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The main dish, Light and fresh

Warm goat cheese and walnut salad

This warm goat cheese and walnut salad is a vegetarian dish for 6 people, made with broiled goat cheese toasts, greens, pears, and walnuts. It takes 25 minutes of active work, the dressing and toasts come together in the morning, and broiling happens right before serving. Very easy, about €3.20 per person, the key is serving the toasts hot straight onto the just dressed salad.

Melty little goat cheese toasts on a crisp salad, with pears and walnuts, a sure thing that always makes an impression.

Warm goat cheese and walnut salad
For
6 people
Work
25 min
Total time
45 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
540 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

The goat cheese melts under the broiler into a golden crust while staying creamy inside, and the honey caramelizes slightly on top for a sweet contrast to the tangy cheese. Thin pear slices and crushed walnuts add crunch and freshness, while the cider vinegar and walnut oil dressing ties everything together without weighing it down.

It works as a starter or a light main for a casual dinner with friends or a family meal in fall or winter, when pears are in season. It fits just as well as a simple one course meal or right before a heartier dish, and it never demands much kitchen time on the day itself.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 5 min
  4. When it's time to serve 3 steps, 6 min

In the morning, whisk the dressing in a jar and arrange the raw goat cheese toasts on a baking sheet, ready to go in the oven. Right before guests arrive, toast the walnuts and crush them. At serving time, slice the pears, broil the toasts, plate the salad, and serve right away while the cheese is still hot.

The ingredients

6 people

Bakery

  • Baguette 1

Dairy

  • Goat cheese logs 360 g

Pantry

  • Liquid honeyoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Walnut halves 100 g
  • Cider vinegaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Walnut oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Baby greens 300 g
  • Pears 3
  • Fresh thyme 6 sprigs

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Tree nuts, Mustard

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Whisk the mustard with the vinegar, salt, and pepper, then whisk in the walnut oil to emulsify and keep the dressing in a jar.

    Shake the jar right before serving, the emulsion comes back together in ten seconds.

  2. Cut twelve diagonal slices of baguette, top each with a thick round of goat cheese, and place the toasts on a baking sheet without cooking them.

    Keep the cheese rounds chilled, cold cheese holds its shape better under the broiler.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Toast the walnuts dry in a pan for a few minutes, then coarsely chop them. 5 min

    Watch them closely without walking away, they go from golden to bitter in thirty seconds.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Wash and dry the baby greens, slice the pears thin right before serving, and drizzle them with lemon or dressing.

    Well dried greens take on dressing better and won't water down the plate.

  2. Drizzle the toasts with honey, add the thyme, and broil under high heat until the cheese is golden and puffed up. 6 min

    Stay by the oven, the broiler quickly turns golden into burnt.

  3. Season the salad, divide it among plates with the pears and walnuts, top each with two hot toasts, and serve immediately.

    Season at the very last moment so the leaves stay crisp and vivid.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick firm goat cheese logs rather than soft, creamy ones, they slice into clean rounds and hold their shape under the broiler instead of spreading on the pan.
  • If your pears feel a bit soft, go for firmer varieties like Bosc or Anjou, they stay neat when sliced thin.
  • Always toast two extra slices beyond your guest count, a cheese round that melts too much or a broken toast happens easily and you'll want a buffer.

The variations

  • Swap the walnuts for hazelnuts or toasted pine nuts for a different crunch, the rest of the recipe stays the same.
  • For a gluten free version, use gluten free bread instead of baguette, the broiling step works the same way.
  • For kids, serve the melted cheese on toasts without honey or thyme, with the greens on the side, they usually prefer it plain.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • Extra walnut bread on the side
  • A light vegetable soup starter

Storage

The dressing keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed jar. The raw toasts hold for half a day chilled, but once broiled and plated, the dish should be eaten right away, it doesn't freeze and doesn't keep for the next day.

Questions about this recipe

Can this salad be made ahead for a larger group?

The dressing and raw toasts can be prepped in the morning, but broiling and plating need to happen right at serving time. For a crowd, prep several trays of toasts ahead and broil them in batches just before sitting down.

What type of goat cheese works best for this recipe?

A classic goat cheese log, not too fresh and not too aged, gives the best result under the broiler. Very fresh cheese tends to run, while very dry cheese doesn't melt enough.

Can pears be replaced with another fruit?

Apples work very well instead of pears, especially slightly tart varieties like Granny Smith. Fresh figs are also a good option in late summer.

How do you keep the goat cheese from running on the pan while broiling?

Keep the cheese rounds well chilled right up until they go under the broiler, the cold helps the cheese hold its shape under the heat. Also cut the slices thick enough, at least a centimeter.

Can a warm goat cheese and walnut salad be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 25 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 3 steps.

How long does it take to make a warm goat cheese and walnut salad?

Allow 45 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 25 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "very easy".

How many calories are in a warm goat cheese and walnut salad?

About 540 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a warm goat cheese and walnut salad cost?

About €3.20 per person, that's €19.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, tree nuts, mustard. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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