Warm French Goat’s Cheese Salad (Salade de Chêvre Chaud) Recipe
A delicious and elegant French warm goat’s cheese salad featuring creamy, breaded goat cheese rounds pan-fried to golden perfection, served atop fresh red oak or bibb lettuce with tomatoes, toasted nuts, and crispy bacon, all dressed in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
Goat Cheese and Coating
- 2 x 60g (2oz) ripened goat’s cheese rounds, each 5-6cm (2-2.2″) wide, ideally AOC
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup regular breadcrumbs (or panko)
Nuts and Bacon
- 2 tsp pine nuts
- 1/4 cup walnuts
- 100g (3.5oz) streaky bacon, cut into 0.5 x 1.25cm (1/5 x 1/2″) lardons
Salad
- 1/2 head red oak or bibb lettuce (large), washed, dried, and leaves torn into 2 or 3 large pieces
- 1 large tomato, cut into 8 wedges
- 1/2 tsp finely chopped chives
Dressing
- 1/4 tsp very finely minced garlic
- 1 tbsp finely diced eschalot (~1 tbsp)
- 1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (highest quality available)
- 4 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (highest quality available)
- 1/8 tsp salt
Other
- 30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
Instructions
- Slice Cheese: Cut goat’s cheese rounds if needed to about 1.25cm (1/2″) thick slices to ensure even cooking and easy crumb coating.
- Prepare Coating Bowls: Place flour in one bowl, whisked egg in a second bowl, and breadcrumbs in a third bowl to create the breading station.
- Crumb Cheese: Dredge each cheese slice first in flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip into the egg, letting excess drip off. Finally, press into breadcrumbs so they adhere evenly. Place crumbed cheese slices on a plate and set aside.
- Toast Nuts: Spread pine nuts and walnuts in a single layer on a baking tray. Toast in a preheated 180°C (375°F) oven for about 5 minutes or until lightly browned and aromatic. Alternatively, toast in a skillet over medium heat, keeping in mind walnuts require more time than pine nuts. Transfer toasted nuts to a bowl to cool.
- Cook Bacon: Place bacon lardons in a cold non-stick pan. Heat over medium until fat begins to render, then increase heat to high. Stir frequently until bacon is golden and crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Make Dressing: Combine garlic, eschalot, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt in a jar with a tight lid. Shake vigorously until emulsified.
- Assemble Salad Base: In a salad bowl, place torn lettuce leaves and arrange tomato wedges evenly. Sprinkle cooled toasted nuts and cooked bacon on top.
- Pan-Fry Cheese: Melt butter in a small non-stick pan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add crumbed goat cheese slices and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on one side until golden. Carefully flip and cook the other side for 1 minute until golden and warmed through. Remove and drain briefly on paper towels.
- Finish Salad: Drizzle approximately 2 tablespoons of dressing over each salad serving. Top each salad with two pieces of warm, crumbed goat cheese and sprinkle with finely chopped chives.
- Serve: Serve immediately while the cheese is hot and melty inside to enjoy the full contrast of textures and flavors.
Notes
- Use high-quality AOC ripened goat’s cheese for authentic flavor and proper texture.
- You can substitute panko breadcrumbs if regular breadcrumbs are unavailable to add extra crunch.
- Red oak or bibb lettuce works well due to its delicate texture and mild flavor; ensure lettuce is well washed and thoroughly dried.
- Eschalots add a milder, nuanced onion flavor—shallots can be used as a substitute but finely dice them.
- Toast nuts carefully to avoid burning; stirring occasionally helps even coloration.
- Cooking bacon in a cold pan allows fat to render slowly for crispy lardons without burning.
- Serving the cheese hot maximizes flavor and texture contrast on the salad.
Keywords: warm goat cheese salad, French salad, chèvre chaud, goat cheese recipes, salad with bacon, toasted nuts salad, balsamic vinaigrette salad
