The content on this site may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that, at zero cost to you, we will earn an affiliate commission if you click on one of the links and buy something.
Looking for a salad that’s more than just greens? 🥬✨ Try this mixed green salad topped with warm gluten free goat cheese croutons! 🧀🥖 These crispy, melty bites add the perfect crunch and warmth, elevating your salad game. Just drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for a simple, yet gourmet touch! 🍽️
Mixed Green Salad with Warm Goat Cheese Croutons Gluten Free Recipe
Who says salads have to be boring? Definitely not us, especially when there’s a plate of Mixed Green Salad with Warm Goat Cheese Croutons involved! This dish turns a simple salad into a showstopper, featuring creamy, warm goat cheese croutons that sit beautifully atop a bed of crisp mixed greens. It’s the kind of recipe that makes you think, “Now this is how to salad!”
The secret? Those warm goat cheese croutons. They’re not just any croutons; they are a creamy, crunchy delight, substantial enough to be the star of the show. Pair them with the simplicity of mixed greens drizzled with good quality olive oil and a splash of aged balsamic vinegar, and you’ve got a combination that feels both gourmet and utterly satisfying. This isn’t just a salad, it’s a warm embrace for your palate.
Perfect for a light lunch or as an elegant starter for dinner parties, this salad offers just the right amount of warmth and texture contrast, making it anything but ordinary. It’s amazing how a few quality ingredients, like a decadent blob of goat cheese and the right dressing, can transform the humblest of greens into a culinary masterpiece. So, let’s dig in and give those everyday salads a run for their money with something that’s as delightful to eat as it is simple to make!
Ingredients:
Goat Cheese Croutons:
8 oz. soft goat cheese, room temperature
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
½ cup Gluten Free Panko bread crumbs
½ cup coconut oil
Salad:
4 cups of mixed greens of your choice
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. aged balsamic vinegar
salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
4 whole fresh strawberries, for garnish (optional)
Serves 4
How to Make Mixed Green Salad with Warm Goat Cheese Croutons
- To make the gluten free croutons, divide goat cheese into four 2-oz. portions. Press each 2-oz piece of goat cheese between 2 sheets of wax paper until they are about ½” thick. Remove the top layer of wax to finish shaping the cheese into uniform round disks with your hands. Replace wax paper and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes or until the disks are firm.
- Create a “breading station” by adding whisked egg white to a shallow dish, and the Gluten Free Panko breadcrumbs to another. Once firm, dip each goat cheese round into the egg whites until coated on both sides. Then dip the coated goat cheese rounds into the Panko breadcrumbs. Make sure each goat cheese round is thoroughly covered in breadcrumbs on both sides.
- In a small saucepan, heat coconut oil over medium-high heat until it starts to “dance.” Carefully add each coated crouton to the pan with a slotted spatula and turn as soon as the first side becomes golden brown. Remove from oil as soon as second side is equally browned and set on a wire rack. Don’t allow croutons to stay in hot oil too long or the goat cheese will become too melted to hold its shape.
- Divide salad greens among 4 plates and drizzle with olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar. Top each plate with a warm goat cheese crouton and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- With the hulls intact, slice each whole strawberry into several equal-sized segments, starting from the bottom and working toward the green part. Don’t cut all the way through the strawberry in the process. Gently spread the individual segments into a fan shape and place on top of each goat cheese crouton and serve.
