Best Cheese Salad Recipes

BEET SALAD WITH GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Place beets into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool, then cut in to cubes.
• While the beets are cooking, place the walnuts in a skillet over medium-low heat. Heat until warm and starting to toast, then stir in the maple syrup. Cook and stir until evenly coated, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice concentrate, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to make the dressing.
• Place a large helping of baby greens onto each of four salad plates, divide candied walnuts equally and sprinkle over the greens. Place equal amounts of beets over the greens, and top with dabs of goat cheese. Drizzle each plate with some of the dressing.

WEDGE SALAD WITH ELEGANT BLUE CHEESE DRESSING

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 pound blue cheese, sour cream, buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, olive oil, sugar, garlic, and pepper in a bowl; blend using a hand mixer; chill until serving.
• Build the salad by placing 1 lettuce wedge on each of 8 plates. Drizzle equal amounts of dressing over each wedge. Scatter tomatoes, onion, and 1/2 pound blue cheese over each salad.

SALAD WITH WARM GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Slice the Montrachet into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices. (The easiest way to slice goat cheese is to use a length of dental floss.) Dip each slice into the beaten egg whites, then the bread crumbs, being sure the cheese is thoroughly coated. Place the slices on a rack and chill them for at least 15 minutes.
• For the dressing, place the vinegars, sugar, salt, pepper, and egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and blend for 1 minute. With the motor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube until the vinaigrette is thickened. Season, to taste.
• Toss the salad greens with enough dressing to moisten, then divide them among 6 plates.
• Melt 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan over medium-high heat until just under smoking. Cook the goat cheese rounds quickly on both sides until browned on the outside but not melted inside. Top each salad with 2 warm rounds and serve.

APPLE, PECAN AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Add the greens, cherries, pecans, cheese and apples into a large salad bowl.
• Mix the olive oil, Dijon, maple syrup and vinegar in a small jar and sprinkle with and salt and pepper. Put the lid on the jar and shake well to mix.
• Pour a little of the salad dressing over the top of the salad and toss to combine. Taste the salad and add more dressing to taste.

PEAR AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Place the salad greens in a large bowl. Add the red onion, pear, pecans, and blue cheese, and toss to mix evenly.
• To make the dressing, place the maple syrup, vinegar, mayonnaise, brown sugar, salt, and pepper in a blender, and blend thoroughly. With the motor running, slowly pour in the walnut oil. Blend until mixture becomes creamy, about 1 minute. Pour over salad mixture, and toss to coat greens evenly. Serve immediately.

CREAM CHEESE FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Beat the cream cheese and sugar together in a large bowl. On high speed, beat in the whipped topping. Fold in the bananas, pineapple, fruit cocktail, apple, and coconut. If desired, mix in the maraschino cherries, pecans, and raisins. Pour the salad into a serving bowl, and chill 1 hour before serving.

ARUGULA SALAD WITH OLIVE OIL, LEMON, AND PARMESAN CHEESE

Steps:

• In a serving bowl, drizzle the arugula with the oil, squeeze in the lemon juice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss until well mixed and taste for seasoning. Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin pieces of Parmigiano over the top.

GRILLED CORN AND TOMATO-SWEET ONION SALAD WITH FRESH BASIL DRESSING AND CRUMBLED BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Combine the vinegar, basil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Can be made 2 hours in advance and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using.
• Combine the corn kernels, onion and tomato in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat, season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Top with crumbled blue cheese and garnish with basil sprigs just before serving. Salad can be made 1 day in advance and served cold or at room temperature.

ROASTED BEET SALAD WITH WALNUTS AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Wrap the beets in foil packets and roast in the oven until tender, about 1 hour. Open the foil packets and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel using a paper towel, then dice.
• In a medium bowl, add the olive oil, vinegar, honey, red onions and Dijon and whisk together. Add the beets and spinach to the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the goat cheese and walnuts.

COPYCAT OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE CHOPPED BLUE CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Slice each pecan half into three lengthwise pieces. Mix together the cinnamon and brown sugar. Toss pecans with melted butter, then with the cinnamon/sugar mixture, tossing well to ensure a thorough coating. Put the nuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes, until sugar is caramelized. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, slide the parchment together with the nuts off the sheet to cool, and set aside.
• Whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients.
• Chop the lettuces into smallish bite-sized pieces; use a salad spinner to wash and dry them. Slice the green onion.
• Break the angel hair into small, 2 inch pieces. Cook until al dente. Heat oil in a skillet, and fry drained pasta until crispy. Drain on paper towel and cool.
• Place the chopped lettuce in a large serving bowl (one large enough to toss the salad in). Add the vinaigrette and toss thoroughly to coat. Sprinkle with the chopped onion. Break the cooled pecan slices apart and sprinkle them over the salad.

