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!

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Grilled Cheese Chop Salad with Apple Vinaigrette

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes minutes

A must-try, crave-worthy chop salad piled with golden grilled cheese and drizzled with apple vinaigrette!

Servings: 6

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

• 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1salad, Calories: 431kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 14g, Sodium: 911mg, Potassium: 247mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 205IU, Vitamin C: 3.6mg, Calcium: 775mg, Iron: 1.1mg

Course: Lunch, Salad

Cuisine: American

Author: Sommer Collier

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