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Vegetarian, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Chaource cheese toasts with mâche salad

Chaource cheese toasts are slices of country bread broiled with melted chaource cheese, served with a mâche and walnut salad. This recipe serves 4, takes 25 minutes, is very easy, and costs €2.70 per person. The key is choosing a chaource that isn't too ripe so it melts without running.

Tonight, country bread toasts melted with chaource cheese and a mâche salad with walnuts, simple and really good.

Chaource cheese toasts with mâche salad
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.70
Calories per person
650 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall

Chaource is a soft, bloomy rind cheese from the Champagne region of France, mild and creamy when it isn't too ripe. Melted over country bread under the broiler, it turns into a smooth, gooey layer that plays against the crisp, toasted crust. The mâche salad brings a tender bite and a nutty edge, sharpened by walnut oil and crushed walnuts.

This is the kind of dish you make on a fall or winter evening when you want something warm and comforting without spending hours in the kitchen. It works well for a quiet dinner for two or a meal among adults, since the mustard and shallot in the dressing have a bit too much kick for young kids. With about ten minutes of prep and a few minutes under the broiler, dinner is ready.

The ingredients

4 people

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Dairy

  • Chaource cheese 250 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Mâche (lamb's lettuce) 200 g
  • Shallot 1
  • Thyme 2 sprigs

Pantry

  • Walnuts 50 g
  • Mustardoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Wine vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Walnut oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Tree nuts, Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to broil and arrange the bread on a baking sheet.

    Thin slices of country bread broil faster and more evenly.

  2. Slice the chaource, lay it on the bread, and scatter over the thyme and pepper.

    Keep the white rind on, it adds flavor and is perfectly fine to eat.

  3. Make the dressing with the mustard, vinegar, salt, walnut oil, and minced shallot.

    Whisk the mustard into the vinegar before adding the oil, the dressing binds better that way.

  4. Put the toasts under the broiler until the cheese is fully melted and golden. 6 min

    Watch them closely, the chaource browns in just a few minutes.

  5. Toss the mâche with the walnuts and dressing, then serve alongside the warm toasts.

    Rinse the mâche in several changes of water, it tends to hold sand in its leaves.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the country bread into slices that aren't too thick, they broil faster and stay crisp under the melted cheese.
  • Don't leave the chaource under the broiler too long, pull the tray as soon as it colors and melts, otherwise it can run off the bread.
  • Make the dressing right before you toss the salad, minced shallot loses its bite if it sits in the vinegar too long.

The variations

  • Swap the chaource for brie or camembert if you can't find it, the toasts stay just as gooey even though the flavor shifts slightly.
  • For a faster version, use pre-washed bagged mâche and skip the rinsing step, the dish is just as good.
  • Add a few thin apple slices to the mâche, their tartness and crunch pair nicely with the melted cheese and walnuts.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of Champagne white wine
  • A vegetable soup starter
  • Seasonal fruit for dessert

Storage

These toasts are best eaten hot, fresh out of the broiler, they don't hold up well once cold. The dressed mâche keeps for only a few hours in the fridge before it wilts. You can, however, keep the chaource and bread separate for up to 2 days before assembling.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different cheese instead of chaource?

Yes, brie, camembert, or reblochon all melt just as well on toasted bread. Pick a soft, mildly ripe cheese to keep that creamy texture without it running too fast.

How do you keep the cheese from running under the broiler?

Watch it closely, chaource melts in just a few minutes under a hot broiler. As soon as the top is golden and bubbling, pull the tray out of the oven.

Can you make the dressing ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it a few hours ahead and leave it at room temperature. Whisk it again right before tossing the salad, since the walnut oil separates and rises to the top.

What bread can you use if you don't have country bread?

A slightly stale baguette or a rye loaf both work well. The main thing is a dense enough crumb to hold the melted cheese without going soggy.

How long does it take to make chaource cheese toasts with a mâche salad?

Count 25 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in chaource cheese toasts with a mâche salad?

About 650 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does chaource cheese toasts with a mâche salad cost?

About €2.70 per serving, or €10.80 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, tree nuts, mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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