I have a confession.
I only recently started eating goat cheese. I’m sure I may have tasted it before in a salad or on a dish without realizing, but buying it and choosing it myself felt like a small culinary milestone.
Admittedly, the word “goat” made me hesitate—images of hairy animals with little horns came to mind—but once I tried it, I was hooked.
And the best part? My partner Mr. How Sweet likely doesn’t share this taste. He’s not one for anything labeled “goat” unless it’s smothered in meat—and that’s fine by me, because it means more for me.
Lately I’ve also been surprised by cravings for salads—real salads with lots of vegetables. It felt strange to want greens, but when I made a few, I discovered some still tasted too grassy for my liking. Just when I thought my palate was evolving to enjoy veggies in all colors, I’d take a couple of bites and be disappointed.
There is, however, a little hope: this salad changed my mind.
Warm, gooey goat cheese coated in crispy whole wheat panko—this alone could be dangerously addictive. Paired with crisp baby spinach, sweet strawberries, and salty glazed walnuts, it almost convinced me to embrace vegetables fully. Admittedly, there weren’t a lot of different vegetables in the bowl, but it still counted as a salad—and a tasty one at that.
Warm Herb-Crusted Goat Cheese Spinach Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup strawberries, sliced
1 oz glazed walnuts, chopped
1/8 red onion, thinly sliced
1 oz goat cheese
1/4 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
Pinch of rosemary and thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
Method:
Arrange the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, chopped glazed walnuts, and red onion in a salad bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Set up three shallow bowls: flour in the first, beaten egg in the second, and the panko mixed with rosemary and thyme in the third.
Coat the goat cheese in flour, dip it into the beaten egg, then press it into the panko mixture so the crumbs adhere well. Fry the coated goat cheese in the skillet, turning to brown all sides, taking care not to burn the crust. Once the coating is golden and crispy, remove and drain briefly on a paper towel for about 60 seconds.
Place the warm, crusted goat cheese on top of the salad and serve immediately so the cheese is gooey and warm against the cool greens.
You should try this salad soon. Or at least try a hearty bite of that crispy, warm goat cheese—it really can brighten your day.