Keto avocado, bacon and goat cheese salad

Keto avocado, bacon and goat cheese salad

Are you tired of the same old salad? Do we have a surprise for you! This lightning-quick lunch or dinner salad will have your tastebuds dancing with bright and peppery arugula, creamy avocado, salty bacon, baked goat cheese, and crunchy nuts to boot.

Keto avocado, bacon and goat cheese salad

Are you tired of the same old salad? Do we have a surprise for you! This lightning-quick lunch or dinner salad will have your tastebuds dancing with bright and peppery arugula, creamy avocado, salty bacon, baked goat cheese, and crunchy nuts to boot.
USMetric
4 servingservings

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. 230 g goat cheese, log
  • 5 oz. 140 g bacon
  • 2 (14 oz.) 2 (400 g) avocado, slicedavocados, sliced
  • 4 cups (2¾ oz.) 950 ml (80 g) arugula lettuce
  • ½ cup (1¾ oz.) 120 ml (50 g) walnuts
Dressing
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Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
  2. Using a sharp knife, slice the goat cheese into round, 1/2" (1 cm) slices and place in the baking dish. Bake on the upper rack for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden.
  3. Meanwhile, place the bacon in a large, non-stick pan. Fry over medium heat until crispy, turning occasionally.
  4. Place the avocado slices on top of the arugula. Add the fried bacon and goat cheese. Sprinkle walnuts on top and serve with the dressing.
  5. Dressing

  6. Add the dressing ingredients to a tall and narrow, mixing container. Using an immersion blender, blend together until well combined.

Tip

To prevent the goat cheese from crumbling when slicing, fill a cup with water, dip a sharp knife into the water, scrape the knife sides on the edge of the cup and then slice, and repeat. The knife will glide right through the cheese!

Looking for a little more variety? While this dressing is mouthwatering on its own, feel free to add your favorite herbs to make it even more irresistible. Fresh parsley, dill, or thyme, will round out the dressing nicely.

Recommended special equipment

Immersion blender

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What did you think? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

44 comments

  1. Carole
    This is a fantastic salad that I've already served three times in two weeks. I look forward to new recipes as much as I do the informative articles. Thank you so much.
  2. Stephen
    As I expected, but I followed recipe regardless! :) ... the cheese melts? Is there any specific types of goats cheese you use? I used a Gouda.
  3. Monica
    Do you dispose off the oil from the bacon or you add it to the salad?
    Reply: #4
  4. Kristin Berglund Team Diet Doctor

    Do you dispose off the oil from the bacon or you add it to the salad?

    Hi Monica!

    You can add it to the dressing if you like, gives great flavor. Good luck!

