The star of this goat cheese salad is the goat cheese croutons. They have that irresistible combination of creamy and crunchy. Once you taste them, you’ll want to make them often! If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, substitute with another flavorful cheese like feta or manchego.
I first had this French salad, also known as salade de chèvre chaud, at a farmhouse restaurant in Corsica and fell in love with it. Like Corsica, this salad presentation is stunningly beautiful yet rustic. It's a composed salad with the figs and croutons artfully placed just so. Then it's topped with a casual tangle of carrot ribbons giving that French vibe of being well put together without trying too hard.
When I came home from Corsica, I developed this recipe by changing some toppings and fine tuning the presentation. I added figs to make this the ultimate summer salad. If figs are not available, use other seasonal fruit such as peaches, strawberries, or apples.
Below is a photo collage from Corsica to show you the original vacation salad, the culinary influence there, and the raw natural beauty.
If you'd like to see more authentic recipes that I developed from travel inspiration, then check out Fresh Summer Tomato Sauce (Amalfi Coast), Roasted Eggplant Dip (Rome), Homestyle Crispy Potatoes (Tuscany), and Italian Chocolate Chip Cookies (Tuscany).
Jump to:
Ingredients and Variations
See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.
This fresh summer salad highlights in season produce during the summer and early fall like figs and tomatoes. However, the recipe is flexible, so the ingredients can be substituted during other seasons or depending on what you have on hand. Here are substitutions that would work well:
- Shallot: shallots are more subtle, but a small garlic clove works as a substitute.
- Vinegar: I used white wine vinegar. Sherry, champagne, or white balsamic vinegar are other good options.
- Olive oil: Extra virgin olive oil is my go-to for salad, but alternatives include walnut oil or avocado oil.
- Basil: I like the summery taste of basil, but other fresh soft herbs like tarragon, chives, parsley, or lovage work as well.
- French baguette: Look for a crunchy bread like ciabatta, batard, or sourdough.
- Goat cheese: I recommend a mild goat cheese. If you aren't a fan, substitute with another creamy or flavorful cheese like feta, camembert, manchego, gruyère, or havarti.
- Walnuts: Try pinenuts, pecans, slivered almonds, pepitas, or can omit.
- Lettuce: My favorite for this salad is mixed baby greens. They are usually available at the farmers market or supermarket. Use whatever lettuce you can find that is super fresh. Little gems, butter lettuce, or romaine are also a good match.
- Carrot: You can use regular orange carrots, but for the utmost in presentation, look for red or purple carrots that have yellow in the center. They add a unique and colorful look. Usually sold at farmers markets, though sometimes they are in a regular supermarket or at Trader Joe's.
- Figs: If figs aren’t in season, use other fruit such as peaches, pears, apples, persimmon, or strawberries.
- Avocado and tomato: These two can be swapped for other vegetables like sliced cucumber and radish.
- Other ingredients include: Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper.
To make it a meal, add a heartier ingredient like salmon, chicken, lentils, or cannellini beans. Top it all off with the French vinaigrette dressing (recipe below), and it's so good!
How to Make French Goat Cheese Salad
See the recipe card below for complete directions.
Use these step-by-step photos to help get the best results. These are the visual cues which show how to plate this artful salad.
Step 1 (the dressing): Soak minced shallots in salt and vinegar.
Step 2 (the dressing): Add olive oil, Dijon, and basil to the jar. Whisk or shake in a lidded jar to combine.
Step 3 (the croutons): Cut a baguette on the bias. Brush with olive oil, and place goat cheese on top.
Step 5 (assembly): Compose each individual salad starting with dressed lettuce as the base. Arrange the toppings primarily in the outer ring of the salad.
Step 4 (the croutons): Just before serving, toast in the oven until toast is crunchy and cheese is melty.
Step 6 (assembly): Place a crouton in each center, topped with carrot ribbons. Lightly drizzle remaining dressing.
Top Tips
- Sprinkle salt and pepper directly onto the lettuce so it has more flavor.
- When toasting the croutons and nuts, watch carefully so they don’t burn.
- For the freshest, crispest salad, prep the veggies within an hour and assemble right before serving.
- The goat cheese croutons are so good that they sometimes "disappear" before serving. So make double if you can.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make ahead
- The dressing can be prepared up to 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
- The lettuce can be washed and dried the night before and stored in the refrigerator, wrapped in a tea towel.
