Spinach Goat Cheese Salad (Printable)

Tender spinach with creamy goat cheese, sweet dried cranberries, and crunchy candied pecans in balsamic vinaigrette.

# 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

# Method:

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 - Serve immediately, garnished with extra pecans or cranberries if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy but you can make it in the time it takes to brew coffee.
  • The mix of creamy, sweet, tangy, and crunchy hits every craving at once.
  • You probably have most of these ingredients already sitting in your kitchen.
  • It works as a quick lunch or something elegant enough for guests.
02 -
  • Dry your spinach completely or the vinaigrette will slide right off and pool at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Add the goat cheese just before serving because it softens quickly and can turn mushy if it sits too long.
  • Candied pecans lose their crunch fast once dressed, so toss everything right before eating.
03 -
  • Warm your goat cheese slightly in the microwave for 10 seconds before crumbling so it breaks into creamy chunks instead of dry crumbs.
  • Toast your pecans with a pinch of cinnamon and brown sugar if you're making your own candied version, it adds an extra layer of warmth.
  • Use a fork to whisk the vinaigrette if you don't have a whisk, it works just as well and gets into the corners of the bowl.
Return