Strawberry Goat Cheese Spring Salad is a light and fresh salad. Spring greens topped with juicy strawberries, crumbled goat cheese, sliced avocado, grilled chicken and candied pecans before being drizzled with a simple raspberry walnut vinaigrette. This recipe serves 4 individual entree salads.
I’ve eaten this salad just about everyday for weeks.
I prep everything with the exception of the strawberries on Sunday or Monday and enjoy it all week long. Am I sick of it yet? Absolutely not. If it wasn’t so easy to make I probably would be but I’m just so in love with the simplicity and flavors, I just can’t and won’t quit it yet.
The combination of juicy strawberries, tangy goat cheese, sweet and crunchy candied almonds with the raspberry walnut dressing is to die for.
To Make This Strawberry Goat Cheese Spring Salad You Will Need:
- spring mix salad greens – Or use your favorite leafy salad blend.
- strawberries – Adds tart and delicious sweetness.
- avocado – Lends creaminess.
- crumbled goat cheese – For additional creaminess and funk. I avoid pre-crumbled as it’s usually coated in an anti-caking powder.
- your basic balsamic grilled chicken – Or you can use your basic grilled chicken recipe.
- candied pecans – Store bought or homemade, whichever is more convenient.
- homemade raspberry walnut vinaigrette – I make this using jam so it’s super simple!
- freshly ground black pepper – For distinct bite and flavor.
to make the raspberry walnut dressing you will need:
- seedless raspberry jam – Adds raspberry flavor while lending great viscosity to the vinaigrette.
- raspberry blush white vinegar – Enhances the raspberry flavor and adds delicious tang.
- walnut oil – Lends rich, buttery and subtle nutty flavor.
- shallot (grated) – For delicate and sweet onion flavor.
- garlic (grated) – Lends distinct punchy flavor.
- fine salt – Enhances the flavors of the dressing.
- freshly ground black pepper – Adds delicious bite and flavor.
Start by adding a few pinches of fine salt to a jar.
Then add 1 tablespoon raspberry blush white vinegar to the salt. Stir until dissolved.
This is the best way to ensure the dressing is thoroughly seasoned. Once I learned this little trick, I start just about all my vinaigrettes this way.
Next measure and add in 2 generous tablespoons of seedless raspberry jam, 3 tablespoons roasted walnut oil (I use La Tourangelle – not sponsored), 1/2 teaspoon each grated shallot and garlic. Lastly add freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Whisk to combine. Taste and add more vinegar or jam as desired. If in a pinch, Ken’s Steak House makes a lite raspberry walnut dressing (hello, inspiration👋🏼) that’s delicious.
Grab bowls and divide the spring mix.
Top with sliced strawberries, avocado and crumbled goat cheese.
After that, top with grilled chicken and candied pecans. I also season it all with freshly ground black pepper.
Lastly, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the dressing.
Such simple yet wholesome, satisfying and deliciously impressive salad that’s perfect for spring and summer.
Enjoy! And if you give this recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Strawberry Goat Cheese Spring Salad
Ingredients
FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:
- 1 to 2 pinches fine salt
- 1 tablespoon raspberry blush vinegar
- 2 generous tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
- 3 tablespoons roasted walnut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon shallot, grated fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic, grated fresh
- black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
FOR THE SALAD:
- 10 ounces spring mix, roughly 2 and 1/2 ounces per person
- 1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 2 small avocados, sliced
- goat cheese, crumbled
- 4 [chicken breast halves], grilled and sliced
- [candied pecans]
Instructions
TO MAKE THE VINAIGRETTE:
- Start by adding fine salt and vinegar to a jar. Measure and add in seedless raspberry jam, walnut oil, grated shallot and garlic. Lastly season with freshly ground black pepper to taste and whisk until incorporated.
TO MAKE THE SALAD:
- Divide the spring mix among bowls and top with sliced strawberries, avocado, goat cheese, sliced grilled chicken and the candied pecans.
- Drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and season with more freshly ground black pepper.
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