This fried goat cheese salad is the tastiest side salad ever! It features deep fried goat cheese balls, pepitas and cranberries with a simple vinaigrette.
Happy Tuesday, y’all! We spent the weekend relaxing at my in-laws cottage, and it always reminds me how much I love that #UpNorthLife. Suffice it to say, life has been crazy hectic and busy lately, and it was a much needed opportunity to hit the refresh button for me. And what better way to spend a beautifully sunny and warm weekend than with friends and family and good food!
Related: Sun-Dried Tomato Orzo Salad with Spinach and Italian Vinaigrette
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Today I’m sharing one of my favorite new salad recipes – I’m seriously obsessed! For our wedding we received a deep fryer from our close family friends, and let me tell you, boy have I loved having it around! The oven just doesn’t get french fries crispy like a deep fryer does, and it is the perfect appliance to have around to make these deep fried goat cheese balls! Goat cheese on a salad just isn’t enough once you’ve had it breaded and fried, I’m telling you!
Related: Spinach Pancetta Salad with Goat Cheese
Don’t be intimidated if you don’t have a deep fryer (although seriously, I highly recommend it if you have the space in your kitchen!). A cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed dutch oven filled with oil can work also! The goat cheese is incredibly easy to fry, and refrigerating it in-between the various steps of the preparation makes forming these babies super simple.
Related: Smashed Avocado Toast with Cherry Tomato Salad
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Now it’s your turn, what’s your favorite summer side salad? Share with me by commenting below!
Fried Goat Cheese Salad
This fried goat cheese salad is the tastiest side salad ever! It features deep fried goat cheese balls, pepitas and cranberries with a simple vinaigrette.
Ingredients
For goat cheese balls:
- 12 ounces goat cheese in log form
- 2 cups canola oil
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg whisked with a splash of water
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
For salad:
- 4 large handfuls spring greens
- 1/2 cup pepitas
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
For vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
Instructions
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Keep goat cheese in refrigerator until ready to form goat cheese balls. Slice the goat cheese log into 1 ounce sections. Press and roll each section into balls and set on a parchment paper lined tray or plate. Return to the refrigerator for about 10-15 minutes.
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Heat oil in a deep fryer or a dutch oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (you can also use a regular saute pan with higher sides on it).
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While the goat cheese balls are firming up in the fridge, make the vinaigrette. Combine olive oil, balsamic, honey, lemon juice and salt and pepper in either a salad dressing shaker or a medium-sized bowl. Shake or whisk until homogenous. Set aside.
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Using three medium-sized bowls, lay out the flour in one bowl, panko breadcrumbs in a second bowl, and egg wash in a third bowl. Working with one goat cheese ball at a time, roll each ball in flour, then egg wash, shaking off the excess. Finally, coat in the panko breadcrumbs, pressing them in to the cheese and making sure they are totally coated. Set back on the parchment paper lined tray and return to the fridge for another 10-15 minutes to firm up again.
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Prepare remaining salad ingredients by adding salad greens, pepitas, and dried cranberries to a large bowl. Toss with vinaigrette as desired and set aside.
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Cook goat cheese balls 3-4 at a time for about 1-2 minutes per side, flipping halfway through to ensure they cook to golden brown on all sides. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat cooking process with remaining goat cheese balls.
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Serve salad topped with three goat cheese balls per plate.
Recipe Notes
Goat cheese ball recipe based on this Food & Wine recipe.
