• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Shop
  • Contact
OMG! Yummy
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook!
  • Tasting Jerusalem
  • Jewish Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbook!
  • Tasting Jerusalem
  • Jewish Recipes
  • Shop
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Salads » Strawberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese, Pecans, and Homemade Balsamic Dressing

    Strawberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese, Pecans, and Homemade Balsamic Dressing

    by Beth Lee · Published: May 28, 2019 · Modified: Feb 19, 2021

    377 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    strawberry spinach salad in red bowl with serving utensils and white towel

    Remember this strawberry spinach salad for Memorial Day Weekend, a graduation party, July 4th or any summer gathering. The fresh strawberries serve two roles – an element in the salad and a surprise guest in the dressing too. First published in 2011, this salad never gets old!

    This post is part of a group called Progressive Eats, a virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month is hosted by Laura Kumin, the founder of the blog Mother Would Know. We’re featuring dishes that remind us of spring. Be sure to check out all the delicious recipes at the end of this post!

    strawberry spinach salad in a red bowl with a white towel

    Ring in the Berry Season with a Sweet and Savory Salad!

    You’ve just bought the six-pack of strawberries at the farmers’ market and you only have two or three days to polish them off before they are past their prime. What is a berry lover to do?

    Aside from the obvious — snacking on them whole or sliced — there are oh so many ways to use them up. Desserts are the obvious direction but how about adding them to a salad? If you think you don’t like sweet with your savory, this strawberry spinach salad with goat cheese and toasted pecans will change your mind.

    What Dressing Should I use for a Strawberry Spinach Salad?

    strawberry balsamic dressing in strawberry bowl with white towel

    When I first made this salad for a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon, I considered taking a shortcut and buying a bottle of salad dressing. When I studied the ingredients in the “healthy” salad dressings at the grocery store, I decided to make my own since they all started with sugar or water as a first ingredient. And you’ll be amazed how easy it is to make this dressing.

    Is this Salad Good for You?

    sliced strawberries and spinach in a wooden bowl

    Aside from how much we all love the sweet, squishy goodness of a fresh strawberry, don’t forget it’s also packed with nutrients. For more details about its nutritional qualities, head over to this post about my farm tour in Watsonville and read the section called #8aday. Suffice it to say, the American Diabetes Association considers strawberries to be one of their ten superfoods.

    How to Prepare a Strawberry Spinach Salad

    strawberry spinach salad in red bowl with wooden serving spoons

    This salad can be prepared ahead to take to a gathering or just whipped up for a quick weeknight meal. Here’s how I would put it together to take to a picnic, party, or weekend dinner party:

    1. Use pre-washed spinach – it’s a great shortcut. But if you are washing your own, spin and dry and place it in the bowl or a to-go container or bag for transport.
    2. Wash and dry the strawberries. If you are serving the salad fairly quickly, go ahead and slice them up. If it will be a few hours, I would bring a small paring knife and slice them when you put the salad together
    3. Toast and chop the pecans – this can be done hours ahead or even the day before.
    4. If you buy a log of goat cheese, and not the pre-crumbled container, you could crumble it ahead and pack it to go in a container so you can just toss it on the salad.
    5. Prepare the dressing as early as a few days ahead if you’d like – it will be fine stored in the fridge.
    6. Pack it all in a cooler. Assemble it right before dinner is served. Remember to bring your serving utensils. The host or hostess will thank you!

    Can I Make Substitutions in this Salad?

    There are many ways to change up this salad to your own tastes or based on what ingredients you have in the house.

    • Try other berries or even stone fruit such as peaches.
    • Switch up the cheese or if serving a vegan, leave it out all-together. Feta would be a wonderful substitution for the goat cheese.
    • Change the nut choice – try almonds or pine nuts or walnuts or even macadamias.
    • The greens – arugula is a great alternative to the spinach or even mix the two.

    strawberry spinach salad in red bowl with serving utensils on top

    Can I Serve this Salad as a Main Course?

    I have added chicken to this salad and turned it into a main course for lunch or dinner. I think pork tenderloin would also be an excellent choice. But even without the meat, the cheese and nuts make it a hearty salad. Or consider adding some lentils or quinoa.

    strawberry spinach salad in red bowl with wooden serving spoons

    Strawberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese, Pecans and Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

    You'll love this colorful sweet and savory salad all berry season long. There's lots of protein and texture with the added cheese and nuts or add chicken, pork, or grains for an even heartier version
    4.84 from 18 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 5 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 370 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    Dressing:

    • 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
    • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
    • 3/4 cup olive oil
    • Fresh thyme or basil - to taste
    • kosher salt and pepper to taste

    Salad:

    • 10 oz Pre-washed spinach or wash your own
    • 1/2 cup Raw pecans toasted * and rough chopped
    • 1/2 cup plain goat cheese crumbled
    • Strawberries about 10 or 15 sliced
    • kosher salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    To prepare the dressing:

    • Put sliced strawberries and balsamic vinegar into a blender; liquefy briefly.
    • Add in fresh herbs (thyme or basil) and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Then add the olive oil. Blend until the oil combines well with the other ingredients - it will change color and texture as it does.
    • Take cover off and taste - add more salt, pepper, or fresh herbs if needed. This recipe makes enough dressing (about 1 3/4 cup) for at least 2 or 3 salads.
      strawberry balsamic dressing in strawberry bowl with white towel

