Fried Goat Cheese Salad
This is no ordinary goat cheese salad. It’s decadent! Topped with fried goat cheese, crispy smoked bacon, jammy eggs, and a hot bacon dressing, it’s the spinach salad of your dreams.
Salads are my jam; from uber-healthy expressions of piousness like this Chopped Kale Salad to hedonistic ones like Southwestern Salad with Grilled Steak, I can (and often do) make full meals from a smattering of greens and a variety of exciting add-ons.
Spinach salad with crumbles of goat cheese has always been good, but this goat cheese salad is outrageous. The baby spinach can hardly support the bevy of mouthwatering toppings and it stands no chance against a hot bacon dressing.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
- The combination of hot and cold ingredients creates an interplay of extremes.
- The bacon is crispy, and instead of being crumbled into bits, this spinach and goat cheese salad is draped with thick slices of fried bacon.
- Hot bacon dressing is made with reserved bacon fat (don’t tell your cardiologist).
- Instead of raw mushrooms, I use sautéed fungi to wilt the baby spinach leaves.
- The eggs are jammy and oozy – just the way you like ’em.
- Fried goat cheese has a crisp panko crust that barely supports the melty, soft, cheesy interior.
Ingredients:
- Spinach – I recommend baby spinach for this salad because the leaves are smaller and more delicate. If you use mature spinach, remove the thick stems and give it a rough chop.
- Eggs – One egg is used as an egg wash to allow the breadcrumbs to adhere to the goat cheese slices. The other eggs are boiled until jammy and served atop the spinach salad with goat cheese.
- Mushrooms – You can use white button mushrooms, cremini or wild mushrooms.
- Bacon – I recommend thick-cut applewood smoked bacon, but you can also use regular thin sliced or turkey bacon to make it healthier.
- Grape Tomatoes – you can also use cherry tomatoes or beefsteak tomatoes, cut into bite sized pieces.
- English Cucumber – no need to peel these cucumbers as the skins are thin and the veg is seedless. Just slice the cucumber vertically, then cut each half into thin half-moons.
- Panko Breadcrumbs – for an extra crispy topping on the fried goat cheese. If you don’t have panko use plain or seasoned dried breadcrumbs.
- Goat Cheese – a.k.a. chèvre. Look for plain goat cheese, not flavored or versions coated in herbs or other seasonings.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – It doesn’t need to be a fancy finishing oil as you’ll use it for frying the goat cheese and for the dressing.
- Shallots – a cross between onion and garlic the sharp flavors of the shallots soften and lose their sting when sauteed for the bacon dressing.
- Red Wine Vinegar – adds tanginess to the hot bacon dressing. You can substitute apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar.
- Dijon Mustard – is made with white wine and adds more depth. I used whole-grain Dijon mustard, but you can use regular smooth Dijon.
- Kosher Salt – I use Diamond Crystal; if you have Morton’s salt, use a little less as it is saltier by volume.
- Black Pepper – I recommend freshly ground black pepper for the best flavor.
There are several components to this salad recipe with goat cheese, but none of them are difficult. Here’s an overview of the steps.
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Instructions:
- Boil the eggs in water for 6½ minutes, then plunge them into an ice bath to stop the cooking. Set aside.
- Saute the mushrooms until browned and transfer to a small bowl.
- Crisp the bacon in the same skillet and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon grease.
- Saute the shallots in the skillet until softened and add the reserved bacon fat, vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine, then slowly add 3-4 tablespons of olive oil, whisking constantly until it emulsifies into a dressing.
- Dip rounds of goat cheese into an egg wash and then press into the breadcrumbs to coat. Fry the goat cheese in a hot nonstick skillet with a little olive oil until the coating is crisp and golden and the cheese is soft and melty.
- Assemble the spinach salad on a platter, adding the cucumber, tomatoes, warm mushrooms, bacon slices, and fried goat cheese.
- Slice the eggs in half and nestle them into the greens. Drizzle the salad with hot bacon dressing and serve.
Goat cheese is soft and crumbly, making it challenging to slice with a knife, especially because remnants will always cling to the blade and never yield an even cut. I’m not saying this method is perfect; however, it’s much easier than futzing with a cheese knife.
Easy way to slice goat cheese:
- Cut a piece of unwaxed, unflavored dental floss to about 6′-8″ long.
- Lay the dental floss in a straight line on a cutting board.
- Rest the log of goat cheese on the dental floss, so that about ½”- ¾” of the goat cheese juts out beyond the floss. This is the size of the cut you’ll be making.
- Pick up either end of the dental floss cross them over each other and pull them in the opposite direction to slice the cheese. Continue slicing the goat cheese in this manner.
Because the floss has less surface area, the cheese can’t stick to it, giving you smoother slices than you’d get with a knife.
Pro-Tips:
Since there are several steps to this salad with warm goat cheese, it’s essential to establish your mise en place, which means “everything in its place” and refers to having the various components of the dish prepared BEFORE you start to assemble.
Certain ingredients may cool off while prepping other things, but they can be rewarmed in the microwave (like the mushrooms) or on the stovetop (like the bacon dressing).
Variations:
- If you don’t want to make the fried goat cheese, you can crumble the cheese over the salad and serve it cold.
