Grilled Cheese Chop Salad with Apple Vinaigrette
You’ve got to try this crave-worthy chop salad piled with golden grilled cheese and drizzled with apple vinaigrette!
Confession. I am not a great gardener.
I want to be. In the past, I’ve tried to be.
Yet every year, most of the things I long to grow lay dormant, while the things I try to pull up flourish… maliciously.
In spite of myself, I usually end up with a handful of peppers, a few squash, and some tomatoes.
Oh yes, and let’s not forget the pots of mint that come up year after year, out of sympathy.
Thank you, Mint. At least you understand my pain.
Therefore I will add your vibrant herby zest to countless dishes.
My first mint-of-the-season landed in a cool chunky chop salad this week. I complemented the sweet grapes, cucumbers and mint with a zippy apple cider vinaigrette, made with Musselman’s Apple Cider Vinegar and topped with grilled cheese.
No, not grilled cheese sandwiches, just grilled CHEESE.
This California Cheese made by Karoun is called Yanni Grilling Cheese. Similar to Halloumi, Yanni has a firm texture and lower moisture content so you can actually place it in a skillet (or on a grill) to create a brown crispy exterior.
I actually prefer Yanni Grilling Cheese to Halloumi because it is less salty and has a creamy layered texture.
In today’s Grilled Cheese Chop Salad with Apple Vinaigrette, the combination of the cool mint and cucumbers, sweet grapes, rich crispy cheese, tangy apple vinaigrette and toasted pine nuts makes this chop salad one heck of a vegetarian meal.
This Grilled Cheese Chop Salad with Apple Vinaigrette is so fresh and inspiring, I suddenly feel like working in my garden. Say prayers!
Grilled Cheese Chop Salad with Apple Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 pound Yanni Grilling Cheese
- 1 large English cucumber
- 2 cup grapes
- 1/4 cup chopped mint
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons Musselman's Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet or grill pan to medium heat. Cut the Yanni Grilling Cheese into 1/4-inch slices. Once the pan is hot, add 4-6 slices of cheese to the skillet, leave room for flipping. Brown the cheese for 2 minutes per side, until golden. Remove and repeat with remaining grilling cheese.
- Meanwhile, quarter the cucumber length-wise and chop it into bite size chunks. Cut the grapes in half and add the cucumber, grapes and mint to a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk the Musselman's Apple Cider Vinegar with honey, olive oil, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the chop salad and toss to coat.
- To serve, place large scoops of chop salad on plates and top with 2-3 slices of grilled cheese. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and serve while the cheese is warm.
What a beautiful salad!
what a fun idea! Hope you’re doing well
This looks fantastic! I seem to have a green thumb– I’d be glad to help :-)
Julie
Sadly I don’t have a green thumb either but am motivated to try growing something this year:) Love this grilled cheese salad with apple vinaigrette – looks amazing!
Mint is everyone’s garden friend, and I LOVE it! I chop it up in salads and add it to bevvies all summer long. This salad looks fantastic, now I must look for some of that cheese to grill…my family will go crazy!
just came across your blog and wow- grilled cheese on salad? It’s almost like a guilt free grilled cheese ;). This looks absolutely delicious!
That cheese is awesome. Nice! I thought nobody else knew about it. lol.
I’m not a gardener either, although I have tried! :) Mint is my friend too, and it grows at the end of our property like a weed (which I love).
Love the dish – looks delish!
Grilled Cheese on a salad?! What the what? Count me in. And that apple vinaigrette sounds lovely drizzled on top of the greens.
Love this salad!
Drooling over that crispy cheese and apple vinaigrette!
I need to find that grilling cheese asap!! Yum!
This. Is. Amazing. Love it!
I’m drooling over this salad.
Mint always makes me feel like a good gardener! I have finally figured out what plants work for (and with) me – I am all about low maintenance!! :)
grilled cheese is so good, of course it should go into a salad too!! lol! very creative- I love it!
There is something that is so comfroting about a big piece of cheese grilled to perfection… so yum!
I’m planting mint this year and I have to say, it’s been kind of my wonder plant. Everything else is hit or miss but mint’s not letting me down! I was planning making just a ton a mojitos, but I think I’ll probably make this deliciousness too…you know, since you twisted my arm and all ;)
I’m obsessed with halloumi & I must try this recipe!