The goat cheese in this delectable arugula salad is warm, toasty, and delicious. It practically melts into the arugula, offering creamy pockets of goodness. Roasted beets offer earthy flavor, rounding out the profile of this scrumptious salad!
For The Love of Arugula
Arugula: love it or kinda-sorta not sure about it? I would assume you more than likely fall into the “love it” category, but if not, welcome! I’m here to convert you to become an arugula lover.
Arugula is a complex green: it’s slightly spicy, with a peppery bite, but also offers a delicate bitterness that works nicely with a variety of other ingredients. Its distinct feathery shape is a giveaway, often tossed into pasta, topped on pizza, or made into pesto. One of my favorite ways to enjoy it is in salads, like this Arugula Salad with Roasted Beets and Fried Goat Cheese!
How To Make An Arugula Salad
Given its unique flavor, arugula does best with other ingredients that won’t mask it: you want them to compliment it. This means simple vinaigrettes as opposed to creamy dressings work best. I typically will opt for a citrus vinaigrette, the type dependent on what other ingredients I’ll be including in the salad. Lemon tends to be a universal pleaser, but fresh squeezed orange juice, shallot, olive oil, and salt and pepper would wonderfully compliment arugula’s bitter bite.
How To Prepare Fried Goat Cheese
Although it may sound intimidating, frying goat cheese is remarkably simple. There are a few tricks to make the process go smoother, though!
- Freeze your goat cheese. Not for long, just about 15 minutes before you’ll be making the fried goat cheese. This helps the cheese firm up, allowing for smoother cuts as you slice the log in to medallions.
- Set up your ingredients. Get all the ingredients you’ll need set up in an assembly line. Flour, whisked egg, and the herby breadcrumb mixture should be lined up in the order in which the goat cheese will be dipped.
- Get your oil going…but don’t get it too hot. You don’t want the goat cheese to burn! Set the sauté pan over low heat and add your oil. Slowly bring it up to speed, adding a small pinch of the breadcrumb mixture to the pan to test. Once it starts sizzling, it’s ready!
You’ll gently fry the goat cheese medallions (don’t be tempted to crank up the heat!) for about two minutes per side, or until nice and golden brown. Set aside completed fried goat cheese as you complete the remaining slices.
Assembling Your Arugula Salad
Since you’re following the recipe (right?!), you will have already had your beets roasting in the oven by now. Allow them to cool slightly as you prepare the lemon vinaigrette.
A good vinaigrette has the proper balance of olive oil to acid. In this recipe, we use dijon mustard as well, which offers an additional layer of tangy flavor. Use the recipe as a guide, but taste and adjust to your liking: you may like a more acidic vinaigrette than I do. It’s all about finding what you like in the kitchen!
Dress the arugula with the vinaigrette, stop with roasted beets, and gently place 2 fried goat cheese medallions on top. Pure, simple, salad magic.
Arugula Salad with Roasted Beets and Fried Goat Cheese Medallions
Ingredients
- 3 cups Arugula
- 2 beets scrubbed thoroughly
- 1 ½ Tbsp olive oil divided
- 4 oz log goat cheese
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Pinch of salt
- A few grinds of freshly cracked blank pepper
- Lemon Vinaigrette recipe below
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon juiced and zested
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 clove grated or finely minced
- ¾ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Place goat cheese log in to freezer to chill for 15 minutes. This allows it to slice easier!
For the roasted beets:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut ends off of beets, and cube into bite-sized pieces. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and drizzle with ½ tablespoon of olive sprinkle. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until fork-tender. Alternatively, you can cut into heart shapes (or any shape you like!): slice into ⅛ inch slices. Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out beet hearts. Follow the instructions above for roasting.
For the Lemon Vinaigrette:
- Combine all ingredients for vinaigrette in a jar. Cover and shake until thoroughly combined.
- Alternately, combine all ingredients except olive oil in a small food processor or blender, pulse to combine. With motor running, slow stream in olive oil to emulsify. Transfer to a jar or container with a lid and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Note that you will have leftover vinaigrette, which keeps great in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Add arugula to a large bowl. Drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette, adding more as you desire. Toss to combine.
For Fried Goat Cheese Medallions:
- Next, prepare fried goat cheese medallions. In a small bowl, add flour and set aside. Lightly whisk egg in a medium bowl, set aside. Lastly, combine panko, parsley, thyme, oregano, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, mixing to combine.
- Remove chilled goat cheese log from freezer. Slice goat cheese in to ¼ inch slices using a very sharp knife. Wipe knife with wet towel or paper towel to ensure a smooth cut for each slice.
- In a saute pan, add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil set over medium heat. Dredge goat cheese medallions in flour, followed by egg, and ending with panko bread crumb mixture, pressing it to adhere to the goat cheese. Set aside as you continue on with the others.
- Add to sauté pan, frying on each side for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from heat.
To serve:
- Plate dressed arugula, topping with roasted beet hearts and fried goat cheese medallions while still warm.