This summertime mixed green strawberry goat cheese salad with cucumber, red onion, and walnuts is sure to be your new go-to recipe! It’s fresh, made with simple ingredients, and dressed with a healthy homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
My favorite mixed green strawberry salad with goat cheese
I love adding fresh strawberries to my salads. They are perfectly sweet, juicy, and the ideal Summer salad topping. And this is about to be your favorite salad recipe. It’s super simple and made with a base of mixed greens and topped with cucumber, strawberries, red onion, walnuts, and crumbled goat cheese. Plus, the tangy homemade healthy balsamic vinaigrette is the perfect dressing for this salad.
I love making this salad and serving it as a side dish for a family dinner or bbq. You can also add a protein like grilled chicken, crispy chicken thigh, grilled salmon, shrimp, crispy tofu, or steak to make this a full lunch or dinner.
Anyways, you can already tell how much we love this strawberry goat cheese salad. It is just the perfect Summer meal that everyone will love! We can’t wait to hear what you think.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- Ready in 5 minutes
- Dressed in a healthy balsamic dressing
- Made with fresh strawberries
- It’s gluten-free
- The perfect side dish
- Add chicken, steak, salmon, tofu, or shrimp for protein
- Super customizable
- You’ll also love this orzo pesto salad or this greek spinach salad – so good!
Ingredients needed
This strawberry goat cheese salad recipe only needs a handful of healthy ingredients. It’s so easy to make. Here is a list of ingredients so you have everything prepared:
The Salad:
- Mixed Green Lettuce: Mixed greens are my favorite salad base – they’re fresh, crisp, and easy to digest.
- Strawberries: Next up, fresh strawberries for sweetness.
- Cucumber: Grab an English cucumber, peel it, and cut it into quarter moons. This adds a crunch and freshness to the strawberry goat cheese salad.
- Red Onion: For a little sharpness.
- Walnuts: For the perfect nuttiness and crunch factor, add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts. You can also use pecans or almonds if you prefer.
- Goat Cheese: Finally, add in crumbled goat cheese. This adds the best creamy, salty, and delicious flavor to this salad.
Healthy Balsamic Dressing:
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: First, you’ll need extra virgin olive oil as the base of this healthy balsamic dressing.
- Balsamic Vinegar: You’ll need 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar for a little sweetness and acidity.
- Honey: 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey add the perfect amount of sweetness. This is optional, and you do not need to add it if you like a sharper, tangier dressing.
- Dijon Mustard: I promise you cannot taste the Dijon mustard, but it adds depth to this simple homemade healthy balsamic dressing.
- Garlic Clove: Garlic makes everything taste better! You need one clove.
- Salt & Black Pepper: For seasoning.
How to customize this salad:
It is super easy to customize this strawberry goat cheese salad and make it your own. Here are a few ideas:
- Use Feta. Swap the goat cheese for crumbled feta.
- Add Bell Peppers. Feel free to add 1 cup of chopped yellow, orange, or red bell peppers for a sweet and crunchy addition.
- Add Tomatoes. I love tomatoes, especially when they are in season. Just add 1 cup.
- Pecan or Almonds. Swap out the walnuts for chopped pecans or slivered almonds.
- Nut-Free. Remove the walnuts and add roasted chickpeas or croutons from crunch.
How to make strawberry goat cheese salad
This strawberry goat cheese salad recipe comes together in 5 minutes. Simply prepare the salad base, make the dressing, and serve! Here are step-by-step instructions for any level cook:
Step 1:
First, make the dressing by whisking together ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar until olive oil and balsamic vinegar emulsify – meaning there are completely mixed and no longer separate.
Step 2:
Then, taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking by adding more balsamic, salt, pepper, and olive oil, if desired.
Step 3:
After that, add the mixed greens to a large salad bowl and layer on the strawberries, cucumber, sliced red onion, walnuts, and goat cheese.
Step 4:
Finally, when ready to serve, drizzle dressing on the salad and gently toss to combine or serve with dressing on the side. Enjoy!
How to add protein to this salad:
To make this salad a balanced lunch or dinner, feel free to add protein! Here are my favorite options:
- Grilled Chicken. Grill up two chicken breasts, slice them up, and add them to your salad. I love this recipe!
- Chicken Thighs. For a juicy cut of chicken, add in 3 sliced-up crispy chicken thighs.
- Grilled Steak. Grill 1 pound of flank steak to your desired temperature (I like medium doneness), slice it up, and add it to your salad.
- Grilled Salmon. Grilled salmon is the best! Add 3 – 6 pieces of grilled salmon to the salad, depending on how many people you are serving.
- Grilled Shrimp. There is nothing better than grilled shrimp in the Summer! Add 1 pound of cooked, grilled shrimp to this salad for protein.
- Crispy Tofu. If you are vegetarian or vegan, add 1 batch of this super crispy tofu to the salad!
Make this strawberry goat cheese salad ahead of time
Easily make this salad a day in advance or a few hours ahead of time to serve at a bbq, cookout, or party. Simply prepare the salad in a large mixing bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or foil, and store it in the refrigerator. Then, store the dressing in a separate airtight container in the fridge.
For best results, serve within 6 – 10 hours of making the salad. DO NOT dress the salad until you are ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this recipe healthy?
Yes, strawberry goat cheese salad is healthy! First, it is made with fresh, wholesome ingredients. Second, it is gluten-free and low-sugar. Third, it is packed with micronutrients.
Can I use a different salad dressing?
Yes! Try this healthy caesar salad dressing – it’s so good.
Is it gluten-free?
Yes, this salad recipe is 100% gluten-free. There is no gluten, and there are no grains in this recipe.
Is goat cheese dairy free?
No, goat cheese is not dairy-free, as it is made from goat milk.
Can I make it dairy free?
To make this salad dairy free, leave off the goat cheese.
Are feta and goat cheese the same?
No, feta cheese and goat cheese are not the same. Goat cheese comes from goat milk, and is softer and often creamier. On the other hand, feta cheese is typically made from sheep milk and is tangier in flavor.
How to store leftovers:
Store undressed salad in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 days in an airtight container or in a large mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap or foil. Make sure to store the dressing in a separate airtight container.
Do not store leftover dressed salad – it will be soggy.
If you love this recipe, try these salads next!
- Greek Spinach Salad
- Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad
- Balsamic Grilled Peach Summer Salad
- Orzo Pesto Salad
- Kale Crunch Salad (Chick-Fil-A Copycat)
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don’t forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients
The Salad:
- 10 ounces mixed green lettuce
- 1 quart fresh strawberries (about 1 ½ cups), hulled and sliced
- 1 medium English cucumber, peeled and cut into quarter moons
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
- ¼ – ⅓ cup walnuts, pecans, or almonds
- 2 – 3 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
Balsamic Dressing:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 – 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp salt, more to taste
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Make the dressing by whisking together ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar until olive oil and balsamic vinegar emulsify – meaning there are completely mixed and no longer separate. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking by adding more balsamic, salt, pepper, and/or olive oil, if desired.
- Add mixed greens to a large salad bowl and layer on the strawberries, cucumber, sliced red onion, walnuts, and goat cheese.
- When ready to serve, drizzle dressing on the salad and gently toss to combine or serve with dressing on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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Christine Allen says
Loved this recipe! It was easy to make and we served with grilled shrimp for protein. Easy and delish.
Andy says
Love this simple recipe! I added steak to ours.