Sugar Snap Pea and Mint Salad with a Creamy Goat Cheese Vinaigrette
A new favorite! The creamy goat cheese works wonderfully to blend this dish together, even better made ahead of time for an even easier meal!
The sneaky star of the show! Goat cheese is an ingredient I’m finding myself playing around with more and more in the kitchen, almost by accident! I love the flavor and have typically used this to top salads or add to omelets, but outside of those pretty basic uses, it was not a heavily used cheese. Once I started understanding the versatility, I became hooked! In this dish, adding the goat cheese while making the dressing, giving some time to break everything down and create a beautiful, creamy dressing, is a game changer! The peas become fully coated with that subtle yet present tang, and really brings out the sweet undertones. Amazing combination!
The hidden chemistry. I won’t bore you with too much of a lesson here, but keep it to the basics-tough ingredients tame well when paired with acidity, breaking down their outer shell slightly. The great thing here is, sugar snap peas are quite, well, snappy, so despite our feeble efforts, they maintain their crunch, which is GOOD! The vinegar does not make them mushy, but instead allows them to soften just enough to absorb the rest of the flavors (hint-that beautiful goat cheese), making this salad come together deliciously!
Are your gardens overflowing with peas?? Check out some of these other great ideas:
Snap Pea and Herb Salad with Whipped Lemon Ricotta
Slivered Sugar Snap Peas with a Honey Goat Cheese Vinaigrette
Sautéed Snap Pea and Cucumber Salad
Summer is here and I am LOVING trying out these seasonal ingredients in my kitchen! Follow along as I search for farmers markets and fun ways to cook creatively with what the week produces!
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Sugar Snap Pea and Mint Salad with a Creamy Goat Cheese Vinaigrette
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen knife
- Whish
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp Sweetener I use monkfruit
- 1 oz Goat Cheese
- Salt and pepper
- 2 handfuls Sugar Snap Peas (about 3 cups)
- 1/3 cup Dried Cranberries
- 1/3 cup Pistachios
- 6-8 leaves Fresh Mint
Instructions
- In mixing bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, sweetener, goat cheese, salt and pepper. Use whisk to make a creamy paste. If you'd like a thicker sauce, add a bit more goat cheese.
- Slice snap peas into thin, diagonal strips, adding to bowl.
- Add roughly chopped pistachios and dried cranberries.
- Thinly slice mint, or chiffonade, and add. Stir all well to combine.
- Serve with a few pieces of chopped pistachios and fresh mint for garnish. Enjoy!Best if made ahead of time to give flavors a chance to come together.
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