Salade de chèvre et miel with roasted grapes Recipe
A light French salad where salty goat cheese meets the sweetness of honey and warm, roasted grapes. This mix of flavors often appears in bistros as a starter with a glass of wine, but it can easily play the main role at dinner. It’s a bit like an Italian mozzarella salad, only more pronounced in flavor and with a distinctly French character.
Combines classic French bistro flavors—goat cheese, honey and nuts—with the surprising addition of warm roasted grapes, creating a salad that feels both elegant and comforting.
Chef's tips
Don’t overbake the grapes; they should be soft and juicy, not completely collapsed. Use the best olive oil you have for the dressing, as its flavor is very noticeable in such a simple dish.
How to serve
Serve on large flat plates so the salad, grapes and crostini are nicely spread out. For a more filling meal, add a handful of cooked lentils or some thinly sliced prosciutto on the side.
Ingredients
- goat cheese preferably in a small log, for cutting into slices - 120 g
- grapes seedless, preferably dark - 150 g
- mixed salad leaves e.g. arugula, lamb’s lettuce, butterhead lettuce - 80 g
- baguette slices about 1 cm thick - 4 slice
- honey runny - 2 tablespoon
- balsamic vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- olive oil good-quality olive oil - 3 tablespoon
- walnuts lightly chopped - 20 g
- Dijon mustard - 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (top and bottom heat). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Remove the grapes from the stems, rinse and dry them. Spread them on the tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and roast for 8–10 minutes, until they slightly burst and release their juices.
- Slice the baguette, place the slices on another tray or rack. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and put in the oven for the last 3–4 minutes of roasting the grapes, until the slices are lightly golden.
- Cut the goat cheese into slices about 1 cm thick. Place one or two slices on each baguette slice and return to the oven for another 2–3 minutes, until the cheese just starts to melt and turn lightly golden at the edges.
- In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, 1 teaspoon of honey, a pinch of salt and pepper until you get a smooth dressing.
- Rinse the salad leaves, dry very well (e.g. in a salad spinner or with paper towels) and transfer to a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and gently toss with your hands so the leaves are lightly coated but not crushed.
- Arrange the salad on plates, top with the warm roasted grapes and sprinkle with walnuts.
- Place the goat cheese crostini on top of the salad, drizzle everything with a thin stream of the remaining honey and serve immediately while the cheese is still warm.
Storage
If the salad is already dressed, it’s best eaten the same day, as the leaves will soften. Undressed salad leaves, roasted grapes and cheese toasts can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 1 day and assembled just before serving; briefly reheat the toasts in the oven or a dry pan.
This salad is my go-to when I want something quick but a bit restaurant-like. Roasting the grapes takes almost no effort, yet makes the whole dish feel special.
