This strawberry goat cheese salad recipe is packed with crunchy lettuce and mixed greens, juicy strawberries, and creamy goat cheese. It's my favorite salad recipe to make in the late spring and summer during strawberry season, either as a main dish or a side dish. It's even better when topped with spicy candied pecans!
The strawberry salad itself and homemade dressing it's tossed with are made with simple ingredients. I love topping this beautiful salad with chicken breast for extra protein and more slices of sweet strawberries for the perfect light lunch during those spring or summer months!
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Equipment
- Large salad bowl - in my opinion, every kitchen should have one of these. We eat a lot of salads and love a good large mixing bowl to make them in!
- Tongs - the best way to toss a salad is with tongs! You could also use large spoons and/or forks.
Ingredients
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For the Salad
- Mixed greens + romaine lettuce - you can use any combination of spring mix, baby spinach, arugula, kale, etc.! Leafy greens are nutrient powerhouses while the romaine adds a nice crunch, which combine for the ideal salad base.
- Goat cheese - this is a creamy yet tangy cheese that adds a lot of flavor and texture to this delicious salad.
- Strawberries - these are a great source of fiber (LINK), vitamin C, and antioxidants like anthocyanins and polyphenols. You could also use a mix of berries or whatever seasonal berries you have to make this a tasty seasonal salad. I definitely recommend using fresh berries as opposed to dried or frozen!
For the Dressing
- Extra virgin olive oil - a high quality EVOO is crucial for any good salad dressing. It has a robust, deep flavor that can really make a dressing amazing!
- Shallot - I love using shallots in homemade salad dressings because they add a subtle onion flavor that compliments essentially any vinegar and EVOO.
- Dijon mustard - I'm a big fan of using dijon mustard in salad dressings because it just gives so much flavor! You can substitute a spicy brown mustard instead of dijon.
- Lemon juice - I always incorporate some sort of acid to a homemade salad dressing and lemon juice adds the perfect amount of lemon flavor.
- Champagne vinegar - using different vinegars is a fun way to change up traditional salad dressings. This vinegar can be found in the oil/salad dressing aisle at the grocery store, near balsamic vinegar!
How to Make a Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
For the Salad
Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 2: Toss until combined.
*Pro tip: It may be easier to sprinkle goat cheese on top after tossing the salad. It may clump up as you toss it.
For the Lemon Champagne Vinaigrette
Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a medium mason jar or small bowl.
Step 2: Whisk until thoroughly combined. For best results, dress salad and enjoy immediately!
Variations & Substitutions
- You can substitute your favorite balsamic dressing for the lemon champagne vinaigrette!
- Other potential salad toppings: red onion, chickpeas, salmon or shrimp, candied walnuts or crunchy pecans
- Feta cheese would be a good substitute to goat cheese!
- Balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar can be used in lieu of champagne vinegar. You could easily use balsamic vinegar in the salad dressing recipe to make a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. And a drizzle of balsamic glaze on top would be fantastic if you love balsamic!
Pro Tips
- If you like sweeter dressing, I would add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup until the desired sweetness is reached.
- I love making a big batch of this salad dressing to store in the fridge so I recommend doubling or even tripling the recipe!
- I like to top the salad with extra goat cheese crumbles and more fresh strawberries before serving.
Storage & Making Ahead Instructions
- To make this salad ahead of time, I recommend prepping the ingredients and tossing the salad (without dressing!) in a separate airtight container from the salad dressing. Dressing the salad a day or more ahead of time will cause the lettuce to wilt and become soggy.
- If making the salad ahead, I recommend letting the dressing get to room temperature before using to let the oil get back to normal viscosity. It hardens slightly in the fridge so I'd let it sit out for about an hour before using!
- If you have leftover salad, I recommend eating it as soon as possible as it will wilt and get soggy fairly quickly!
Recipe FAQ
It will depend on what ingredients you use and their portion size, but this strawberry goat cheese salad has 491 calories (assuming you use 4 ounces of cooked chicken breast).
Absolutely. I love champagne vinegar in this vinaigrette because it's so light but white wine vinegar would work just as well! You can also use apple cider or balsamic vinegars.
Once salad has been dressed, it usually doesn't keep well. I try to measure out how much will be eaten to prevent any from being left. If you aren't sure of the quantity, I would hold off on adding the dressing and have people add it to their portion! If it isn't dressed, this salad should last about 3 days in the fridge.
If you like goat cheese, it goes well with so many things, including this strawberry goat cheese salad. It also goes well on charcuterie boards, tossed in any salad, or as a stuffing in chicken breast.
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PrintStrawberry Goat Cheese Salad
Strawberry goat cheese salad is the perfect spring salad. It's full of sweet strawberries, tangy goat cheese, and a refreshing lemon champagne vinaigrette!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 salad 1x
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Sides
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the lemon champagne vinaigrette
- ⅓ cup (51g) champagne vinegar
- ⅓ cup (60g) extra virgin olive oil
- Juice from 1 lemon (~¼ cup; 59g)
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, finely diced
- 1 small shallot, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon capers, drained & finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teasoon ground black pepper
For the salad
- 3 cups mixed greens (spinach, arugula, kale, etc.)
- 1 cup romaine
- 1 cup strawberries, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 ounces protein of choice, optional
- 3 Tablespoons lemon champagne vinaigrette
- 2 Tablespoons goat cheese crumbles
Instructions
For the lemon champagne vinaigrette
- Finely dice the shallot, garlic, and capers. Place in a small bowl.
- Whisk in vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Set aside.
For the salad
- Place both lettuces, strawberries, protein, and goat cheese in a large bowl.
- Drizzle dressing on top.
- Toss with tongs & serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- This salad is perfect in the spring and summer, when strawberries are fresh!
- You can use whatever type of lettuce you'd like.
- In lieu of champagne vinegar, you can sub white wine, apple cider, or balsamic vinegar.
- This salad is best when fresh!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad
- Calories: 491
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 845
- Fat: 15
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 15
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 8
- Protein: 45
- Cholesterol: 101
Keywords: Strawberry goat cheese salad with lemon honey vinaigrette, strawberry salad with goat cheese, goat cheese strawberry salad, lemon champagne vinaigrette, spring salad recipes, summer salad recipes
lisa says
this recipe is sooo good. definitely making it on repeat the whole summer!!
Lauren says
Yay I love to hear it! Strawberries and goat cheese go soo well together, and the lemon champagne vinaigrette is perfect IMO!