Fried Goat Cheese

I love fried goat cheese. It is the perfect topping for a bright salad. It isn’t hard to make and the best part is you can make it ahead and freeze the rounds and fry them just before eating. (Read the notes at the bottom of the recipe for instructions.)

The goat cheese has a nice tangy flavor and pairs well in salads that have something sweet. You can use a sweet salad dressing like my orange vinaigrette, or add roasted beets or chopped fruit. You will want something a little sweet to balance out the tang of the goat cheese.

Fried Goat Cheese

4 oz Goat Cheese log

1/4 Cup Flour

1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs (I like to use whole wheat panko.)

1/4 teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt

1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

1/4 teaspoon Dried Thyme

1 Egg

1 teaspoon water

1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Directions

Slice the chilled goat cheese into 6 rounds. Add the salt, pepper, and thyme to the panko bread crumbs and mix to combine. In a small bowl, mix the egg and water together until well combined.

Bread the cheese rounds:

1. Dip the round into the flour to coat well.
2. Dip the floured round into the egg and then into the panko.
3. Dip the round into the egg and then the panko a second time.

I like to freeze the rounds for 5-10 minutes before frying. This is optional but helps them keep their shape when frying.

Fry the rounds:

In a medium skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Add the breaded cheese rounds and let cook for one minute. Flip the rounds and cook on the other side for 1 minute. Serve immediate.

Make Ahead Option:

To make ahead, follow the steps to bread the cheese rounds then freeze them. To fry them, let the cheese rounds sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes to thaw slightly before frying.