BEET AND GOAT CHEESE ARUGULA SALAD

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with foil. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Whisk the vinegar, shallots, and honey in a medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in the oil. Season the vinaigrette, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss the beets in a small bowl with enough dressing to coat. Place the beets on the prepared baking sheet and roast until the beets are slightly caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool.
• Toss the arugula, walnuts, and cranberries in a large bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat. Season the salad, to taste, with salt and pepper. Mound the salad atop 4 plates. Arrange the beets around the salad. Sprinkle with the avocado and goat cheese, and serve.

BLUE CHEESE AND DRIED CRANBERRY TOSSED SALAD

Steps:

• Layer the romaine lettuce with the cucumber, grape tomatoes, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese in a large salad bowl. Dress the salad with the balsamic vinaigrette before serving.

DRY JELL-O SALAD (JELLO) COTTAGE CHEESE FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Mix together in order given.
• Chill for 2 hours.

COTTAGE CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the cottage cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and cucumbers. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill until serving.

ROASTED BEET AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Spread the beets on a baking sheet. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, rosemary and some salt and pepper. Reserve one-quarter of the dressing for the salad and pour the rest over the beets. Roast until the beets are tender, 45 to 50 minutes.
• While the beets are cooking, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Put the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in separate shallow bowls. Coat the goat cheese slices first in the flour, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. Fry the slices until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Whisk the mustard and sugar into the reserved dressing, then pour over the greens in a large bowl and toss to coat. Divide the greens among 6 plates, add the beets on top and place 2 fried goat cheese slices on top.

OUTBACK-STYLE BLUE CHEESE WEDGE SALAD

Steps:

• Make the dressing: Whisk the mayonnaise, vinegar, buttermilk and sugar in a small bowl. Stir in the blue cheese and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine the sugar, balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons water in a small nonstick skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let cool.
• Make the salad: Divide the iceberg wedges among plates. Spoon the dressing on top, letting it run down the sides. Drizzle all over with some of the glaze, about 1 teaspoon per wedge (you will not need all the glaze). Top with the tomatoes, red onion, bacon and blue cheese.

GRILLED ASPARAGUS AND ROASTED MUSHROOM SALAD WITH TOASTED PECANS, BLUE CHEESE AND RED CHILE MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Add thyme and season with salt and pepper. Toss asparagus with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper. Arrange 1/4 of the mushrooms in the center of each plate. Arrange asparagus around the mushrooms. Sprinkle pecans and blue cheese around the edge of the plate. Drizzle with more of the dressing.
• Whisk together mustard, ancho powder, salt and vinegar, slowly whisk in oil until emulsified. Season with more salt, to taste.

GREEN PEA SALAD WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE

Steps:

• Mix sweet peas, eggs, Cheddar cheese cubes, mayonnaise, and onion together in a bowl until ingredients are coated in mayonnaise; season with salt and pepper.

BEET SALAD WITH PECANS AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Place beets into a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover beets by 1 inch; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until skins begin to loosen, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and lightly grease a baking dish.
• Drain beets, remove skins, and cut into halves or quarters, depending on size. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• Roast in the preheated oven until beets are dark in color and almost fork tender, but not too soft, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool beets, dice into 1/2-inch cubes, and place in a bowl.
• Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey in a lidded jar for the honey-mustard vinaigrette. Close jar and shake to combine. Pour vinaigrette over beets and chill in the refrigerator until flavors have melded, 1 to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, heat butter in a skillet over low heat. Add onions and cook until caramelized, 15 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, and chop.
• Arrange 1/4 of the marinated beets in a solid circle on 4 salad dishes. Top with layers of onions and micro greens and sprinkle with blue cheese and pecans. Drizzle remaining beet vinaigrette around each salad, if desired. Serve chilled.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH FETA CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place asparagus in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over asparagus and season with garlic powder; toss well. Transfer asparagus to a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until asparagus are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Place lettuce in the same bowl used for asparagus; top with tomatoes, feta cheese, and asparagus.