Kale & Strawberry Salad With Bacon & Grilled Cheese Sandwich Croutons
Ingredients
4 slices bacon
4 slices bread
3 ounces goat cheese, softened at room temperature
10-12 fresh basil leaves
4 cups baby kale leaves
2 cups strawberry halves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Get Cooking
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook about 3-4 minutes per side, depending on your desired level of crispness. Remove the bacon from the skillet and transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, let cool.
Once cool enough to handle, chop the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
To make the grilled cheese sandwiches, spread the goat cheese onto two slices of the bread. Top with fresh basil leaves and then top with the remaining two slices of bread.
Use the same skillet and some of the rendered bacon fat to cook the grilled cheese sandwiches (you’ll only need 1-2 tablespoons of bacon fat, so remove and discard any excess before adding the sandwiches).
Cook the sandwiches over medium heat until the bread is golden brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the sandwiches and transfer them to a cutting board to cool slightly. Then chop them into cubes.
To assemble the salad, add the strawberries, kale and chopped bacon to a large bowl. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and olive oil and add a pinch of salt and black pepper. Toss until well coated. Add the cubed grilled cheese sandwiches and toss to combine.
Transfer to serving dishes and enjoy immediately.