- If you prefer hard-boiled eggs, cook them in boiling water for one minute, then remove them from the heat and let them rest in hot water for 10 minutes. They will cook through.
- Swap fried goat cheese for crumbled blue cheese or feta.
- Use sun-dried tomatoes in place of the grape tomatoes.
- Substitute the warm bacon vinaigrette with other dressings like champagne vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette, or drizzle with balsamic vinegar or buttermilk ranch dressing.
- Add toasted nuts like pecans, walnuts, almonds or pine nuts to the salad.
- Swap spinach for arugula or mixed baby greens.
FAQs:
Goat cheese behaves differently from other melting cheeses like cheddar or mozzarella. Instead of melting, it becomes soft and spreadable. You don’t get those long cheese pulls, but fried goat cheese is a delicious addition to this bacon and spinach salad.
Warm goat cheese is delicious because it’s soft, creamy, and coats your tongue. Cold goat cheese is good, too, though more crumbly and dry.
Though fried goat cheese can be reheated in the oven or microwave, it’s best when served fresh and hot to keep the breadcrumb coating crisp.
Storage:
This is one of those dishes that should be eaten as soon as you make it for the best flavor.
However, you can keep the individual components separately in the refrigerator for up to two days.
- Reheat the mushrooms, bacon and hot bacon dressing at the last minute.
- Assemble the fried goat cheese salad; I recommend frying the panko-crusted cheese á la minute (at the last minute) for the best texture and flavor.
This spinach salad with goat cheese is excellent with crusty French bread and a chilled glass of sauvignon blanc. I like to smear the warm fried goat cheese on the bread. You may want to make extra fried cheese if you’re the same way!
More main plate salad recipes:
- Summer Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Peach and Baby Kale Salad with Bacon
- Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad
- Cold Roast Beef Salad
- Spicy Sausage Tomato and Avocado Salad
- Southwestern Salad with Steak
- Chicken Kale Farro Salad
- Key Lime Mango Salad with Crab Cakes
- Asian Barbecued Shrimp Salad
- Lime Beef Salad
- Chinese Chicken Salad
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Goat Cheese Salad
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- plain unwaxed dental floss not mint flavored
INGREDIENTS:
- 12 ounces fresh baby spinach
- 5 eggs divided
- 8 mushrooms trimmed and cut into ¼” thick slices
- 7-8 slices bacon diced
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- ½ English cucumber peeled, sliced into half moons
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- ½ cup panko or dry breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
FOR BACON DRESSING:
- 2 tablespoon hot rendered bacon fat
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 large shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt we used Diamond Crystal
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
FOR JAMMY EGGS:
- Fill a medium pot with enough water to cover the eggs by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Once the water boils, use a pair of tongs to transfer 4 of the raw eggs to the boiling water. Cook for 6½ minutes, then transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking. Let the eggs sit in the water for about 5-6 minutes, then peel them and set aside.
FOR MUSHROOMS:
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with vegetable spray and add the mushrooms in a single layer. Cook for 6-7 minutes, flipping halfway through until browned on both sides. Transfer to a small bowl.
FOR BACON:
- Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook, until bacon is browned and crisped, flipping with tongs 2-3 times so that they don’t burn. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of rendered bacon fat for the dressing.
FOR THE HOT BACON DRESSING:
- In the same skillet, saute the sliced shallots until tender over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of reserved bacon fat, red wine vinegar, dijon mustard, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Continue whisking as you add the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified.
FOR FRIED GOAT CHEESE:
- Cut the goat cheese into ½” slices with the dental floss by crossing the loose floss ends over each other and pulling the ends in opposite directions. This will give the goat cheese a clean cut.
- Whisk the remaining egg in a small bowl and dip the rounds of goat cheese into it to coat.
- Transfer the goat cheese to the panko breadcrumbs and press to coat both sides and edges.
- Heat the olive oil in a clean, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and fry the goat cheese for 1 to 1½ minutes per side until crispy and golden brown.
FOR THE SALAD:
- Arrange the spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes and cucumber on a platter. Rip the bacon slices into halves or thirds and scatter over the greens. Top the salad with the fried goat cheese. Slice the eggs in half and nestle them into the salad.
- Drizzle the goat cheese salad with hot bacon dressing and serve immediately.
NUTRITION:
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What could I use as a substitute for the mustard? (Can’t stand the stuff).
If you want something spicy, try prepared horseradish; for a sweeter vibe, add a little honey.
That fried chevre looks out of control good! I’m already in a very salad-y mood, what with the weather warming up and all. This looks delicious!
Warm goats cheese is one of my favourite things to put on a salad. It goes SO well with bacon too.
I completely agree!
Oh wow! This salad is just bursting with flavor! (bacon, just saying!!) I love the method you use to cut the goat cheese! That is genius! Nice post, Lisa!
Thank you, Beth!
I’m obsessed with goat cheese so this salad is perfect for me. I have never fried goat cheese but your tips on how to cut the cheese are great. I can’t wait to make this salad.
Hope you enjoy it, Kelly!
Wow, this looks so delicious and I’ve never fried goat cheese before, but I’m sold! Looks like I know what I’m having for lunch today! 🙂
Anything with fried cheese is a winner! BRB going to put this on top of everything I eat now