Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad

This Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad is always a hit, and I usually double the recipe because I've never served it without everyone wanting seconds. It's a beautiful and deliciously healthy summer salad, loaded with sweet and tangy flavors.

Here's why you'll definitely want to make this Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad: I've heard the following about it more than once when I've served it:

"I know this is a salad and not dessert, but it is so reminiscent of a strawberry cheesecake with a pine nut crust."

How delicious does that sound!?

Summertime fruit should definitely be taken advantage of. Strawberries, melons, peaches, plums, mangoes -- they're all sun-kissed, sweet and so tasty.

The Ingredients

• fresh strawberries - Look for strawberries that are bright red and have a natural shine, with bright green stems. (Pro Tip: During the summer, buy your strawberries at the Farmers' Market whenever possible. Always walk up and down the market having a sample at each strawberry booth before deciding where to buy. You can find a Farmers Market near you here.)
• goat cheese - You can buy a log or crumbled goat cheese for this recipe.
• mixed baby greens - I like the mix of small lettuces -- the variety offers different flavors and textures.
• fresh basil - Choose bright green, perky bunches without yellow or brown spots.
• red onion - Try to choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
• pine nuts - While pine nuts offer a slight crunch, they're a soft nut with a buttery texture. Mild in flavor, they don't overpower the other ingredients in the salad. They'll be toasted before we add them to the salad, to deepen their flavor and bring their oils to their surface.
• lemon zest and juice - I always use Meyer lemons over regular lemons when given the option. They're are a touch less tart and a touch sweeter. And with a thinner skin and fewer seeds, they are incredibly juicy.
• honey
• white balsamic vinegar - White balsamic vinegar is slightly less sweet and usually a bit thinner than dark balsamic vinegar.
• extra virgin olive oil - I like this one.
• Kosher salt - I cook with Kosher salt because I like its larger flake size and it usually doesn't contain additives. (If you use table salt, use half the amount.)
• black pepper - Preferably freshly ground.

(See recipe card below for quantities.)

Substitutions and Variations

• Strawberries. You can try this salad with other berries, like raspberries, blueberries or blackberries, or any combination thereof.
• Goat cheese. The creamy texture of the goat cheese is part of the magic in this salad. However, if you want to change it up, Feta would be great with the berries. And to totally mix things up, for a stronger flavor, try Gorgonzola or Blue Cheese.
• Mixed baby greens. You can substitute the baby greens with arugula or spinach (which are often included in the mixed greens). Other lettuces are fine, though I prefer darker varieties with strawberries and goat cheese.
• honey. You can substitute granulated sugar or agave for the honey. (If you use agave, use about ⅔ the amount.
• White balsamic vinegar. Feel free to substitute the white balsamic with dark balsamic. It will be sweeter and often the consistency is thicker. Definitely use half the amount or less of the honey if you use the dark. Red wine vinegar would also be delicious.

Recipe Tips

• The measurements for this Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad don't have to be exact. I use a generous amount of the strawberries and cheese because that's what it's all about. The greens are light, so feel free to add more if you'd like.
• The easiest way to mix a vinaigrette or dressing is in a jar with a tight fitting lid.
• If the honey is on the thick side, you might need to warm it in a microwave for a few seconds so it blends well into the other vinaigrette ingredients.
• Be sure to shake or whisk the vinaigrette just before adding it to the salad.
• If your strawberries are over-the-top sweet, use half the amount of honey in the vinaigrette.
• When you're toasting the pine nuts, watch them carefully, as they can go from golden to burnt quickly.
• I like cutting the strawberries in rounds, but cut them any way you like.
• It's important to season salads. Even though there's salt and pepper in the dressing, sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper over the salad before you toss it.

How To Make it

- Add lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar, honey, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil to a small jar. Close the jar tightly with its lid and shake until it's blended. Set aside. (If you don't have a jar with a lid, whisk together all of the ingredients except the oil in a small bowl. Then gradually add the oil and whisk until it's emulsified.)

- Add the pine nuts to a small sauté pan and place it over medium-low heat. Shaking the pan gently to move them around often, heat just until they’re golden, very aromatic and look oily. Set them aside to cool.

- In a large serving bowl, add the greens, basil, strawberries, red onion, crumbled goat cheese and cooled, toasted pine nuts. Sprinkle with lightly salt a pepper.

- Drizzle the salad with the Lemon-Honey Vinaigrette, toss and serve. (In my Goat Cheese and Tomato Salad, a lot of the cheese is sprinkled on top, but in this salad, mixing all of it into the other ingredients creates the texture we're going for.)

Other Beautiful Summer Strawberry Recipes

• Strawberry Caprese
• Strawberry Rosemary Cake
• Strawberry Frangipane Toast
• Strawberry Avocado Salsa
• Grilled Strawberry Basil Kebabs
• Easy Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream
• Mint Simple Syrup with Strawberries and Apricots

Serving Suggestions

This works as a fantastic main course salad, and it's also excellent alongside a handful of other summer dishes.

For casual summer entertaining, my favorite combination is the Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad, Lemon Pepper Grilled Corn, Salmon Burgers with Lemon and Dill with Basil-Lemon Cheesecake to top it off.

Making it Ahead

When I'm serving salads to guests, I generally prep all of the ingredients ahead of time and toss the salad with the dressing just before serving.

• Up to a few days ahead: Make the vinaigrette. Keep it refrigerated and let it sit out at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
• The night before serving: Prepare all of the ingredients and add them to serving bowl and without mixing, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• When it's time to serve: Whisk or shake the vinaigrette (if it's in a jar), and drizzle the desired amount over the salad, toss and serve!

I hope you love my Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad, and serve it again and again during the summer.