse

Perhaps the best thing about purslane is its nutritional profile. It contains high amounts of Vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and other nutrients.

Purslane also contains two types of omega-3 fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). EPA (don’t try to pronounce the full name) is very rarely found in plants. Rather, it’s typically found in animals and is the type of omega-3 fatty acid that makes fatty fish like salmon so good for you. 

Lastly, the mucilage in purslane makes it awesome for your gut health, aka your gut microbiome.      

Are plant oxalates bad for you? 

Yes, purslane is also relatively high in oxalates. In case you’ve never heard of them, oxalates are compounds found in varying concentrations in virtually every plant food imaginable: almonds, sweet potatoes, grains, greens, etc. They’re also a metabolic waste product produced by your own body. 

Oxalates are often labeled as “anti-nutrients” because they can bind to certain nutrients during digestion, thus preventing your body from absorbing them. However, the degree to which oxalates actually inhibit nutrient absorption is quite complex and varies from person to person. Your resident microbes also make a big difference.  

As nutritionists at Colorado State University detail: 

“Further, a specific type of bacteria that resides in the gut called Oxalobacter formignes breaks down oxalates and uses them for energy. This process prevents oxalates from binding to minerals and limiting their absorption. Studies have shown that people with low levels of oxalate-degrading bacteria in the gut and those with certain digestive disorders are more prone to higher levels of oxalates in the body.” 

Should you avoid eating plants high in oxalates, such as purslane?

Unless you’re prone to kidney stones or gout, or your doctor has told you to avoid high oxalate foods, there’s no reason to avoid eating plants like purslane. For most people, the health benefits of eating oxalate-containing plant foods far outweigh any downsides. 

And the best way for an otherwise healthy person to prevent kidney stones is to stay hydrated, not stop eating nutrient-rich foods. 

How to process and eat purslane

Ok, last thing about purslane then we’ll move on… How do you process and eat it? Here’s what we recommend: 

Step 1: Harvest.

Harvest the growth tips by pinching or cutting the stem just above the lower leaf nodes. 

Purslane section pinched off and ready to go in the harvest basket. It was a bit cloudy when these were harvested so the flowers were closed. Whether open or closed, purslane flowers add a beautiful pop of color to a salad. 

Step 2: Clean.

Rinse your purslane in a colander to remove any dirt of debris. 

Step 3: Separate into leaf and stem sections.

Every part of the purslane plant is edible, but some parts are better-suited for certain culinary applications than others…

For fresh eating in salads, the best parts of purslane are the growth tips which contain leaves, flowers/buds, and immature and mature seed pods. These have a tender yet slightly crunchy texture and a mild sour-salty-savory flavor. 

Purslane stems are more fibrous and taste more sour than the leaf sections. They’re still perfectly fine to eat. For the recipe in this article, we puree them in the fig-balsamic salad dressing to add a bit of sour flavor.  

Process purslane by separating the leaf sections from the stems. Kitchen scissors work well for this step.

Now it’s salad time! 

Process photos and tips: making fig & purslane salad with toasted pecans and balsamic-fig dressing

Have your purslane ready to go? Below, we’ll show you how to combine purslane with fresh figs to make a unique and delicious summer salad.

Fig & purslane salad with toasted pecans and balsamic-fig dressing.

Step 1: Make fig-balsamic dressing

Puree the following ingredients in a blender or small food processor: 

• 1/4 cup purslane stems, left after pinching off leaves and flower heads (or just add a teaspoon of lemon juice)
• 5 very ripe fresh figs
• 2 tbsp red onions
• 1/8 tsp mustard powder 
• 1 tbsp quality balsamic vinegar (or more to taste)
• 1 tbsp maple syrup 
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• salt to taste or about 1/8 tsp

This fig dressing is thick and delicious.

Step 2: Toast pecans

In a pan over medium heat, toast your pecans in a smidge of butter for about 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned on each side. 

Remove from heat, set aside, and let cool while you prep the rest of the salad.

Step 3: Slice figs then combine salad ingredients.

We grow smaller ‘Brown Turkey’ figs so we just slice them in half for this salad recipe. If you’re using larger figs, you may want to quarter them. 

Figs and purslane about to go on a dinner date.

For a two-serving portion of purslane-fig salad, we use the following ingredients:

• 7 fresh figs sliced in half (plus one more quartered for garnish)
• 1/4 cup toasted pecans + 1 tsp butter
• 1.5 cups purslane leaves and flowers
• 1/3 cup (1.3 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (*goat cheese, manchego, or another cheese of your choice would work fine) 
• optional seasonal garnishes (we used garlic chive flowers and melon flowers) 

Garlic chive flowers add beauty and wonderful bursts of onion flavor to salads and other dishes.

Set aside your garnishes (including a bit of fresh-grated cheese), then combine salad ingredients plus your fig-balsamic dressing in a serving bowl. Mix together until dressing evenly coats the ingredients. Garnish and serve! 

Recipe: Fig and purslane salad

Print

Fig & purslane salad with toasted pecans and balsamic-fig dressing

Course: Appetizer, Raw Food, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fig salad, fig salad dressing, purslane salad

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 2

Author: Susan von Frank

A simple, flavorful summer salad featuring fresh purslane and figs.

Ingredients

For fig-balsamic dressing

• 1/4 cup purslane stems, left after pinching off leaves and flower heads (or just add a teaspoon of lemon juice)
• 5 very ripe fresh figs
• 2 tbsp red onions
• 1/8 tsp mustard powder 
• 2 tbsp quality balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• salt to taste or about 1/8 tsp

For salad

• 7 fresh figs sliced in half (plus one more quartered for garnish)
• 1/4 cup toasted pecans + 1 tsp butter for toasting in pan
• 1 1/2 cups purslane leaves and flowers
• 1/3 cup (1.3 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (*Alternative: goat cheese, manchego) 
• seasonal garnishes such as garlic chive and melon flowers

Instructions

1. Make the fig-balsamic dressing by pureeing all dressing ingredients in a blender or small food processor.

2. Toast pecans in small pan over medium heat with a bit of butter for 3-5 minutes, or until very lightly browned on both sides and highly aromatic. Remove from heat and set aside. Grate cheese.

   Slice figs in half, then combine with other salad ingredients, setting aside garnishes plus a bit of grated cheese. Pour in dressing then stir to evenly coat ingredients. Garnish and serve immediately or chill and serve within hours.

We hope this article and recipe helps you appreciate both the human health and culinary benefits of purslane, a great green to grow in your summer garden. Our fig-purslane salad recipe also gives you a starting point for using purslane. Enjoy! 

KIGI,

Related articles you’ll want to sink your teeth into:

• Recipe: 100% whole wheat Fig Newtons, maple-sweetened 
• Recipe: Flourless fig crumble with oats and almond flour 
• Recipe: Fig nibbler
• Easiest fruit to grow organically in the Southeast US
• Top 14 leafy green veggies for hot summer gardens