Crispy Goat Cheese, Beet & Arugula Salad
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The recipe and photography for this post was provided by Carolyn Hodges of The Dinner Shift.
The perfect spring lunch or dinner, this salad is light, but oh-so satisfying. Pan-fried breaded goat cheese rounds look impressive, but couldn’t be simpler to prepare. They’re the perfect topper for vegetarian main dish salads and a delicious compliment to peppery arugula, sweet and earthy beets and bright citrus balsamic vinaigrette.
While you can certainly roast your own beets, this recipe calls for a package of peeled and steamed beets to cut down on prep time. Look for them near the fresh-cut vegetables in Heinen’s Produce Department. They’re a really handy weeknight shortcut staple in my kitchen.
Crispy Goat Cheese, Beet & Arugula Salad
Prep time: 20min Total time: 20min
Servings: 2-3
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 4-6 oz. goat cheese log
- ⅓ cup Heinen’s plain panko bread crumbs
- ½ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 Heinen's cage free egg, beaten
- Heinen's avocado oil
- 5 oz. Heinen’s baby arugula
- 1 8 oz. package Melissa’s peeled and steamed baby beets, sliced
- ¼ large red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp. dried cherries
- 2 Tbsp. shelled salted pistachios
For the Citrus Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 3 Tbsp. Heinen's fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 Tbsp. Heinen's balsamic vinegar
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. Heinen's Dijon mustard
- 2 Tbsp. Heinen's extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Cut the goat cheese log into 6 pieces. Shape into balls, then press to flatten into patties.
- In a bowl, mix together the panko and black pepper. Dip each goat cheese patty in the beaten egg, then dredge in the breadcrumbs until well-coated. Press gently to help the breadcrumbs stick.
- Add enough avocado oil to cover the bottom of a small 8-inch skillet. Heat over medium heat. Once very hot (oil will shimmer), add goat cheese patties, 3 at a time. Fry on each side for 1 minute, or until golden brown.
- Divide the arugula between serving plates. Top each with the sliced beets and red onion, dried cherries and pistachios.
- Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients.
- Dress salads to taste and serve topped with crispy goat cheese rounds.
