Panko-Breaded Goat Cheese And Crisp Apple Salad Recipe

Adding cheese to a salad is no new invention, and goat cheese is a pretty commonplace addition for those who want a tangy component in the mix. Pan-fried goat cheese makes things a little more interesting, however, especially when paired with bright spring greens, hazelnuts, and crisp apples to create a salad that's got a little bit of sweetness, a little bit of tanginess, and a little bit of richness all in one. Recipe developer Julianne De Witt's panko-breaded goat cheese and crisp apple salad checks all of the boxes, packing quite a few distinct flavors, textures, and temperatures into an appetizer or light meal that's far from ordinary.

"I like this recipe because it's light and nutritious but feels decadent with the addition of the panko crusted goat cheese," De Witt says. "It's simple enough to prepare for a weeknight, but it's also great to serve at a dinner party, and the recipe is easily multiplied." This salad can be served in a large salad bowl, on a platter, or plated in individual portions. As-is, the recipe yields two servings — perfect for an at-home date night appetizer. If you're looking to serve it at a dinner party, simply double or triple the ingredient amounts and be sure to have your biggest salad bowl on standby.

For the panko-breaded goat cheese element of this recipe, you'll need a log of goat cheese, a beaten egg (along with a little salt and pepper for seasoning), panko breadcrumbs, and some olive oil for pan frying. The salad itself is pretty simple, with mixed baby greens serving as a base, an apple (red, green, or both) providing a little sweetness, and hazelnuts adding a crunchy element.

You'll also be making a simple vinaigrette to dress the salad. To make it, you'll need olive oil, balsamic vinegar, stone ground Dijon mustard, honey, minced tarragon, and some more salt and pepper.

Slice a 5-ounce goat cheese log into 8 even portions.

Place the goat cheese slices on a plate and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Add the hazelnuts to a small zipper storage bag.

Using a wooden spoon, break the hazelnuts into halves.

Place the hazelnuts in a small pan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the nuts are lightly toasted.

Prepare the vinaigrette by adding ½ cup olive oil, balsamic, mustard, honey, tarragon, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper to a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients together.

Add the greens to a large salad bowl.

Top with the hazelnuts.

Slice the apple into matchsticks.

Add the apples to the salad bowl.

Add the remaining salt and pepper to the beaten egg.

Dip the goat cheese rounds into the egg.

Follow by dipping the cheese into the panko crumbs. Press the panko crumbs lightly so that they adhere to the cheese.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the cheese to the pan and cook until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes.

Flip and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the goat cheese rounds to the top of the salad.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.

There's no denying that the panko-breaded goat cheese rounds are the star of this salad, and for the most part, they're pretty straightforward to make. That said, De Witt does acknowledge that "Goat cheese can be a little fussy to cook with," and she has some tips to ensure that your rounds come out perfectly crispy and intact (as opposed to soggy and falling apart).

First, be sure to take care when slicing the goat cheese, and don't skip the freezing step, time-consuming as it may be. "Slicing the cheese carefully and slowly will ensure that the round doesn't break," De Witt explains. Freezing the cheese serves two purposes. One, it makes the rounds easier to handle when you're dunking them in egg and breadcrumbs. Two, it helps ensure that the cheese doesn't completely melt and ooze out when you're pan-frying the rounds. 

Otherwise, the key to making perfect goat cheese rounds is to be thorough when it comes to the coatings. "Cover the goat cheese with egg on all sides and press the panko onto the cheese," De Witt advises. "This will ensure the panko sticks well to the cheese." And finally, when cooking the rounds, make sure that there's enough oil in the pan to seep into the breading to achieve that crispy exterior. Feel free to add more oil to the pan as needed in the cooking process.

Anyone who has ever sought out breadcrumbs from the grocery store has likely faced a decision between regular breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs. Contrary to popular belief, breadcrumbs and panko are not actually interchangeable, and this recipe specifically calls for panko. As De Witt explains, "Panko is Japanese breadcrumbs made from crustless white bread that is dehydrated rather than ground like regular breadcrumbs. When dried, these breadcrumbs are light and crispy and, as a result, absorb less oil than regular breadcrumbs." As such, the texture of your fried food will turn out a little different when using breadcrumbs instead of panko. For the goat cheese in this recipe, you can expect it to have a nice crunch but ultimately lean more on the lighter, crispier side.

Since panko is a type of Japanese breadcrumb, it's not surprising that it is quite popular in Japanese cuisine. "Panko adds a crispy texture to many popular Japanese dishes such as chicken katsu (fried chicken breasts) and shrimp tempura," De Witt says. She also notes that panko is a popular topping for macaroni and cheese or a gratin, once again offering up that distinct crispiness without making the dish too heavy or too crunchy.