Goat Cheese Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Simple, healthy and delicious! Warm, creamy goat cheese is enveloped in a crispy pecan crust and topped with a simple mustard vinaigrette tossed with fresh spring greens. This salad is summer on a plate and it will quickly become one of your favorites!

How to make baked goat cheese salad:

Add pecans, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper to a food processor. Pulse until pecans are well minced and everything is combined.

Slice goat cheese into 8 rounds. Dip each slice into a beaten egg in a shallow bowl. Allow the excess egg to drip off.

Then dip each round into the pecan mixture. Gently press pecans into the surface of the goat cheese.

Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

While the goat cheese is baking, combine olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, Dijon (or whole grain) mustard, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a mason jar. Shake vigorously until emulsified.

Assemble salad starting with a bed of lettuce and adding beets and diced onion. Place 1-2 baked goat cheese rounds on each salad and drizzle salad with dressing.

Why you're going to love this goat cheese salad:

• If you like goat cheese, you are going to LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. It is a goat cheese lover's dream and one of my absolute most favorite salads everrrrrr. The warm and creamy goat cheese is tucked inside this perfectly crisp pecan crust and then drizzled with a simple mustard vinaigrette and it's all nestled into a big bed of spring greens. It's so freakin' delish!
• It's a really great appetizer or salad course for your next dinner party. If you're looking for something different that your friends might not have tried before - this recipe is perfect! You can prep it ahead of time which means when it's time to start the party, all you have to do is pop the goat cheese rounds in the oven to do their thing! Make ahead appetizers are the best party appetizers!
• It's quick and easy! The ingredient list is short and so is the prep time. That means you can throw it together on a lazy Saturday afternoon or even on a busy weeknight. This dish is the perfect way to spice up that mid-week slump!

Tips for making the best baked goat cheese:

• You can substitute just about any nut for the pecans. Almonds, walnuts or pistachios would all be tasty in this recipe. Just make sure you mince them finely so they evenly coat the goat cheese.
• You don't necessarily NEED a food processor for this recipe - it will just make things a little easier. You can finely chop the nuts with a good old fashioned knife and cutting board as well. Then just stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper.
• Start checking on the goat cheese after they've been in the oven for about 6 minutes. Nuts can very quickly go from perfectly brown to burnt in 2 seconds. So it's important to check on them a couple times while they're baking.

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This post was originally published in June of 2018. It was updated in June of 2019 to include process shots, step-by-step instructions and tips for making the best goat cheese salad every single time!