Summery Fried Goat Cheese Salad Recipe

Summertime and the salads are easy ... the easiest option for an oven-free dinner, that is. Still, the same old salad can get boring, so it's time you upped your salad game with a classic French dish you might find at a Parisian bistro. While a typical salade de chêvre chaud (which translates to warm goat cheese salad) may be made with savory toppings such as onions or green beans, developer Tess Le Moing introduces a sweeter element here in the form of fresh peaches.

As Le Moing explains, "I wanted to take advantage of peak summer fruit like berries, cherries, peaches, and tomatoes. I was inspired by the combination of sweet fruit and tangy goat cheese for this recipe." She chose peaches and tomatoes because they were at their peak when she created the salad, but any fruit in season at your local farmer's market would work. The salad showcases the undersung sweetness of a ripe tomato, and the juiciness of the fresh fruit balances the creamy crispiness of the fried cheese. The sweet/tangy theme is continued in a simple dressing of lemon, Dijon, and honey.

So tasty is the fried goat cheese that you might want to prepare a double batch and keep the remainder as a stand-alone snack. Don't cook the reserved cheese until you're ready to eat it, though. Refrigerate or freeze the crumb-coated medallions, then toss them into the frying pan (no need to thaw) and enjoy them when they're fresh and hot.

To make the fried goat cheese that gives this salad its name, you're going to need panko breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, an egg, a log of goat cheese, and some cooking oil. The salad itself is made of greens, peaches, tomatoes, and basil, although, as noted above, a different fruit such as blueberries or strawberries could be used. For the dressing, you'll also need lemon juice and zest, dijon mustard, honey, garlic, and olive oil.

In a shallow bowl, mix the panko, salt, and pepper.

In a separate shallow bowl, beat the egg with a fork.

Cut the goat cheese log into ½-inch rounds using dental floss.

Dip each goat cheese round in the beaten egg and shake off the excess.

Completely coat the cheese in the panko.

Transfer all the goat cheese rounds to a plate and refrigerate until firm, at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the lemon juice, Dijon, honey, garlic, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a large bowl.

Add the salad greens, peaches, and tomatoes to the bowl and gently toss to evenly coat, seasoning with more salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil.

Gently place goat cheese rounds in the oil and fry until golden brown, flipping once, about 1-2 minutes per side.

Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Divide salad between plates and top with fried goat cheese and fresh basil. Serve immediately.

The very heart of this salad is the crunchy, creamy coins of crumb-coated, pan-fried goat cheese, so it's important to choose the right cheese. For starters, go with one that's been formed into a log shape, since this is necessary for slicing into rounds. You should also look for goat cheese with a medium-firm texture because soft and gooey cheese is harder to coat in panko, and may melt into the cooking oil instead of holding its shape. At the other end of the spectrum, with too hard of a goat cheese, you'd lose that tender-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside quality that's so appealing with the greens and fruit.

From a flavor standpoint, the best type of cheese for this salad would be fresh goat cheese, which may also be labeled as chèvre (the term simply means "goat cheese," but is most often applied to unaged cheeses). Not only will riper goat cheese have a stronger flavor, but it also might not melt as well or taste as creamy when you fry it. While plain, unflavored cheese is typical for this type of salad, you could certainly use the flavored kind if you wish. A sweet honey-flavored chevre would complement the peaches, while a tangy cranberry one would provide contrast, and a savory garlic chevre would echo the garlic used to flavor the vinaigrette.

This recipe calls for panko breadcrumbs because they make for a light, flaky crust, though you can use any other kind of breadcrumbs you have on hand, including homemade ones. Other types of breadcrumbs might result in a bit less crunchiness than panko, but may allow for more customization, particularly if you need to use gluten-free bread. If you want to get creative with your crumbs, you can also try flavoring them with the addition of dried herbs — thyme, rosemary, or herbs de Provence would work here.

Of course, you needn't stick with bread for coating your goat cheese medallions. One gluten-free option would be to use a panko substitute made from rice — either store-bought rice panko or a homemade one created by crushing puffed rice cereal. Crushed cornflakes or potato chips would also work, or you could make this salad keto-friendly by opting for crushed nuts or even pork rinds. This latter ingredient is such a popular carb-free panko substitute that it's available in commercial versions, although you can easily DIY it with a food processor and a bag of chicharrones (here are our picks for the best brands).