Warm Goat Cheese Salad with a Lemony Vinaigrette
Provencal Recipes · Salad · Tasha Powell · TasteIn Provence, goats and sheep grazing in local fields is a common sight. During spring and fall, it is not unusual to cross a shepherd’s path with his herd (troupeau) and herding dogs. So, not surprisingly it’s easy to find goat cheese in local markets, and grocery stores. I prefer my goat cheese frais (fresh, not aged), as the cheese ages it gets shall we say a bit more “goaty” in both taste and smell.
Read: Witnessing the Magic of the Transhumance in Provence
Warm goat cheese salad or salade de chevre chaude appears on many restaurant menus, and it’s easy to recreate just follow the recipe below.
Chevre Chaud Salade with Lemon Vinaigrette
This salad is easy to prepare. Toast the pine nuts and make the dressing in advance so the final steps are just before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 package goat cheese (in a roll if available)
- 8 slices baguette
- 6 cups colourful mixed salad recommend arugula or mesclun mix
- 3 oz pine nuts
- 6 oz cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 Avocado if available (sliced and diced)
For The Dressing:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Zest from one lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pan-fry the pine nuts on medium heat until golden brown (approx. 1.5 to 2 minutes).
- Slice the roll of goat cheese (2 pieces/serving) and cut the baguette.
- Place a slice of goat cheese on top of each of the slices of bread.
- Broil in the oven in approx. 5 minutes until golden brown.
- Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking all the ingredients and then adding the olive oil last and slowly as you whisk the vinaigrette to an emulsion.
- If avocados are in season, slice and dice one right before you are assembling the salads.
For Serving:
- Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving.
- Place on a plate, and sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts and sliced cherry tomatoes and avocado slices.
- Top with the warm goat cheese baguette slices (2 per serving)
Notes
Note: Pine nuts are delicate – keep your eye on them will you are pan roasting them so they don’t burn. If they are not available, toast some almond slivers as an alternative. Also, pine nuts can be very expensive in certain parts of the world so toasted almonds will also work with this recipe.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Full day Wine Tour with the sommelier-guide and 3 winery visits
Discover one of the most famous red wine-producing areas of France, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with this wine tour! You will start the day with the discovery of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and its history.
Book this Experience for 2025Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Previous Post
Mary Magdalene in Provence Legend or FactRelated Provence Articles
Moroccan Zaalouk d’Aubergine a Spiced Eggplant Salad
April 20, 2020
Provence is an intriguing place for food lovers and what we like to showcase during our culinary adventures. Traditional Provencal cuisine comes from basic roots. Recipes are typically uncomplicated making use of seasonal produce, wild herbs (herbes de Provence), fish scraps and slow-cooked meats. Here is my recipe for slow-cooked lamb shank (souris d’agneau) à …
Goat Cheese and Pear Salad
July 20, 2022
Once I tried the Roussanne and Belle Blanc wines from Acquiesce Winery I had a perfect summer salad in mind. The Goat Cheese and Pear Salad recipe below is a perfect complement with these Rhône-style wines. Quick to prepare, this salad is a perfect compliment with the Acquiesce Roussanne and Belle Blanc wines. More Food …
Marinated Mushroom and Roast Pumpkin Salad for Autumn Weather
September 21, 2018
Often, as the weather turns cooler the tendency is towards warm, slow-cooked meals, and roasted meats. These menus beg for a table of good friends and great wine. However, you don't want the meal to be too "heavy" this tasty combination of autumn vegetables - marinated mushroom and roast pumpkin salad - is a perfect starter course …
A Fig and Tomato Salad Combining the Flavours of Summer in Provence
August 1, 2018
This simple salad recipe combines slightly tart tomatoes with sweet, fresh figs (from your own tree if you are lucky enough). The figs counter-balance the acidity in the late-season tomatoes, and the cheese although optional adds some extra, creamy roundness to the flavours.…
No Comment