  5. Jenny
    Making this for lunch. It looks delicious and great amount of fat, but as a newbie (on day 2 of keto) still a little worried about calories after entering the ingredients into my app. This is a totally different way of eating for me.
  6. Monica
    Thanks,Kristin.
  7. Jasmine
    This is ok, the arugula is bitter and all the flavors are a bit too much. It would be good with avocado and bacon only, or nuts and goat cheese only. It needed a stevia sweetened sauce. And the goat cheese would be better cold.
  8. Bernadette
    Made this salad tonight with Hamburgers it was wonderful . My guest loved it also and they are interested now in Low carb diet. I told them not a diet a way of eating right for health.
  9. Sunide
    The dressing. VOMIT! Might as well just pour olive oil right on it and save the other ingredients.
  10. Nan Fiedler
    I'm wondering about the the use of raw honey...would like to add it to my 2 cups of bullet coffee in the AM...???? is that ok..about a teaspoon ea cup ???
    Reply: #43
  11. Karen
    Gouda is not goats cheese
    Reply: #37
  12. Tania
    I find it a little frustrating that this site chooses to only list carb grams for the posted recipes. After laboriously running this through the USDA nutritional info analyzer I discovered 1 serving of this recipe has more fat grams than I should eat in a day and a half. Even without dressing it is a fat bomb. Since a high proportion of people here to lose weight it seems misleading to leave out that info on your provided nutritional info. Why don't you provide grams for all the macros?
  13. Brandy
    Tania, this site is aimed towards people following a low carb, high fat diet. That said, I agree that they should include other nutritional information. I don't see the point of only listing carb values. It would be helpful to know the calorie count as well as fat and protein values so we can more easily track our macros.
  14. Brandy
    Can someone please explain how to get the goat cheese to golden like in the picture? I've made this recipe twice following the instructions exactly, and the goat cheese just melts. Still tastes good, but how do I remedy this?
    Reply: #33
  15. Mary
    I had the same problem, after 20 minutes the cheese still wasn't golden so I turned on the broiler. I also let it cool down before adding to the salad
  16. Mary
    Pleasantly surprised. Since my mayo was made with olive oil, I used avocado oil. Couldn't get my goat cheese to turn golden so I put it under the broiler. I might try brie the next time. Also used pecans that I roasted. Yummy
  17. Sam Osborne
    Don't cook the goats cheese and only drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice just as delicious and prepared in minutes
  18. Wendelin
    The only way to get the goat cheese to look like the picture is to place very cold, sliced, goat cheese, onto a baking sheet and broil on high (top rack) until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes), Remove from oven and immediately place on top of dressed salad. I also added a little minced garlic to the dressing and some pickled onions and erythritol glazed walnuts. Delicious! I was full from this salad for 6 hours.
  19. Mary Taylor
    Must say with each recipe, you have to "tweak" to make it your own sometimes. The recipe itself sounds so delicious. I am a keto woe and enjoy finding new recipes.
    Really like the ideas from the post before me.
    Thanks for the tip on how to get the goat cheese the beautiful color as well as the tip on the nuts with sugar substitute.
    Can't wait to try this one soon.
  20. Andrea
    I love this salad and have made it so many times, but I never bake the goat cheese. I like it raw and it kind of all creams together with the avocado and dressing and I prefer it that way. I've also made it with romaine and other times with a spring mix of greens.
  21. Anna
    Made this today & I must admit it’s the first time I’ve had goats cheese! When I opened the packet the cheese was really soft & I didn’t think it would hold together if I tried to bake it so I put it in fresh. I skipped on the dressing & put a poached egg on top with the lemon juice & olive oil.
    Obviously I changed the recipe but gave it 5 stars for what I ended up with!
  22. jill
    This was a lovely combination..just had the baco,walnuts, goats cheese and avocado..no dressing or baking and it was lovely..toasted the walnuts with the bacon..yum
  23. Gina
    The nutrition info says 6g of carbs but I make it over 10g of carbs minimum. Is this a mistake??
  24. Nicholas
    Can I use feta instead?
    Reply: #25
  25. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Can I use feta instead?

    Yes, you can use feta.

  26. tracie pollard
    Everyone follow this to a tee. It has a fabulous texture and delicious taste to your palette. Don't use feta, don't change anything. Use 100% goats cheese. It's soft but it doesn't melt unless it's near heat. I give this salad a 5 star. 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟
    Reply: #27
  27. Tracie Pollard-Stafford
    Don't bake the goats cheese
  28. Marissa Bennett
    how can this be only 6 grams of carbs? my half of the avocado was 7 carbs. can someone please explain?
    Reply: #29
  29. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    how can this be only 6 grams of carbs? my half of the avocado was 7 carbs. can someone please explain?

    On average, 1 avocado has about 4g net carbs.
    https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/09037?fgcd=&manu=&f...

  30. MC
    I made this recipe two nites ago and OMG, we licked the plates. I have to admit I was very iffy about the dressing and baking the cheese, but I recommend just to be patient and trust the recipe because it was yumie!🤤

    Some tips concerning the cheese as I see many had issues with the cheese, and one recommendation about the lemon juice used in the dressing:

    Cheese.- make sure you buy normal goat cheese in block not the soft kind or crumbled. Also place it in the oven first thing as you preparare the rest. It definitely takes longer than the prescribed time to bake. Just leave it in the over and keep an eye on it. It will eventually get brown.
    Dressing.- I doubled the amount of lemon and it was perfect! Also no need to get complicated and use a blender, simply use a fork. It will look watery because the amount of lemon used by to me it made a difference as I liked it better.

