Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
This fresh and beautiful Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad is one of my favorite spring salads that carries into summer! Buttery, brown sugar coated candied pecans and sweet strawberries pair with salty goat cheese (or sub feta if you're not a fan!) and a quick homemade honey balsamic vinaigrette! It's the perfect Mother's Day salad, and works well for Easter or any brunch, lunch or dinner gathering!
Servings: 4
Calories: 428kcal
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 cup pecans
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 to 5 ounces lettuce mix
- 2 cups strawberries cut in half or quarters
- ½ cup goat cheese (or feta cheese) crumbled
- ⅛ cup red onion sliced (optional)
For the Dressing
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Wash the strawberries well and slice them in half or quarters, depending on size.
- For the candied pecans, in a small skillet over medium low heat, melt the butter and add the pecans and brown sugar. Toss with a spoon to coat the nuts, about 3 or 4 minutes until fragrant and lightly toasted. Don't walk away, nuts can burn quickly! Allow to cool in the pan.
- Add all the ingredients for the dressing to a jar with a lid and shake well to emulsify.
- In a large bowl, add the lettuce mix (you can use some spinach if you like) and HALF of each ingredient, including the candied pecans and some of the dressing. Toss well with tongs.
- Add to a serving platter and arrange the remaining ingredients over the top so they are visible and don't sink to the bottom! Add another drizzle of dressing and enjoy!
Notes
- Strawberries - Use about half to ¾'s of a pint size container.
- Only toss half the ingredients - This is all about presentation, you don't want all your ingredients falling to the bottom of the bowl. Toss the lettuce with some dressing and half of each ingredient. Then arrange the rest over the top and drizzle with a bit more dressing!
- Make Ahead - If bringing this salad to a party, the dressing and pecans can be made the day ahead and stored in jars on the counter. Add the lettuce and a few onions to a bowl. Bring the sliced strawberries and goat cheese in separate containers and put the salad together when you are about ready to eat.
- Dressing - You may not need all the dressing, the extra jar can be stored in the fridge for a month and used on any salad.
Nutrition
Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 20g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 436mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2503IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 2mg