Spinach Goat Cheese Salad (Printable Version)

Fresh spinach paired with creamy goat cheese, dried cranberries, and candied pecans tossed in a tangy balsamic vinaigrette.

# What You 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

# How to Make It:

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, garnishing with extra pecans or cranberries if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like something you'd order at a wine bar but takes less time than waiting for delivery.
  • The contrast of creamy, sweet, crunchy, and tangy hits every craving at once without feeling heavy.
  • You can toss it together with pantry staples and still impress anyone who sits down at your table.
02 -
  • Wet spinach will make your vinaigrette watery and sad, so use a salad spinner or pat the leaves dry with a towel before you start.
  • Dress the salad right before serving, not ahead of time, or the spinach will wilt and the pecans will lose their snap.
  • If your vinaigrette separates while it sits, just whisk it again for a few seconds and it'll come back together.
03 -
  • Toast your own pecans with a little butter and brown sugar if you have five extra minutes, the homemade version tastes incomparably better.
  • Use your hands to toss the salad instead of tongs, you'll coat everything more gently and evenly without bruising the spinach.
  • Taste the vinaigrette before you add it to the salad and adjust the honey or vinegar to your preference, everyone's balance is a little different.
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