This Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad is the perfect side dish or entrée salad that is sweet, tangy, and fresh with each bite. With about 10 simple ingredients, it’s easy to make in advance for meal prep or when entertaining, and a delicious addition to any menu.
When it comes to a good salad, I can sometimes be particular. I love a homemade dressing, lots of crunchy toppings, and an array of beautiful ingredients. This Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad satisfies all of these cravings and has been a favorite of mine for years.
I love that I can layer all of the ingredients in a big bowl for a presentation that always impresses family and friends. The amount of requests for this recipe is endless, it’s definitely a salad that even makes salad haters eat every bite! If you need more salad recipes try my Mexican Chopped Salad and Italian Chopped Salad.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Restaurant-quality salad that’s quick to make at home. I first had this salad years ago at a nice restaurant near our house and fell in love. Now it’s been a recipe that I repeat for weeknight dinners, entertaining, and even meal prep.
- Versatile for any menu or season. Swap the fruit, greens, or add chopped seasonal veggies to customize it to your liking.
- Make it even heartier by adding a protein. It’s a great starter salad or entrée salad with chicken, steak, even salmon added on top.
Kathleen’s Tip: Making a homemade dressing is so easy and takes less than 5 minutes. I promise it’s worth the extra effort and is much more delicious than store-bought.
Ingredients
Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- Balsamic vinegar: Buy a good quality brand here, it makes all the difference in the flavor.
- Real maple syrup: A hint of sweetness to balance the acidity of the vinegar. Add a little bit extra if you like a sweeter dressing.
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Rounds out the salad dressing, I also recommend a higher quality brand that is richer in taste. You can also use a neutral oil, like avocado oil, here too.
- Shallot: Adds a nice, sweet onion flavor. A little goes a long way in the dressing, so use it sparingly.
- Kosher salt: Always season to boost the natural flavors of each ingredient.
Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad:
- Lettuce: I like a mix of baby greens, like arugula and spring mix for fresh and peppery flavors in each bite. But you can use baby spinach, your favorite leafy greens.
- Fresh Strawberries: Look for strawberries that are deep red in color and also red when you fully slice into them. This means they are at peak ripeness and will be wonderfully sweet, ideal for strawberry season!
- Goat cheese: Adds a tangy taste and creamy texture that pairs perfectly with the sweet berries.
- Red onion: Brings bright red color as well as crunch and vibrant flavor. You can omit if you’re not a raw onion lover.
Candied Pecans:
- Pecans: Gives a nutty crunch on top of the salad.
- Light brown sugar: Adds caramel and molasses-like sweetness that crystallizes onto the nuts.
- Water: Helps the sugar to caramelize and coat the nuts nicely.
- Vanilla extract: Helps to round out the sugar with sweet, floral flavors.
- Fine sea salt: Always add a pinch of salt to heighten the flavors.
- Cayenne pepper: A little pinch adds a nice kick of heat!
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to Make Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad
Step 1: Soak the Onions
Fill a bowl with ice water and place a sieve inside. Add the sliced red onions and soak for 10 minutes to remove some of the sharp bite. Drain well before adding to the salad.
Step 2: Make the Candied Pecans
Line a ¼ sheet pan with parchment paper. In a small skillet, over medium heat, add brown sugar, water (1 tablespoon to start), vanilla, salt and cayenne pepper, stir until melted, and bubbling.
Toss in nuts and stir to coat, stirring until nutty, about 2-3 minutes. If the nuts start drying out and looking “gritty,” stir in the rest of the water. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread into single layer. Cool while you prepare the salad. They may be a little sticky, that’s okay.
Step 3: Make the Dressing
In a small bowl or lidded jar (my preference), combine the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, minced shallot, and kosher salt.
Shake or whisk until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
If made in advance, the olive oil may solidify in the refrigerator. Simply set it on the counter for 15–30 minutes to come to room temperature, then shake well before serving.
Step 4: Assemble the Salad
Grab a large bowl:
- Fluff the baby greens. If using more than one type, gently toss to combine.
- Layer the sliced strawberries evenly over the greens.
- Sprinkle on the drained red onions.
- Just before serving, crumble goat cheese over the top.
- Sprinkle with pecans.
Shake the dressing well. Toss the salad with dressing just before serving, or serve dressing on the side.
This salad is naturally gluten-free! To make it dairy-free or vegan, replace the goat cheese with your favorite plant-based cheese or omit it altogether.
Expert Tips
- Mellow the onion flavor by soaking in ice water: This really helps remove that harsh bite. You can also soak them in ice water with a splash of vinegar for extra mellowing.
- If you’re not a goat cheese lover: I have friends (and even my mom!) who don’t love goat cheese — it’s like cilantro, you either have the taste bud for it or you don’t! If goat cheese isn’t your thing, try feta, fontina, or even shaved parmesan.
- Taste and adjust the dressing: Prefer sweeter? Add a little more maple syrup. Want more tang? Add a splash more balsamic. Salads are wonderfully flexible.
- Dry your greens well: This is crucial to a flavorful salad. If there’s any extra moisture, it dilutes the dressing and makes the salad soggy (and not a pleasant bite!).
