Goat Cheese Salad Recipe

Roast the peppers

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Place whole red bell peppers on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20–30 minutes, turning every 7–10 minutes, until skins are blackened and blistered all over.

Remove peppers from the oven and transfer to a heatproof bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and let steam for 15 minutes. This will loosen the skins for easier peeling.

After steaming, peel the skins, remove stems and seeds, and pat peppers dry with paper towels. Cut each pepper into two lengthwise pieces (or into large squares) and set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, cream cheese (if using), minced garlic, chopped parsley, chopped chives, lemon juice, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Use a fork or small spatula to blend until smooth and well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Spoon or pipe the goat cheese mixture into each roasted pepper piece. You should have enough to fill each pepper fairly generously. Refrigerate filled peppers, covered, until ready to assemble (can be kept up to 1 day).

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) or use a toaster oven. Arrange gluten-free bread slices on a baking sheet. Brush both sides lightly with 1 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp sea salt.

Bake for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway, until crisp and golden. Remove from oven and while still warm, rub one side of each slice with the halved garlic clove to impart a subtle garlic aroma. Let cool slightly.

In a small bowl or jar, combine 3 tbsp olive oil, 1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp honey, 1 tbsp minced shallot, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Whisk or shake vigorously until emulsified. Taste and adjust acid/sweetness/salt as needed.

In a large bowl, place the mixed greens, halved endives, sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion. Add the toasted chopped walnuts or pecans.

Drizzle about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing as desired, being careful not to overdress—the peppers and crostini will add richness.

Arrange dressed salad on a large serving platter or individual plates. Place 1 stuffed roasted red pepper piece on top of each portion (or 2 pieces for larger servings). Garnish with fresh basil leaves if using.

Serve each portion with 1–2 gluten-free crostini on the side or tuck crostini into the greens. If desired, drizzle a little extra olive oil over the peppers and finish with a light grind of black pepper.