    To prepare the salad:

    • Place spinach in a bowl or on a large platter. In any order that you like, place toasted pecans, sliced strawberries, and crumbled goat cheese on top. Salt and pepper to taste then serve with the strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. If you are serving this as a main course, add chicken (store-bought rotisserie chicken on a busy weeknight will do just fine)

    Notes

    *You can toast nuts by placing on a baking sheet in a toaster oven or in a regular oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on them – they go from deliciously toasty to burnt rather quickly.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6gCalories: 370kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 6gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 111mgPotassium: 313mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 4625IUVitamin C: 14.4mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 2.1mg
    Keyword balsamic dressing, spinach, strawberry
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Progressive Eats

    Spring has Sprung Dishes that highlight ingredients and flavors associated with spring

    Beverages

    • Fresh Strawberry Thyme Bellini – Mother Would Know

    Appetizers

    • Vegetable Tray with Herby Yogurt Dip – Healthy Delicious
    • Baked Brie with Fresh Berries and Toasted Walnuts – Creative Culinary

    Soup

    • Creamy Asparagus Soup (Gluten Free & Dairy Free) – The Heritage Cook

    Bread

    • Artichoke Foccacia – From a Chef’s Kitchen

    Main Courses

    • Spring Onion Fiddlehead Risotto – Sarah’s Cucina Bella
    • Grilled Mexican Steak and Arugula Salad – Beyond Mere Sustenance

    Side Dishes

    • Strawberry Spinach Salad – OMG Yummy
    • Shrimp and Pork Belly Fried Rice with Peas – Karen’s Kitchen Stories

    Desserts

    • Pavlova with Cherry-Lime Curd – The Redhead Baker
    • Cheesecake Ice Cream with Strawberry Sauce – That Skinny Chick Can Bake
    • Aam Panna Popsicle – Spice Roots

     

    « Melissa Clark’s Make-Ahead Corn Salad: Just in Time for Mother’s Day and Summer
    Rose Harissa – a Smoky, Spicy Kitchen Condiment with Magical Floral Notes »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Judy Rucker

      September 27, 2020 at 9:16 am

      5 stars
      Beth, made this salad last night and it was fabulous! Love your recipes!

      Reply
      • Beth Lee

        September 27, 2020 at 9:46 am

        Yay! Thanks for letting me know – this makes my day!

        Reply
    2. Susan Woolf

      July 22, 2019 at 8:15 am

      5 stars
      OMG – Definitely a keeper!

      Reply
    3. Susan Woolf

      July 22, 2019 at 8:15 am

      OMG – the pictures alone are making me salivate.

      Reply
    4. Susan Woolf

      July 22, 2019 at 8:15 am

      5 stars
      I haven’t yet tried to make this salad, but OMG – the pictures alone are making me salivate.

      Reply
    5. Sandi

      June 27, 2019 at 9:27 am

      5 stars
      Strawberries are so sweet during the summer. I bet they are extra special in this salad.

      Reply
      • Beth Lee

        July 8, 2019 at 12:09 pm

        The fruits of summer are such a natural wonder aren’t they?

        Reply
    6. Jenni

      June 7, 2019 at 1:09 pm

      5 stars
      Such a classic salad, and your dressing is spectacular!

      Reply
    7. Laura

      June 5, 2019 at 1:48 pm

      5 stars
      What a refreshing salad! I’m all about goat cheese right now. And strawberries make everything better! YUM!

      Reply
    8. Ansh

      May 31, 2019 at 12:37 pm

      5 stars
      There is something about strawberry and spinach that just works. The peppery spinach taste works so well with strawberries. what a fantastic way to ring in the berry season!

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome to OMG! Yummy

    Beth
    Hi! I’m Beth Lee. In 2010, I realized I prefer pita chips to memory chips and started this blog. My family is a mix of Jewish/Hawaiian/Korean heritage and my food reflects our diversity. My virtual kitchen is always open. Let’s cook together!  See all my recipes…

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Buy my cookbook!

    Photo of the cover of the essential Jewish baking cookbook by Beth Lee.

    Sign up for emails & get my Exclusive Preserved Lemon eBook!

    OMG! Yummy Web Stories

    View my web stories

     

    Top Posts

    • Ottolenghi Preserved Lemons: A Tangy, Zippy Must-Have Kitchen Staple
      Ottolenghi Preserved Lemons: A Tangy, Zippy Must-Have Kitchen Staple
    • Kalbi Marinade for Korean Short Ribs
      Kalbi Marinade for Korean Short Ribs
    • Rose Harissa - a Smoky, Spicy Kitchen Condiment with Magical Floral Notes
      Rose Harissa - a Smoky, Spicy Kitchen Condiment with Magical Floral Notes

    Latest

    Close up of shot glass with sangrita in it and a lime wedge.

    Sangrita – What Makes Tequila Completo!

    Various chocolate truffles in a white cupcake container on slate.

    Passover Desserts: Dairy Free Truffles

    Top down view of smoothie in a green glass on a tan plate with a spoon and fresh medjool dates.

    Date smoothie with yogurt and vanilla

    Horizontal image showing logos of various media outlets that OMG! Yummy has been featured in.

    Copyright © 2022 · Beth Lee/OMG! Yummy · All Rights Reserved · Privacy Policy

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Yummly
    • Reddit
     

    Loading Comments...