One of the best salads I've eaten in a long time! This sweet and savory Cantaloupe Goat Cheese Salad is topped off with a lime mint dressing. 174 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

Cantaloupe Goat Cheese Salad with Lime Mint Dressing

Perhaps it seems silly to get so excited over a salad, but when a recipe hits every nail on its proverbial head, like this goat cheese salad does, you want to share it with every leaf-loving friend. I used to have a thing against fruit in green salads, but saw the light when I first made my seared shrimp and strawberry salad.

However, I've decided there's one thing that's absolutely necessary to make a fruity green salad successful.

Acid! No, not the kind that seeps out your car battery. I haven't completely lost the plot quite yet. Acids in cooking typically come in two forms. Vinegar and citrus. If you've ever added a splash of balsamic vinegar to a stew, you know what I mean. It immediately brightens up the flavors.

In the case of this green salad, lime juice adds a clean, crisp flavor to the sweetness of the cantaloupe and tanginess of the goat cheese. I used it as the base for the dressing, whisking it with olive oil, a touch of salt and agave, and fresh mint leaves. Herby, bright and delicious! For more help on becoming a master at making vinaigrettes, see How to Make a Vinaigrette.

I wish I could say that the idea for this salad was all my own, but the inspiration of pairing cantaloupe and goat cheese in a green salad comes from the kitchen of one of our favorite Seattle brewpubs, Perihelion Brewery. We found it by chance and are now completely smitten with the atmosphere, the food and the beer!

Last weekend, my husband and I had a hankering for an afternoon of good food and beer. Perihelion is about a 25 minute drive from out house, but that never stops us! The cantaloupe goat cheese salad was once of their specials for the day, though their version was tossed in a strawberry vinaigrette and featured the best nuts I've ever tasted. Seriously.

The chef had got his hands on some pili nuts, which originate from the Phillippines. Being a pili nut virgin, I was immediately taken with their light, but buttery texture. They look a bit like Brazil nuts, but have a flavor like no other I've tasted. Officially obsessed! Since I didn't have any pili nuts on hand, I used raw cashew nuts in this salad, but macadamia or Brazil nuts would also work well.

As with most green salads, be sure to toss it with the dressing immediately before serving so that the lettuce leaves are fresh and perky when served.

Other summer salad recipes:

The Ultimate Summer Salad with Dill Buttermilk Dressing {Cookin' Canuck}
Tomato & Hearts of Palm Salad {Cookin' Canuck}
Grilled Mexican Street Corn Salad {Foodie with Family}
Green Bean, Tomato, Onion & Basil Summer Salad {Kalyn's Kitchen}

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Cantaloupe Goat Cheese Salad with Lime Mint Dressing

One of the best salads I've eaten in a long time! This sweet and savory Cantaloupe Goat Cheese Salad is topped off with a lime mint dressing. 174 calories and 3 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP

4.77 from 13 votes

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Course: Salads

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Keyword: Clean Eating, Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Servings: Servings

Calories: 174kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

The Salad:

4 cups baby lettuce mix
2 cups chopped cantaloupe
¾ cup chopped jicama
¼ cup raw cashews
2 ounces soft goat cheese chevre, crumbled

The Dressing:

1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon agave nectar or honey
⅛ teaspoon salt
2 large mint leaves thinly sliced

Instructions

The Salad:

In a serving bowl, combine the lettuce, cantaloupe, jicama, cashews and goat cheese.
Toss with the dressing. Serve.

The Dressing:

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, agave nectar and salt. Stir in the mint leaves.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 3 (Freestyle SmartPoints), 5 (Points+)

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Comments

4.77 from 13 votes (6 ratings without comment)