    I wish the site would allow to post pics so I can show the results, it was amazing!

    Lastly, remember that if you do not like arugula then you won’t like the salad as arugula had a peculiar taste, thus replace it with another kind of green.

    Good luck!

  31. Rachel
    Is there a goat cheese substitute?
    Reply: #32
  32. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    Is there a goat cheese substitute?

    Many people like feta, and find it to be more mild than goat cheese.

  33. Belinda
    Use Crottin de Chavignol -- the goat cheese that is melted and used in salads in France.
  34. 1 comment removed
  35. Miranda
    Delicious! I used a rinded goats cheese and browned in the pan with the bacon and the nuts, worked perfectly. If using a soft goats cheese I would not attempt to cook! I dressed the salad with the bacon fat, a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Would definitely make again, probably tomorrow! :-)
  36. Jacolyn
    EXCELLENT! Perfect combination of flavors and easy enough to make. I used pecans and toasted them as I did not have any walnuts on hand but loved it! Will be making again,
  37. Margaret
    You can get Gouda goat cheese I have had it
  38. Dolly
    oh...yum!!!!! I try not to change anything. yes, broil the goat. I went on the two free weeks and am losing wt wonderfully.
    My eyes stopped watering, inflammation is down, tons of energy, think clearer. I am an RN and for the past 40 years, I have been taught that all this fat clogs your arteries. well, my triglycerides are down and HDL is awesome. I am learning. I do not like to cook!!!!! but.......I will continue this for I am a sugar holic and have just gotten sicker over the years. This is a new start for me. I have no hunger and am able to fast over 12 hours if necessary with no problems. plenty of water, multivitamin, magnesium, mct and fish oil daily.
    Reply: #39
  39. Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor

    oh...yum!!!!! I try not to change anything. yes, broil the goat. I went on the two free weeks and am losing wt wonderfully.
    My eyes stopped watering, inflammation is down, tons of energy, think clearer. I am an RN and for the past 40 years, I have been taught that all this fat clogs your arteries. well, my triglycerides are down and HDL is awesome. I am learning. I do not like to cook!!!!! but.......I will continue this for I am a sugar holic and have just gotten sicker over the years. This is a new start for me. I have no hunger and am able to fast over 12 hours if necessary with no problems. plenty of water, multivitamin, magnesium, mct and fish oil daily.

    Awesome, Dolly! Thanks for sharing!

  40. Susan
    I decided not to cook the cheese & the dish was still amazing. I’m only on the trial period starting day 4 & every meal has been delicious! Got off to a bad start as I found the site difficult to navigate & was going to chuck it in but now I think I will be staying on. Both my husband & I are loving the quick & easy recipes.

    Susan.

    Reply: #41
  41. Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor

    I decided not to cook the cheese & the dish was still amazing. I’m only on the trial period starting day 4 & every meal has been delicious! Got off to a bad start as I found the site difficult to navigate & was going to chuck it in but now I think I will be staying on. Both my husband & I are loving the quick & easy recipes.
    Susan.

    I am glad you enjoyed this! If you have trouble navigating the site, start with the Low carb & keto main menu tab. You can find most things there. You can also click the binoculars that say Explore DD+ to make the most of your membership benefits. Thank you for your support.

  42. Squeaky
    I love this recipe and have made it a few times. Made it tonight minus the bacon, and added extra lemon juice to make the dressing thinner. Made a serving half the size and served with trout, with the extra lemony sauce drizzled over everything. It was so great!
  43. AEV
    Honey is 100% sugar so not at all suitable for a keto diet.
  44. david barraclough
    How can anyone not realize the recipe calls for Haloumi goats cheese, Most other goats cheeses will not melt like this or will likely become a gooey mess. I'm thinking the people that didn't like the recipe use ordinary goats cheese, which tastes awful if anything but cold.
  45. david barraclough
    Honeyis like extremely concentrated sugar. before i went keto i thought id ditch the sugar and go with raw honey, 6 cavities later and i found out its way worse than sugar, its natural but worse, only use for a cold or flue or for a wound healing

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