- The nuts can be toasted earlier in the day.
- The cheese croutons can be made about an hour ahead and then briefly reheated.
- The produce components can be prepped up to an hour ahead, but the salad is assembled just before serving.
How to store
- Dressed salad does not store well as the lettuce often wilts a little while after the dressing is added.
Frequently Asked Questions
The tanginess of goat cheese pairs well with the sweetness of figs, and the earthy flavor of fresh basil and salad greens.
I like to use a salad spinner to wash and dry lettuce. Rinse the leaves off in the sink using the inner part of the spinner as a colander. Then spin dry. Follow up with bloating the lettuce completely dry with a tea towel.
Alternately, rinse the lettuce using a colander, and then bloat dry with a kitchen towel. Leave the lettuce on the counter on a dry towel to finish drying, about 10-30 minutes depending on weather.
Either is fine. Cutting is faster and more uniform. Tearing is more rustic and may delay browning.
What to Serve with Goat Cheese Salad
Goat Cheese Salad goes well with other summer recipes. Think lighter fare, grilled food, and refreshing desserts. Here are some favorite options:
Linger at Dana's Table a little longer for more free recipes.
Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for the latest updates.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you make this recipe, please review and comment below to share your experience and to help me reach a wider audience.
Recipe
French Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients
French Vinaigrette Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon finely minced shallot
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil start with 3 tablespoons, more to taste
- 2 teaspoons julienned fresh basil loosely packed
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Crouton Ingredients
- 1 small baguette
- 1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ounces mild soft goat cheese either a log or in a tub.
Salad Ingredients
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- 6 cups loosely packed mixed baby lettuces about 5 to 7 ounces, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 1 large pinch fine sea salt
- a few grinds freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 medium carrots red or purple colored if possible, or orange.
- 5 fresh figs sliced into thin circles
- 1 large avocado cut into chunks
- 12 cherry tomatoes halved
Instructions
French Vinaigrette Directions
- Soak shallots: Place minced shallots in the bottom of a small lidded glass jar. Cover with vinegar and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for about 10 minutes while making other parts of the salad. This gives time for the shallot to macerate, which makes it less sharp.
- Add, shake, adjust: Add 3 tablespoons olive oil, basil, and Dijon mustard to the jar. Place the lid on securely, and shake the jar to emulsify the dressing. Adjust flavors to taste. If the dressing is too sharp, add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Set aside.
Crouton Directions
- Cut 4 slices from the baguette about 1 inch thick and on the bias (a diagonal) to make a larger oval slice, about 3 to 4 inches in diameter at the widest point.
- Brush olive oil on both sides of the baguette slices, and place on a baking tray.
- Cut four ½” thick slices from the goat cheese log (or spread goat cheese), and cover the surface of each baguette slice.
- Place the chopped walnuts in a corner of the tray so they can toast alongside the croutons. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Salad Directions
- Prep: Wash, dry, and cut salad produce.
- Peel: Make about 12 thin carrot ribbons by running a peeler down the full length of a carrot. Set aside.
Assemble just before serving
- Lettuce: Place the lettuce in a large bowl, sprinkle with a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper, and toss. Drizzle two-thirds of the vinaigrette over the top. Toss to coat. Divide the lettuce onto 4 individual salad plates.
- Compose the salad: Divide the figs, avocado, and tomatoes among the 4 plates. Spread produce around the outer ring of each plate leaving room for the crouton in the center.
- Toast cheese croutons and nuts: Toast croutons and nuts in the oven until edges are golden brown and cheese is melty, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully so they don’t burn. Alternatively, use a toaster oven, air fryer, or broiler.
- Finish plating: Place a cheese crouton in the center of each plate. Top each crouton with a tangle of carrot ribbons. Sprinkle the nuts in the outer ring of each plate. Lastly, drizzle the remaining dressing lightly over the salad toppings. Serve immediately.
Notes
- See recipe post for many ingredient substitution possibilities.
- Make ahead: many of the salad components can be prepared ahead. Do not assemble or dress until just before serving.
- Dressed salad does not store well, as the lettuce often wilts after the dressing is added. If possible, store uneaten salad and dressing separately.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
Comments
No Comments