Officially kicking off another salad week starting with this strawberry salad featuring fried goat cheese and crunchy salad topper— just in time for strawberry season.
I truly think y’all are going to love this recipe as much as I do. The sweetness from the fresh berries, paired with the tangy fried goat cheese, topped with the best salad topped, makes this salad hard to beat. The homemade vinaigrette only requires a few ingredients and makes enough to serve a crowd… or multiple salads throughout the week.
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My mom always made a strawberry salad growing up that I always loved, which served as the inspiration for this recipe. What changed from hers? First, I added fried goat cheese. I also adjusted the homemade vinaigrette dressing to make it healthier and swapped a few of the toppings. It’s revamped and finally ready to share!
Here’s what you’ll need for this salad:
- Mixed greens or spinach
- Strawberries
- Red onion
- Fried goat cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Crunchy Salad Topper
How to make fried goat cheese:
Fact: fried goat cheese on a salad is a game changer.
With a simple egg wash, this is easy to make and completely elevates this salad. The key is have a super cold goat cheese before slicing, so you end up with clean, even slices. As goat cheese gets to room temperature, it will becomes softer, which will make it difficult to fry. My favorite goat cheese to use for this salad is the 5oz. log of honey goat cheese from Trader Joe’s. It’s the perfect flavor to pair with this combo.
I always use this cheese wire to get perfectly even slices. It’s a cheap tool that I use for soft cheeses all the time. If you don’t have a cheese wire, you could always cut slices and roll them into a ball OR place the goat cheese log in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before slicing so it’s extra cold.
Once you have your slices, dredge the cheese in the flour mixture, dip in the whisked egg, and then coat with _anko breadcrumbs. I like to use Panko because they make for a crispier crust.
When you’re ready to fry these cheese, heat avocado oil in a skillet and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side. I like to use avocado oil because it has a higher smoke point, which keeps the oil from turning brown. Fried goat cheese would be good on any salad with berries. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
Tips for making this salad:
- For an easy assembly, make both the homemade vinaigrette dressing and crunchy salad topper ahead of time. Both can be stored in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble. ***Please note this vinaigrette dressing is made with avocado oil, which hardens in the fridge. If making ahead of time, let the dressing sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes and shake before pouring over the salad.
- If you’d rather use a store bought dressing, my favorite to use for this salad is Tessemae’s Green Goddess dressing.
- Looking for more protein? Try adding some grilled chicken. I like to marinate mine in Italian dressing for 1 hour before grilling.
- For clean goat cheese slices, use a cheese wire.
- Store any extra goat cheese slices in the refrigerator. Heat up in a skillet before assembling the salad.
I know I’ll be enjoying this salad all summer long – I hope you do too!
Strawberry Salad with Fried Goat Cheese and a Homemade Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Fried Goat Cheese Slices
- 1 log honey goat cheese
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup flour
- pinch salt + pepper
- ⅛ tsp paprika
- ⅓ cup panko breadcrumbs
- avocado oil
Homemade Vinaigrette
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ cup avocado oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- pinch pepper
- ¼ tsp paprika
- 1 clove garlic minced
Strawberry Salad
- mixed greens or spinach
- red onion chopped
- strawberries sliced
- Crunchy Salad Topper
- Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- fried goat cheese slices
- Homemade Vinaigrette
Instructions
Fried Goat Cheese
- Use a cheese wire to slice goat cheese log. Set aside.
- Using 3 separate bowls prepare egg wash. In the first bowl, mix together flour, paprika, salt and pepper. In the second bowl, whisk egg in once. Add the panko breadcrumbs to the third bowl.
- Dredge goat cheese slice in flour. Dip into whisked egg and then coat with panko bread crumbs. Repeat with all goat cheese slices.
- Heat avocado oil in a skillet. Fry both sides 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the skillet and place on a paper towel to absorb any extra oil. Set aside until salad assembly.
Homemade Vinaigrette
- Make the dressing. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. Add the paprika, salt, pepper, garlic, and avocado oil to the vinegar mixture. Mix well and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Strawberry Salad
- Add lettuce to a bowl. Add red onion, crunchy salad topper, and parmesan cheese. Add sliced strawberries and fried goat cheese. Drizzle with homemade vinagrette and serve.
I’d love to hear from you once you get the chance to make this recipe. Leave a comment below with your review or any modifications you made! And don’t forget to tag @rightbackspatula on Instagram if you take any pictures!