Asparagus Salad with Fried Goat Cheese
This asparagus arugula salad with fried goat cheese combines fresh asparagus, arugula, radishes, and red onion with a simple lemon vinaigrette. I top it with pan-fried, panko-crusted goat cheese rounds for a warm, crispy-creamy addition to every bite.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 4 ounce goat cheese log
- 1 pound asparagus
- 3 ounces arugula
- 5 medium radishes thinly sliced
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Juice from ½ of a lemon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅔ cup panko bread crumbs plain, unseasoned
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- Additional extra virgin olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Freeze the goat cheese log for about 30 minutes before making the salad. This will firm up the goat cheese so that you can slice it into rounds.
- Meanwhile, trim the bottom ends off the asparagus spears and discard them. Asparagus's bottom ends are often called the "woody ends." The woody ends are tough and hard to chew. The woody ends are usually the asparagus spears' bottom 1-2 inches. Cut the remaining asparagus spears into 1-2 inch pieces.
- Bring a medium-sized saucepan of water to a boil. Transfer the cut pieces of asparagus into the boiling water. Boil the asparagus for about 3 minutes. You only want to boil the asparagus until it's bright green and tender-crisp. Drain the asparagus and immediately rinse with cold water.
- Transfer the fresh arugula, sliced radishes, sliced red onion, and cooked asparagus into a large salad bowl. Toss to combine.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, and pepper together. Pour the lemon vinaigrette over top of the salad vegetables and toss to combine.
- Pour the panko bread crumbs into a small bowl. Pour the all-purpose flour into a small bowl. Whisk the egg in a small bowl.
- Remove the goat cheese from the freezer and carefully slice the goat cheese log using a sharp knife. Cut the goat cheese into 6-7 evenly sized slices.
- Bread the goat cheese rounds by pressing them into the all-purpose flour, dipping them into the egg, and then pressing them into the panko bread crumbs.
- Heat about 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over low to medium heat in a small frying pan. When the oil is hot, add the panko-coated goat cheese to the pan. Fry each side until golden brown - about 3 minutes per side.
- Top the Asparagus Salad with the fried goat cheese rounds and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don't skip putting the goat cheese in the freezer for 30 minutes before you make the salad. Slicing the goat cheese is a little tricky. It will be even harder if your goat cheese is very soft and crumbly. The freezer will firm up the goat cheese just enough, making it a little easier to slice.
- When flipping the goat cheese over in the frying pan, use a thin metal spatula or a fork. The panko-crusted goat cheese is very delicate and needs to be handled gently.
- The nutrition information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.
Nutrition
Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 332mg | Potassium: 277mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1150IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3mg
Find it online at sugarandsnappeas.com!