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    Home » Recipes » Sides & Salads

    published: Mar 24, 2021 · by Kris · This post may contain affiliate links

    Strawberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese

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    This strawberry spinach salad with goat cheese is summer on a plate! Tender baby spinach topped with juicy sweet strawberries, red onions, smoky toasted pecans, and creamy goat cheese all drizzled with a homemade balsamic dressing. A feast for the eyes and the tastebuds.

    Enjoy this salad for lunch or serve with a grilled meal. This salad is sure to brighten up any potluck or holiday table. Yum!

    strawberry spinach goat cheese salad in a bowl with dressing
    Table of Contents
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Step By Step Instructions
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Storing and Making Ahead
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe

    Ingredient Notes

    strawberry spinach goat cheese salad ingredients
    • spinach - we like to use baby spinach and leave it whole, but roughly chopped spinach, spring mix or arugula would work wonderfully.
    • red onion - thinly sliced red onion balances out the sweetness of the strawberries with its slightly sharp flavor.
    • strawberries - I love strawberries in this salad for flavor and color, but raspberries, blackberries or blueberries would all work well.
    • pecans - to kick things up a notch we use flavored nuts on salads. This salad uses some of my smoky toasted pecans , but you could also use candied or plain toasted pecans or walnuts instead.
    • goat cheese - for this salad we crumbled in some vegan goat cheese. This is optional, but the creamy texture is a great addition. You could use regular goat cheese, feta or a dairy-free option.
    • balsamic dressing - this super simple homemade dressing is made from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Balsamic and strawberries are a match made in heaven.

    Step By Step Instructions

    Start by mixing together the balsamic dressing so that the flavors can start to meld together. Add all the ingredients to a small jar and shake until combined. This will make more dressing than you need for this salad, but it keeps wonderfully in the fridge.

    Red onions sometimes have a slightly bitter taste, so to mellow this out I like to soak them in cold water. Simply slice the onions thinly and cover them with cold water in a bowl. Leave them to soak for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients and then drain very well before adding.

    strawberry spinach goat cheese salad in a bowl with dressing

    In a large bowl or platter start by layering in the spinach and then adding the remaining ingredients.

    Drizzle with the balsamic dressing just before serving.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Is this salad vegan if it has cheese?

    Yes! I used my favorite vegan goat cheese recipe and it works wonderfully in this salad. Violife makes a vegan feta cheese that would also taste great.

    Can I substitute?

    Get creative. Switch out the spinach for arugula, use a different kind of berry or apple slices, try walnuts instead of pecans. It's all good!

    strawberry spinach goat cheese salad in a bowl with dressing

    Storing and Making Ahead

    This strawberry spinach salad with goat cheese is best served immediately after preparing. However, if preparing ahead for a potluck or party, I would add the strawberries and dressing on at the last minute.

    That being said, I put leftovers of this already dressed salad in the fridge and it was still delicious (if slightly wilted) the next day.

    Any leftover dressing can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for a week.

    Related Recipes

    • Smoky Toasted Pecans
    • Vegan Goat Cheese
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    Recipe

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    strawberry spinach goat cheese salad in a bowl with dressing

    Strawberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese


    5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

    5 from 5 reviews

    • Author: Kris
    • Total Time: 15 minutes
    • Yield: 4 servings 1x
    • Diet: Vegan
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    Description

    This strawberry spinach salad with goat cheese is summer on a plate! Tender baby spinach topped with juicy sweet strawberries, red onions, smoky toasted pecans, and creamy goat cheese all drizzled with a homemade balsamic dressing. A feast for the eyes and the tastebuds.


    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    For the dressing

    • 6 Tbs olive oil
    • 3 Tbs balsamic vinegar
    • 3 tsp maple syrup or agave
    • 1 ½ tsp Dijon mustard
    • salt and pepper to taste

    For the salad

    • 5 oz baby spinach
    • 6-8 strawberries, sliced
    • ½ a small red onion, thinly sliced
    • ⅓ cup toasted pecans - we like these smoky toasted pecans
    • ½ cup goat cheese, crumbled - we used my homemade vegan goat cheese

    Instructions

    1. Add all the dressing ingredients to a small jar and shake until thoroughly combined.  Set aside.
    2. To mellow some of the bite from the red onion, thinly slice and soak in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes while you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients.  When ready to assemble the salad, drain the red onions VERY WELL so that they don't water down the salad. 
    3. Lightly toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl or for a more impressive presentation layer the ingredients on a serving platter starting with a bed of spinach.
    4. Just before serving drizzle on a few spoons of the dressing and enjoy!

    Notes

    • store any leftover dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
    • Prep Time: 15 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Category: salads
    • Method: no-bake
    • Cuisine: american

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ¼ recipe
    • Calories: 236
    • Fat: 20
    • Saturated Fat: 3.1
    • Carbohydrates: 13.8
    • Protein: 5.9

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag us @paperandheartblog

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy says

      March 24, 2021 at 3:23 pm

      I love this flavor combination, and your photo is beautiful!

      Reply
    2. Bobbie says

      March 24, 2021 at 6:20 pm

      Looks amazing! I love the step by step instructions too!

      Reply
    3. Jeannie says

      March 24, 2021 at 10:44 pm

      healthy and delicious! love all the colors in the plate 🙂 that vegan goat cheese 😋

      Reply
    4. Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says

      March 25, 2021 at 1:52 am

      I love spinach salad and I bet the combination of strawberries, goat cheese and pecans is delicious!

      Reply
    5. Gregory Halpen says

      March 25, 2021 at 4:28 pm

      Such a pretty salad! Love strawberries and spinach together. Thanks for sharing

      Reply

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    strawberry spinach goat cheese salad in a bowl with dressing
    strawberry spinach goat cheese salad in a bowl with dressing
    strawberry spinach goat cheese salad in a bowl with dressing
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