And you can’t walk into a Parisian bistro without seeing this classic appetizer on the menu or the wall. Soft ripened goats cheese, quickly grilled, served over bread and salad and drizzled with a honey mustard dressing. It’s perfect in Paris, and luckily so easy to make that it’s perfect at home too.
How to Make Salade Chèvre Chaud – French Goat Cheese Salad at Home
Step 1: Prepare the Walnuts
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Spread walnuts evenly on a baking sheet. Toast walnuts for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and golden. 
Allow to cool slightly, then chop roughly. Set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Goat Cheese Toasts
Switch oven to broil (high heat).
Slice the goat cheese roll into rounds about ½-inch (1 cm) thick.
For a main course, use 3-4 slices per serving.
For an appetizer, use 1-2 slices per serving.
If you feel like getting fancy: Using a cookie cutter or a knife, cut bread slices into circles or squares slightly larger than the cheese slices.
Place bread slices on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Top each bread slice with one goat cheese round.
Step 3: Grill the Goat Cheese Toasts
Broil the goat cheese toasts in the oven, watching closely, for approximately 5 minutes, or until cheese is lightly melted and golden brown at the edges.
Step 4: Prepare the Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, and white wine vinegar until smooth and emulsified.
Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Step 5: Assemble the Salad
In a large bowl, toss salad greens gently with the prepared dressing.
Divide dressed greens among plates.
Sprinkle toasted walnuts over the greens.
Arrange warm goat cheese toasts attractively on top.
Step 6: Serve
Serve immediately while the goat cheese toasts are warm.
Salade Chevre Chaud FAQ:
Can I use another type of cheese?
Yes, brie or camembert can substitute nicely.
Can I prepare goat cheese toasts ahead?
You can assemble ahead but broil them just before serving to retain crispness.
What greens work best?
Mixed greens, spinach, arugula, and butter lettuce all pair nicely.
Can I make this salad vegan?
Use vegan cheese alternatives and maple syrup instead of honey.
How to store leftover salad?
Store salad ingredients separately to avoid sogginess, and assemble freshly each time.
Salade Chèvre Chaud – French Goat Cheese Salad
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Grilled goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and mixed greens tossed in a honey-Dijon dressing. A simple, elegant French appetizer.
Ingredients
- 1 roll (200 g) soft-ripened goat cheese
- 4-5 slices sandwich bread
- 6 cups (180 g) mixed salad greens
- 1 1/3 cups (150 g) walnuts
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- Salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Spread walnuts evenly on a baking sheet. Toast walnuts for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and golden.
- Allow to cool slightly, then chop roughly. Set aside.
- Switch oven to broil (high heat).
- Slice the goat cheese roll into rounds about ½-inch (1 cm) thick.
- If desired, use a cookie cutter or knife to cut bread slices into circles or squares slightly larger than the cheese slices.
- Place bread slices on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Top each bread slice with one goat cheese round.
- Broil the goat cheese toasts for approximately 5 minutes, or until cheese is lightly melted and golden brown at the edges.
- In a small bowl, whisk olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, and white wine vinegar until smooth and emulsified.
- Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- In a large bowl, toss salad greens gently with the prepared dressing.
- Divide dressed greens among plates.
- Sprinkle toasted walnuts over the greens.
- Arrange warm goat cheese toasts on top.
- Serve immediately while the goat cheese toasts are warm.
Notes
- For easier slicing, chill the goat cheese for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
- Substitute pecans or almonds for walnuts if preferred, adjusting toast time as needed.
- To prevent the salad greens from wilting, add the dressing just before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: French-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 200
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 18
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 10
- Cholesterol: 20
If you liked this, you are going to love these goat cheese recipes:
Baked Goat Cheese Stuffed Jalapeños
Spring Goat Cheese and Asparagus Pizza
Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Prosciutto di Parma Crostini
Frequently Asked Questions
How thick should I slice the goat cheese for the toasts?
Slice the goat cheese into rounds about ½-inch (1 cm) thick for the best results.
What temperature should I use to toast the walnuts?
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to toast the walnuts for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and golden.
How do I know when the goat cheese toasts are done broiling?
Broil the goat cheese toasts for approximately 5 minutes, watching closely until the cheese is lightly melted and golden brown at the edges.
The ultimate salad. Well, not quite a salad, but the best cheese on toast salad!
Great recipe, dressing superb. I often do a mini version as a starter and all my friends love it.
thanks for posting
alex
halløj! Brian-
This recipe looks fantastic–I love the idea of adding Parma ham. However….if you’re writing for Americans, you really need to specify that the goat cheese has to be soft-ripened (also called semi-ripened). This is what’s shown in the photo.
For many Americans, a “roll of goat cheese” signifies the fresh, rindless goat cheese that’s available in plastic logs in the supermarket. That stuff (as I’m sure you know) doesn’t melt very well.
What we need for this recipe is a goat cheese that has been aged (ripened) enough to form a rind….then it will ooze a bit…and that’s the fun of a goat cheese salad….Er det ikke?
Thanks for a great posting….can’t wait to try it!
Hi Wini!
Thank you so much for your help! You are completely right about the goats cheese – I will try to change that in the recipe right away!
I really like the Parma ham on this salad. It ads a nice smokey flavour to the palette, and some crispy texture.