Spinach Goat Cheese Salad (Print view)

Fresh spinach with creamy goat cheese, sweet cranberries, and crunchy candied pecans tossed in tangy 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

# Cooking Steps:

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 Ideas:

01 -
  • It tastes restaurant quality but requires no cooking skills beyond whisking a dressing.
  • The sweet, tangy, creamy, and crunchy textures keep every bite interesting.
  • You can prep the components ahead and toss everything together right before serving.
  • It works equally well as a quick weekday lunch or a dinner party starter that impresses.
02 -
  • Don't dress the spinach too far in advance or it will wilt and turn soggy, losing all its fresh crunch.
  • Crumble the goat cheese with your fingers rather than a fork so you get varied sizes that melt slightly into the warm dressing.
  • If your candied pecans are store bought and very sweet, use a little less honey in the vinaigrette to keep the balance right.
03 -
  • Toast your own pecans with a little butter and brown sugar if you can't find candied ones, it takes five minutes and tastes infinitely better.
  • Use a salad spinner to dry the spinach thoroughly, any water left on the leaves will dilute the vinaigrette and make everything taste bland.
  • Whisk the vinaigrette again right before using it, oil and vinegar naturally separate and you want it emulsified when it hits the greens.
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