- Add cheese at the very end: This keeps it fresh and in nice clumps when serving (and avoids any smearing).
- Layer for presentation: For gatherings, layering instead of tossing creates a beautiful visual effect.
Variations and Substitutions
- Swap the candied pecans for another nut. I also love to use walnuts or almonds. You can easily use store-bought candied or praline nuts to cut down on the prep time. Or if you don’t want to use candied nuts, then regular toasted nuts also work well. Skip for nut-free or use some sunflower seeds.
- Add protein: My favorites to pair are sliced chicken, rotisserie chicken, or or sliced steak.
- Use a different berry or fruit. There are so many options: blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries are all delicious in this salad. You can replace the strawberries completely or just add additional berries for even more fruity goodness. Think pears, grapes, cherries, even beets (okay, technically not a fruit, but still, delish).
- Try another cheese. Swap feta cheese or shaved Parmesan cheese for goat cheese. This is especially useful if you already have these cheeses at home, because I get it, not everyone loves goat cheese, I see you mom!
- Try my maple bourbon pecans for a sweet touch with a tiny bit of spice, made in the oven. They are definitely a favorite in our family.
- Add other toppings. I also find that topping with sliced avocado and/or cucumber adds both creaminess and extra freshness to every bite.
- Give a hearty sprinkle of fresh cracked black pepper over the top to make it restaurant-quality. The peppery flavor contrasts deliciously with the strawberries.
- Dressing Changes. Try different vinegars, like red wine vinegar or a champagne or sherry vinegar. You might try honey in place of maple syrup.
Storage
I wanted to make sure I shared my methods to storing this salad successfully based on whether it’s dressed or not!
Undressed salad: Store greens, strawberries, onions, cheese, and nuts separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. I find it’s so easy to assemble a big salad or several individual salads when I prep the ingredients this way (and every bite is so fresh too!).
Dressed salad: It’s best to serve a dressed salad immediately since the greens will soften and wilt quickly and could become slimy in texture.
Dressing: Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature and shake well before using.
Make-Ahead
- You can slice strawberries and onions up to 1 day ahead. Store them separately to help them keep their texture.
- Make dressing up to 5 days in advance and keep in an airtight container in the fridge.
- If serving for guests or prepping in advance, assemble everything except the cheese, nuts, and dressing. Cover lightly with a damp paper towel and refrigerate up to 4 hours. Add the toppings and dressing right before serving. It’ll be a fresh bite every time.
Common Questions
Add the dressing right before serving and keep the toppings ingredients like strawberries and candied nuts separate before serving as well.
I’ve also tried feta, blue cheese, and fresh mozzarella, and all are delicious!
I like arugula, spring mix, baby spinach, or baby kale – you can also do a mixture of these types of greens for more flavor too.
More Flavorful Salad Recipes
Related Recipes You Might Like
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Video
Ingredients
Maple Balsamic Dressing
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar good quality
- 2 tablespoons real maple syrup increase to 3 tablespoons for a sweeter dressing
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil may also use regular vegetable oil
- ½ small shallot finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Salad
- 1 5-ounce container baby greens (such as arugula, spinach, spring mix — I like a mix of arugula and spring mix)
- 8 ounces strawberries hulled and sliced (about 2 cups)
- 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
- ½ red onion thinly sliced (see Expert Tips for mellowing the flavor)
Candied Pecans
- 1 cup pecans
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar packed
- 1-2 tablespoons water
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Soak the Onions: Fill a bowl with ice water and place a sieve inside. Add the sliced red onions and soak for 10 minutes to remove some of the sharp bite. Drain well before adding to the salad.½ red onion
- Make Candied Pecans: Line a ¼ sheet pan with parchment paper. In a small skillet, over medium heat, add brown sugar, water (1 tablespoon to start), vanilla, salt and cayenne pepper, stir until melted, and bubbling.1 cup pecans, 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1-2 tablespoons water, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Toss in nuts and stir to coat, stirring until nutty, about 2-3 minutes. If the nuts start drying out and looking “gritty” stir in the rest of the water. Transfer on sheet pan and spread into single layer. Cool while you prepare the salad.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl or lidded jar (my preference), combine: balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, minced shallot, and kosher salt.2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons real maple syrup, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, ½ small shallot, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Shake or whisk until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- If made in advance, the olive oil may solidify in the refrigerator. Simply set it on the counter for 15–30 minutes to come to room temperature, then shake well before serving.
Assemble the Salad
- In a large, wide serving bowl: Fluff the baby greens. If using more than one type, gently toss to combine. Layer the sliced strawberries evenly over the greens.1 5-ounce container baby greens (such as arugula, spinach, spring mix — I like a mix of arugula and spring mix), 8 ounces strawberries
- Sprinkle on the drained red onions. Just before serving, crumble goat cheese over the top. Sprinkle with pecans.4 ounces goat cheese
- Shake the dressing well. Toss the salad with dressing just before serving, or serve dressing on the side.
Notes
Nutrition
Rate & Comment