Goat Cheese and Walnut Salad

This goat cheese and walnut salad is peppery arugula and spinach topped with creamy goat cheese, toasted walnuts and slices of ripe pear, dressed with a honey and balsamic vinaigrette. The sweet pear, tangy cheese and crunchy nuts balance each other perfectly. It takes 15 minutes and serves 2 as a light lunch or 4 as a starter, with about 13 g of protein per main-course portion. It’s an easy salad that looks impressive enough for guests.

• Serves: 2 as a light main, or 4 as a starter
• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 4 minutes to toast the walnuts
• Total time: about 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 50 g (2 large handfuls) arugula (rocket)
• 50 g (2 large handfuls) baby spinach
• 100 g (3½ oz) soft goat cheese, crumbled or sliced
• 30 g (¼ cup) walnut halves
• 1 ripe pear (about 170 g), cored and thinly sliced
• A few thyme leaves or chives, optional

Honey balsamic dressing

• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• A pinch of black pepper

Method

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan, until fragrant. Tip them onto a plate to cool.
2. Whisk the dressing ingredients together, or shake them in a small jar.
3. Wash and dry the arugula and spinach, and arrange them on two plates or a platter.
4. Core the pear and slice it thinly just before serving, so it doesn’t brown. Arrange the slices over the leaves.
5. Crumble or slice the goat cheese over the top and scatter with walnuts.
6. Drizzle with the dressing, add a twist of black pepper and the herbs, and serve.

Tips

• Chill the goat cheese before crumbling it. Cold cheese crumbles cleanly; warm cheese smears.
• Choose a ripe but firm pear, such as Conference, Bartlett or Comice, so the slices hold their shape.
• Toast the walnuts. It brings out their flavor and removes some bitterness.
• Dress lightly. Arugula and spinach are delicate and wilt if overdressed.
• No salt needed. Goat cheese and mustard add enough.

Swaps and variations

• Warm goat cheese: slice a log of goat cheese into rounds, place on a lined tray and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 5 to 6 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
• Fruit: use apple, figs, grapes or strawberries instead of pear. Our article on figs explains why they pair so well with cheese.
• Nuts: use pecans, hazelnuts or pistachios.
• Cheese: feta, blue cheese or shaved Parmesan all work.
• Heartier: add roasted beetroot, cooked lentils or quinoa, or sliced chicken.
• Lower sugar: skip the honey and use a little extra mustard in the dressing.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

One serving is half the recipe, as a light main. These figures were calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for arugula, spinach, soft goat cheese, walnuts, pear, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey and prepared mustard.

Most of the sugar comes from the pear, with a teaspoon of honey in the dressing. The walnuts and olive oil provide unsaturated fats, while most of the saturated fat comes from the goat cheese. Leafy greens add folate, vitamin K and beta carotene; our guide to spinach nutrition covers them in detail, and our guide to walnuts explains their omega-3 content. As a starter, a quarter of the recipe has about 185 calories.

Contains: milk (goat cheese), tree nuts (walnuts) and mustard.

Goat cheese in pregnancy

If you’re pregnant, check the type of goat cheese. The NHS says pasteurized goat cheese without a white coating (rind) on the outside is fine, but soft ripened goat cheese with a white rind, or any cheese made from unpasteurized milk, must be thoroughly cooked. The baked goat cheese variation above is a good option, as long as it’s steaming hot all the way through.

Storage

Dressed salad doesn’t keep. Store undressed leaves in a container lined with paper towel in the fridge for up to 2 days, and keep the cheese, walnuts and dressing separately. Slice the pear just before eating. Wash the leaves before eating, as the FDA advises, unless the pack says they’re ready to eat.

What to serve with it

• Crusty whole grain bread, or toast spread with hummus. Our article on whether hummus is healthy compares shop-bought and homemade.
• A bowl of our tomato basil soup.
• Roast chicken or grilled fish for a bigger meal.

Common questions

Is goat cheese healthier than cow’s cheese?

Not by much. Goat cheese is similar in calories and saturated fat to many soft cow’s milk cheeses, though some people find it easier to digest. Enjoy either in moderate portions.

Can I make it ahead?

Toast the walnuts and make the dressing up to a day ahead. Assemble the salad just before serving.

What wine goes with goat cheese salad?

A crisp white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc is a classic pairing, or try sparkling water with lemon.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are estimates from USDA FoodData Central and will change with the brands and amounts you use. If you follow a diet for a medical reason, check the recipe with your doctor or dietitian.