Spring Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printer-Friendly)

Spinach, strawberries, goat cheese, and pecans tossed in balsamic vinaigrette. Perfect for springtime gatherings.

# What You Need:

→ Salad

01 - 5 oz baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled
04 - 1/2 cup candied pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
05 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Balsamic Vinaigrette

06 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 tsp honey
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Steps:

01 - Place spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, and candied pecans in a large salad bowl.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until the dressing is fully emulsified.
03 - Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently with salad tongs to coat ingredients evenly.
04 - Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese over the tossed salad just before serving. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The balance of sweet strawberries and creamy goat cheese is the kind of secret I wish I'd discovered sooner.
  • This salad packs spring into every bite without any fuss, which is why it keeps coming back to my menu.
02 -
  • If you overdress the salad, the spinach wilts in just minutes—so keep a light hand with the vinaigrette.
  • Swapping honey for maple syrup makes the vinaigrette unexpectedly rich—it was a revelation the first time I tried it.
03 -
  • Dry spinach thoroughly so dressing clings without watering down.
  • Let vinaigrette sit for five minutes after whisking—it smooths out the flavors and makes a difference.
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