Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad Is The Ultimate Summer Dish

Packed for Life contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Disclosure policy for more info.

Whip up a colorful summer favorite, Easy Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad. A delicious combination of farm fresh mixed salad greens, arugula, and juicy strawberries drizzled with a tangy balsalmic dressing & topped with roasted pecans.

It’s the perfect dish for a light lunch, a refreshing side, or a crowd-pleasing potluck contribution. Just add some protein like roast chicken, bacon, tuna or smoked tofu for a full lunch or dinner meal.

Jump to Recipe | Print Recipe

I love sharing multipurpose, light and refreshing meals for the summertime. It’s a great way to take advantage of seasonal greens, and fruits (peaches work really well too). The vibrant colors and flavors just make you want to come back for more.

Plus, it’s incredibly easy to make, so you can spend more time enjoying your meal and less time in the kitchen. Which is what I’m always looking for when the weather is nice and the beach and hiking trails call.

We’ve taken this salad, along with our favourite Italian pasta salad on picnics, to potlucks and gatherings, and even whipped it up on the go on our family camping trips and in our vacation rentals.

It’s also easy to adjust for the pickier eaters in the family (just add lots of bacon bits lol!).

Say Hello to Your New Favorite Strawberry Goat Cheese Arugala Salad

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

This pasta salad recipe only requires a handful of simple ingredients:

• Arugula ( or a mix of salad greens, spinach & arugula)
• Strawberries
• Goat cheese
• Green onions
• Pecans
• Balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic powder or 1 to 2 garlic cloves
• Honey (optional)
• Salt & pepper to taste

It makes our list of favorite summer salad recipes.

Here are a few of our go-to substitutions & additions you can try:

• Add protein: Roast chicken, smoked tofu, black beans, bacon or bacon bits

• Other veggies to add: Cucumbers, orange or red peppers, artichoke heart pieces, broccoli

• Switch out the greens: I prefer a mix of 2:1 mixed leafy salad greens to arugula. It would also be tasty with a mix of any of the following, mizuna, spinach, microgreens, mustard greens or even straight up leafy lettuce.

• Try different cheeses: Try cubes of your favourite cheese. We love the soft goat cheese coated with pepper, blue cheese, and havarti.

• Use other nuts or seeds: Pine nuts, walnuts or sliced almonds are tasty. Nut allergy? Roasted pumpkin (pepita) seeds would work great.

• Best store bought Balsamic: Primal Kitchen Balsamic Dressing (their Italian or Greek dressing would also work).

• Play with the vinegar to oil ratio:
  • tangy: 1:1 ratio of vinegar to oil (what this recipe uses)
  • milder: 1:2 ratio of vinegar to oil
  • traditional: 1:3 ratio of vinegar to oil

• Experiment with the dressing: Use flavoured balsamic dressing (raspberry, blueberry), add fresh or dried herbs (basil, oregano, thyme), or use maple syrup instead of the honey.

How to Make This Easy Summer Strawberry Salad Recipe

1. Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl whisk together 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1-2 crushed garlic cloves & 1 tsp honey (optional), and salt and pepper to taste, until well combined.

2. Slice & Set Aside Strawberries & Goat Cheese: Slice 1 cup of strawberries and crumble 1/2 cup of goat cheese. Reserve half of each to use as a topping at the end, to make it look pretty.

3. Chop & Roast the Pecans: If using fresh pecans, lightly chop 1/2 cup, then roast over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant & lightly toasted. Be careful not to burn them. Set aside to cool.

4. Assemble the Greens: In a large bowl, mix the 3 cups of arugula (or mixed salad greens if using), 1/2 cup of the strawberries, and 1/4 cup of goat cheese.

5. Dress the Salad: Drizzle the balsamic dressing over the salad. Start with half, then adjust to your taste. Toss gently to combine all ingredients and evenly distribute the dressing.

6. Add the Toppings: Top the greens with the sliced green onions, chopped roasted pecans, and remaining sliced strawberries and crumbled goat cheese.

