This impressive recipe for a strawberry salad with warm goat cheese croutons and strawberry poppyseed vinaigrette dressing has been adapted from a 2015 Southern Living recipe. I made several changes to the process of making the goat cheese croutons to make it easier to prepare and added sunflower seeds for an added salty crunch for this salad.
Beginning in April, flavorful strawberries begin to appear in grocery stores as they come into season in many areas of the United States. Check with state agricultural divisions to help determine when strawberries are in season in your area. Buying strawberries in season gives you the freshest and tastiest fruit.
To make the salad, start by preparing the goat cheese croutons. Goat cheese can be tricky to work with as it falls apart easily when worked with, so I start by freezing it slightly to keep it from falling apart.
Place cheese logs still in store packaging in freezer for 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and remove from wrapper. Cut into ½ inch slices. Place on a baking sheet or other flat surface that will fit in your freezer and line it with parchment paper. Place slices on parchment and freeze for 20 minutes.
Place flour in a small bowl. In a small second bowl, whisk milk and egg. In a third bowl, combine panko, salt and pepper. Dredge goat cheese in flour, then dip in egg mixture, followed by rolling them in panko mixture. Keep all rounds cool until all are coated.
In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat until hot (add temp). Add goat cheese rounds to oil, cooking about two minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. (How many croutons per salad?)
Arrange salad on a serving platter. Top with strawberries, onion, cucumber, onion and goat cheese croutons.
Strawberry Salad with Warm Goat Cheese Croutons
This beautiful spring salad can become an entree by adding grilled chicken breast or a mild fish.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place wrapped goat cheese logs in freezer for 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and remove from wrapper. Cut into ½ inch slices. Place on a baking sheet or other flat surface that will fit in your freezer and line it with parchment paper. Place slices on parchment and freeze for 20 minutes.
- Place flour in a small bowl. In a small second bowl, whisk milk and egg. In a third bowl, combine panko, salt and pepper. Dredge goat cheese in flour, then dip in egg mixture, followed by rolling them in panko mixture. Keep all rounds cool until all are coated.
- In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat until hot (add temp). Add goat cheese rounds to oil, cooking about two minutes on each side or until they are golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. (How many croutons per salad?)
- Arrange salad on a serving platter. Top with strawberries, onion, cucumber, onion and goat cheese croutons.
- Pour dressing over salad.