Baked Goat Cheese Salad (Printable Version)

A warm salad featuring baked goat cheese, mixed greens, vinaigrette, and crunchy toasted nuts.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheese & Coating

01 - 7 oz fresh goat cheese log
02 - 1 large egg
03 - 2.1 oz panko breadcrumbs
04 - 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (optional)
05 - 1 tbsp olive oil

→ Salad

06 - 4.2 oz mixed salad greens (arugula, frisée, baby spinach)
07 - 3.5 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
08 - 1 small cucumber, sliced
09 - 1.4 oz toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
10 - 1 small shallot, thinly sliced

→ Vinaigrette

11 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
12 - 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
13 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
14 - 1 tsp honey
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Cut the goat cheese log into 8 even rounds approximately 0.4 inches thick.
03 - Beat the egg in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, mix panko breadcrumbs with thyme leaves if using.
04 - Dip each goat cheese round into the beaten egg, then thoroughly coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet.
05 - Drizzle olive oil over the coated cheese rounds. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and slightly melted.
06 - Whisk together olive oil, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
07 - In a large bowl, combine salad greens, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, toasted nuts, and shallots. Toss with half the vinaigrette.
08 - Divide the salad onto four plates. Top each with two warm goat cheese rounds.
09 - Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the cheese and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between molten goat cheese and cool crisp greens feels like a tiny celebration on your fork.
  • It looks stunning enough for guests but comes together faster than ordering takeout.
  • Every component can be prepped ahead, then assembled in minutes when hunger strikes.
02 -
  • If you skip chilling the goat cheese, it will spread into a puddle in the oven instead of staying round and proud.
  • Toast the nuts in a dry skillet until they smell like butter and earth, not in the oven where you'll forget them and burn them black.
  • Dress the greens right before serving or they'll wilt into sad, soggy ribbons that ruin the whole experience.
03 -
  • Use a dental floss or thin wire to slice the goat cheese log cleanly without smashing it flat.
  • Let the baked cheese sit for one minute before transferring it to the salad, or it will break apart in your hands.
  • Always taste your vinaigrette on a leaf before dressing the whole bowl, because every vinegar and olive oil behaves a little differently.

Return