Description
This strawberry spinach salad with goat cheese is fresh, sweet, and satisfying. It’s the perfect healthy summer salad with creamy goat cheese, ripe berries, and a tangy poppy seed dressing that pulls everything together beautifully.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the salad:
- 5 cups (150g) baby spinach
- 8 ounces (225g) strawberries, sliced or halved
- 5 ounces (150g) goat cheese, crumbled
- 4 tablespoons pecans, crushed
For the dressing:
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper to a small jar with a lid. Close it tightly and shake vigorously until the dressing is fully emulsified. You can also whisk the ingredients together in a bowl if you prefer.
- Prep the salad ingredients. Rinse and dry the baby spinach thoroughly. Slice or halve the strawberries, depending on their size. Crumble the goat cheese and crush the pecans (toast them lightly if you’d like extra flavor).
- Assemble the salad. In a large mixing bowl, add the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, crumbled goat cheese, and crushed pecans.
- Dress and toss. Drizzle the freshly shaken dressing evenly over the salad. Use clean hands or salad tongs to gently toss everything together until the spinach is lightly coated and the toppings are well distributed.
- Serve. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates. Serve immediately while the ingredients are fresh and crisp.
Notes
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best natural sweetness and juiciness.
- Make the dressing ahead and chill it , this allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Always crumble goat cheese straight from the log rather than buying pre-crumbled for a creamier texture.
- Toss the salad gently to avoid bruising the spinach and breaking down the cheese.
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet for a few minutes to bring out deeper flavor and crunch.
- Add dressing just before serving so your greens stay vibrant and crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 10mg