Description
Delightful spring salad with goat cheese celebrates fresh seasonal ingredients from local farmers markets. Crisp greens, tangy cheese, and light vinaigrette create a refreshing meal you can enjoy on sunny afternoons.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
- 4 cups mixed greens (baby spinach or arugula)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
- 1 medium cucumber, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) balsamic vinaigrette
Instructions
- Thoroughly cleanse mixed greens under chilled running water, then extract excess moisture using a salad spinner for crisp, fresh leaves.
- Break goat cheese into delicate, uneven crumbles, ensuring a rustic texture throughout the salad.
- Remove strawberry stems and slice the fruit into elegant, translucent slivers that showcase their vibrant color.
- Transform cucumber into precise half-moon segments, maintaining uniform thickness for balanced presentation.
- Submerge thinly sliced red onion in ice-cold water for approximately 10 minutes, softening its sharp, pungent edge and creating a milder flavor profile.
- Assemble ingredients in a spacious mixing vessel, gently intertwining the components to preserve their individual characteristics.
- Immediately prior to serving, cascade balsamic vinaigrette across the salad, allowing the dressing to lightly coat each ingredient without overwhelming their natural essence.
Notes
- Pat greens completely dry to prevent diluted dressing and ensure crisp texture.
- Use fresh, seasonal strawberries for maximum sweetness and vibrant color.
- Soak red onions helps reduce sharp bite, creating more balanced flavor profile.
- Customize salad by adding toasted nuts like almonds or walnuts for extra crunch and protein boost.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: None
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 170 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg