Spinach Goat Cheese Salad (Printable)

Fresh spinach with creamy goat cheese, sweet cranberries, and crunchy pecans in a balsamic vinaigrette. Vegetarian and gluten-free.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 5 oz baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
02 - 3.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled
03 - ½ cup dried cranberries
04 - ¾ cup candied pecans, roughly chopped

→ Balsamic Vinaigrette

05 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
06 - 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - 1 teaspoon honey
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Set aside.
02 - In a large salad bowl, add the spinach leaves. Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.
03 - Add the crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries, and candied pecans to the salad.
04 - Drizzle over the remaining vinaigrette and toss lightly to combine.
05 - Transfer to serving plates immediately, garnished with extra pecans or cranberries if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy but comes together faster than ordering takeout, and every bite has texture and contrast.
  • The combination of creamy, tart, sweet, and crunchy makes your taste buds wake up in the best way.
  • You can prep the components ahead and toss it together right before serving, so its perfect for last minute guests.
02 -
  • Dress the spinach in two stages so it stays crisp and doesnt get weighed down or soggy before you serve it.
  • If your goat cheese is too firm to crumble easily, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes and itll break apart cleanly without turning into a paste.
  • Make the vinaigrette up to three days ahead and store it in a jar in the fridge, just shake it well before using.
03 -
  • Toast your own pecans with a little butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of cayenne for candied pecans that blow store bought versions out of the water.
  • Use a salad spinner to dry the spinach completely because any water left on the leaves will dilute the vinaigrette and make the salad watery.
  • Taste the vinaigrette before you dress the salad and adjust the honey or vinegar to your preference, it should be tangy but not sharp.
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