Spring Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printable version)

Fresh greens, sweet strawberries, goat cheese, and crunchy pecans in a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

# What You'll 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, roughly chopped
05 - 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Balsamic Vinaigrette

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

# How to Make:

01 - Place baby spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, and chopped candied pecans into a large salad bowl.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until fully emulsified.
03 - Drizzle the prepared vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently with salad tongs to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese over the salad just before serving. Serve immediately for best texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This salad looks like the most cheerful bouquet on your table, and I love the way the strawberries brighten every bite.
  • It became a favorite in my rotation for being so quick—fifteen minutes really means fifteen minutes, even if you chat while slicing.
02 -
  • If you dress the salad too early, spinach can go limp and lose its bounce before you even sit down.
  • I used to dump all the vinaigrette at once, but learned that starting with less keeps everything balanced and lets you add more as needed.
03 -
  • Let your salad sit at room temperature for five minutes after tossing—this brings out more flavor and softens the cheese just right.
  • For the prettiest presentation, layer the strawberries and goat cheese last in gentle handfuls instead of mixing everything together at first.
Return