Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad is a fresh, no-cook salad made with peppery arugula, sweet strawberries, creamy goat cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. It is the perfect way to welcome the warmer weather after a long, cold winter. In-season strawberries provide a pop of color and natural sweetness, while creamy goat cheese and peppery arugula add depth, all finished with this homemade balsamic vinaigrette.
It’s quick to assemble, holds its texture, and delivers balanced flavor in every bite.
This recipe has been kitchen-tested to ensure consistent, reliable results.
Ready in 5 minutes | Makes use of seasonal ingredients | Add chicken for a light dinner
Good To Know
Total Time: 5 minutes | Serves: 4
Best greens to use: Arugula
Equipment Needed: Large Mixing Bowl & Serving Platter
Quick Tip: Serve right after dressing the salad
What Makes Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad Taste Good?
For the best-tasting goat cheese and strawberry salad, use in-season strawberries that are firm and full-flavored. Goat cheese is preferred, but in a pinch, you can use feta. The homemade dressing is slightly thick, coating the arugula without making it soggy. Add-ons such as sliced almonds and my pickled shallots add texture and make this a memorable strawberry summer salad for hot days.
Why This Salad Works
- Perfect on hot days: No cooking involved
- Easy to put together: Make the dressing ahead of time and assemble within 5 minutes.
- Won’t wilt: Arugula holds its texture when dressed and doesn’t get too soggy like other lettuce varieties.
- Easy to adapt into variations like a cranberry and goat cheese salad or a spinach salad with goat cheese
We have a *slight* arugula addiction in our house. My husband comes home with bag after bag of it (usually forgetting our days-old arugula stockpile in the fridge), so we’re constantly finding ways to use it up.
The nice thing about arugula leaves is that they keep fresh longer than spring mix, so there is no need to use them up right away.
Table of Contents
- What Makes Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad Taste Good?
- Why This Salad Works
- Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad Ingredients
- How to Make Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese
- Substitutions & Variations
- Why Arugula Is Good For You
- Expert Tips
- Make Ahead and Storage Info
- Recipe Testing Notes (What Worked Best)
- Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad FAQs
- Delicious Starts Here
Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad Ingredients
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
- Arugula: The sturdiness of this leaf holds up well to the thick dressing, unlike softer greens, which will wilt quickly.
- Strawberries: Use fresh strawberries and try to get them when they’re in season for best taste.
- Mint: only a small amount is needed to lift the salad and make it refreshing
- Sliced almonds add crunch.
- Goat cheese: make sure it is cold; it will crumble easier, rather than smear between your fingers if it’s too warm.
- Balsamic Dressing: Try my quick balsamic dressing, or use your favorite store-bought variety.
- Pickled Shallots: Optional, but add a briny element (and they’re pretty).
How to Make Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese
1. Slice strawberries and thinly slice mint, then set aside.
2. Toss arugula with balsamic vinaigrette until lightly coated.
3. Transfer dressed arugula leaves to a platter. Add strawberries and sliced almonds.
4. Finish with goat cheese, mint, and pickled shallots (if using), then drizzle with vinaigrette.
Substitutions & Variations
- Swap greens: Add spinach or make a kale goat cheese salad with a variety of baby kale leaves.
- Roast vegetables: a delicious variation is an arugula goat cheese beet salad instead of strawberries.
- Change fruit: Swap the strawberries for blueberries or make a goat cheese and pomegranate salad when pomegranates are in season.
- If you can’t find strawberries, get the same refreshing taste with a watermelon and goat cheese salad
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Why Arugula Is Good For You
Nutrient-dense arugula isn’t actually a leafy green; it’s part of the cruciferous family, similar to broccoli and kale. It contains vitamins A, C, and K, as well as naturally occurring antioxidants.
Because of this nutrient profile, arugula is often included in balanced diets and is valued for both its flavor and nutritional composition.
Expert Tips
- Make sure arugula leaves are washed and thoroughly dried before tossing in the dressing. This will ensure the dressing adheres properly.
Make Ahead and Storage Info
Make Ahead: The balsamic dressing can be made up to two weeks beforehand
Refrigerator: All salad ingredients can be refrigerated for up to 3 days beforehand. Cut strawberries right before serving, as well as dressing the arugula for best texture.
Recipe Testing Notes (What Worked Best)
This recipe was texted multiple times to balance sweetness, acidity, and texture without wilting the greens.