7. Serve and Enjoy: Serve immediately and enjoy this fresh, flavorful salad!

Tips and Notes

• Make Ahead: Prepare the dressing in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. We like to use mason jars with lids. While it’s best to prep the day of, you could get all the ingredients ready the day before.

• Storage: If you have leftovers, store the salad and dressing separately to prevent sogginess. Combine just before serving.

• To make it vegan: Skip the honey and cheese, or use a vegan cheese instead.

More summer friendly recipes:

• Easy light & fun summer recipes
• Fun Road Trip Breakfast Ideas & Recipes
• 100+ Easy Road Trip Meal ideas the whole family will love
• Road Trip Snacks don’t leave home without
• Stress-Free camping meals for kids (adults will love)
• Quick Foil Packet Recipes By Grill or Campfire

I hope you enjoy this delicious and zesty summer strawberry salad with balsamic dressing. Adding this to your regular summer meals rotation will save you time & be tasty.

Strawberry Goat Cheese Arugula Salad

Yield: 2 - 4 Servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Whip up a colorful summer favorite, Easy Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad. A delicious combination of farm fresh mixed salad greens, arugula, and juicy strawberries, drizzled with a tangy balsalmic dressing & topped with roasted pecans.

Print

Ingredients

• 3 cups arugula (or 2 cups mixed greens & 1 cup of arugula
• 1 cup strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Dressing

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 1-2 crushed garlic cloves)
• 1 tsp honey (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the Dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic powder (or crushed garlic cloves), honey (optional), and salt and pepper to taste, until well combined.
2. Slice & Set Aside Strawberries & Goat Cheese: Slice the strawberries and crumble the goat cheese. Reserve half of each to use as a topping at the end.
3. Chop & Roast the Pecans: If using fresh pecans, lightly chop, then roast over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until fragrant & lightly toasted. Be careful not to burn them. Set aside to cool.
4. Assemble the Greens: In a large bowl, mix the arugula (or mixed salad greens if using), and half of the sliced strawberries, and goat cheese.
5. Dress the Salad: Drizzle the balsamic dressing over the salad. Start with half, then adjust to your taste. Toss gently to combine all ingredients and evenly distribute the dressing.
6. Add the Toppings: Top the greens with the sliced green onions, chopped roasted pecans, and remaining sliced strawberries and crumbled goat cheese.
7. Serve and Enjoy: Serve immediately and enjoy this fresh, flavorful salad!

Notes

Here are a few of our go-to substitutions & additions you can try:

Add protein: Roast chicken, smoked tofu, black beans, bacon or bacon bits

Add other veggies: Cucumbers, orange or red peppers, artichoke heart pieces, broccoli

Switch out the greens: I prefer a mix of 2:1 mixed leafy salad greens to arugula. A mix of mizuna, spinach, microgreens, mustard greens or even straight up leafy lettuce would work too.

Try different cheeses: Try cubes of your favourite cheese. Soft goat cheese coated with pepper, blue cheese, and cubes of havarti work well.

Use other nuts or seeds: Pine nuts, walnuts or sliced almonds are tasty. Nut allergy? Roasted pumpkin (pepita) seeds would work great

Play with the vinegar to oil ratio:

• tangy: 1:1 ratio of vinegar to oil (what this recipe uses)

• milder: 1:2 ratio of vinegar to oil
• traditional: 1:3 ratio of vinegar to oil

Experiment with the dressing: Use flavored balsamic dressing (raspberry, blueberry), add fresh or dried herbs (basil, oregano, thyme), or use maple syrup instead of the honey.

To make it vegan: Skip the honey and cheese, or use a vegan cheese instead.

STORAGE

Make Ahead: Prepare the dressing in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. We like to use mason jars with lids. While it's best to prep the day of, you could prep all the ingredients the day before. Store them separately.

Storage: If you have leftovers, store the salad and dressing separately if possible to prevent sogginess. Combine just before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 320Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 318mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 8g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered from online calculators.