Spring Salad with Baked Goat Cheese Balls
Serves 4
20 mins prep
10 mins cook
30 mins total
These delicious baked goat cheese balls are perfect in this spring salad recipe.
For the baked goat cheese
For the dressing
For the salad
For the baked goat cheese
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Slice the goat cheese log into 8 pieces and roll into balls.
Set aside three bowls - in one bowl add the flour; in another bowl crack the egg and whisk well; and, in a third bowl stir together the panko breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried oregano.
To coat each goat cheese ball, roll in the flour, dip the ball into the whisked egg and then finally into the panko mixture, rolling to make sure all sides are coated.
Put goat cheese balls on a plate and freeze for at least 30 minutes while you prep the salad dressing and salad ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 425F. Once the oven is preheated and the goat cheese has been in the freezer for 30 minutes, add the goat cheese balls to the parchment lined baking sheet. Spray the goat cheese balls with cooking spray and cook 8-12 minutes on the middle rack until just started to turn golden brown (be careful not to overcook or the goat cheese balls will start to melt).
Remove immediately from the baking sheet to a plate or cutting board to cool and sprinkle with salt (if you leave on the baking sheet they can melt).
For the dressing
Make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a bowl and whisk OR add to a jar with a lid and shake well.
For the salad
To assemble the salad, in a large bowl or on a large platter, layer the ingredients side by side: cooked quinoa, red onion, strawberries, red peppers, blueberries, sunflower seeds, arugula, cucumbers and basil. Drizzle with the dressing and toss. Serve topped with baked goat cheese balls.