- Arugula held up best to the thick balsamic dressing. Second best option was romaine, while spring mix became too soggy.
- Tossing the arugula with the dressing before adding the remaining salad ingredients ensured the leaves were evenly coated. Initially, I poured the dressing on after assembling the salad, but it weighed everything down and made it look unpresentable.
Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad FAQs
You can turn this into a chicken goat cheese salad by topping the arugula with 1 cup of shredded rotisserie chicken before adding the final drizzle of vinaigrette. Another option is a salmon goat cheese salad or one with grilled shrimp.
Unfortunately, when frozen strawberries thaw, they contain too much water, which will make the salad very soggy. If you can’t get fresh strawberries, try swapping them with blueberries for an equally delicious blueberry goat cheese salad.
You can prep the components ahead, but it’s best to slice the strawberries and dress the arugula right before serving.
Balsamic vinaigrette is the best choice because its subtle sweetness balances the peppery profile of the arugula and the creaminess of the goat cheese.
Delicious Starts Here
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Please leave a rating and a comment below; your feedback helps other home cooks decide if this recipe is right for them. And if you share it on Instagram, tag me @aspicedlifeblog so I can see your beautiful creations.🧡
Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients
- 5- ounce package arugula
- ⅓ cup (80g) balsamic vinaigrette divided
- 8 ounces (169g) fresh strawberries rinsed and hulled
- 3- ounces (85g) goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
- Mint leaves optional garnish
- 2 tablespoons quick pickled shallots optional garnish
Instructions
- Slice the strawberries about ⅛-inch thick and thinly slice the mint (if using), and set aside.
- Wash and dry the arugula, then place it in a large mixing bowl.
- Add 3-4 tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette and toss gently to coat. The arugula should be lightly coated, not weighed down. Reserve the remaining balsamic vinaigrette for later.
- Transfer the dressed arugula to a wide, shallow bowl or serving platter.
- Tuck the sliced strawberries evenly in and around the arugula.
- Sprinkle with sliced almonds and, if desired, mint.
- Crumble the goat cheese and scatter it evenly over the salad.
- Top with pickled shallots (if using) and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.
- Serve immediately for best texture.
Notes:
Nutrition
Whether you’re making this Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad for a quick lunch or impromptu summertime entertaining, dress it with my homemade Balsamic Dressing and my Quick Pickled Shallots. If you are looking for an equally impressive salad, try my Hot Honey Halloumi Salad with Pomegranate.
I love the burst of different flavors in this bright and colorful salad.
I finally managed to snag some strawberries at the farmers market and decided to try them in this salad. Absolutely LOVED the pickled shallots and mint in the mix — two of my favorite flavors! Definitely a keeper to make all throughout spring.
Hi Courtney, Fresh farmers’ market strawberries sound perfect for this salad! The pickled shallots and mint really do add such a fresh flavor to everything. So glad it’ll be on repeat for you this spring. Thanks so much for sharing!
I loved how fresh this salad was! I am a fan of fruit in my salad and this one did not disappoint!
Hi Misty, Agreed! Fruit in salads adds such a fresh flavor, especially with the strawberries and goat cheese here. Thanks so much for sharing!
Had this as a side tonight and it was suuuuch a hit! So fresh and delish, will be using this one again and again.
So happy to hear it was a hit! This salad really does make such a fresh and easy side for spring and summer meals.
This sounds so fresh and perfect for spring! Love that combo of sweet strawberries, tangy goat cheese, and balsamic.
It really is such a fresh combination for spring! The sweet strawberries, the tangy goat cheese, and the balsamic work so well together.
This salad will become my go-to for the summer! It’s light and refreshing, with the perfect balance of goat cheese and strawberries.
That’s so great to hear, this really is such a refreshing salad for warmer weather! The strawberries and goat cheese are one of my favorite combinations, too.
This salad was incredible. I will be making this all summer!
Yay! I’m glad you thought it was incredible! It really is such a great summer salad! Thanks so much for sharing.
I bought wayyyy too many strawberries at the farmers market and decided to try some of them in this salad. It was so easy and so incredibly good! Loved the balsamic dressing and pickled shallots along with the sweet strawberries. And, it gave me the perfect excuse to use some of the strawberry mint in my garden!
This sounds absolutely perfect: fresh strawberries, strawberry mint from the garden, (I’m jealous you get to pick your own produce from your garden) and that balsamic dressing all work so well together.