Description
This Raspberry Spinach Goat Cheese Salad is an easy and quick bowl of fresh spinach and juicy berries with creamy cheese and toasted walnuts. It is simple enough for weeknight dinner and pretty enough for brunch or potluck ideas. The best part is the healthy mix of sweet fruit and tangy dressing and soft cheese that makes every forkful feel fresh and bright.
Ingredients
- 6 cups Baby spinach
- 1 1/2 cups Fresh raspberries
- 4 ounces Goat cheese
- 1/2 cup Walnuts
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced Red onion
- 3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon Fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
Instructions
- The walnuts start pale and rough then turn lightly browned with deeper golden edges. They should look uneven and rustic with a few darker spots and a few lighter pieces so the salad feels homemade.
- The vinegar and oil and honey and mustard change from separate glossy puddles into one darker dressing. The dressing should look slightly thick and streaky instead of perfectly smooth with tiny mustard specks still visible.
- The spinach leaves change from dry and fluffy to lightly glossy as the dressing clings to their curled edges. The red onion slips between the leaves so the bowl looks loosely mixed and not packed down.
- The salad gains bright red pockets and creamy white crumbles as the raspberries and goat cheese land across the dressed greens. Some berries should sink between leaves while some sit on top and the goat cheese should break into uneven soft pieces.
- The toasted walnuts add browned color and craggy crunch over the soft berries and creamy cheese. The finished portion should look loose and layered with glossy greens and broken cheese and berries placed in natural uneven clusters.
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Use firm fresh raspberries so they stay whole when scattered over the dressed spinach and creamy cheese.
- Toast the walnuts right before serving so the browned edges stay crisp against the tender greens.
- Crumble the goat cheese by hand for rustic pieces that spread through the salad without looking too perfect.
- Dress the spinach lightly at first because extra balsamic can weigh down the leaves and hide the berries.
Storage: Store the spinach and dressing separately when possible so the leaves stay crisp and lifted. Keep raspberries in a shallow container with a paper towel so they do not get crushed or watery before serving. Goat cheese can be crumbled ahead and chilled in a covered container until the salad is ready to assemble. Once dressed this salad is best eaten the same day because the spinach softens and the berries release juice.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dishes
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad portion
- Calories: 245
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 310mg
- Fat: 18g
- Carbohydrates: 16g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 15mg