This goat cheese strawberry salad is the perfect balance of sweet and savory! Fresh strawberries, creamy goat cheese, avocado, and leafy Arugula greens come together with a light poppy seed dressing to give you a refreshing and tasty salad.
3.5ozArugula (approx. 100 g)or your favorite salad greens
2cupsfresh strawberries
3.5ozgoat cheese (approx. 100 g)
1Tbsp pumpkin seeds
½of an avocado
¼of a small red onion (about 2-3 Tbsp)
Poppy Seed Salad Dressing
6tablespoonolive oil
3tablespoonred wine vinegar - see notes
1-1½teaspoonhoney or maple syrup
1tablespoonmustard
1½teaspoonpoppy seeds
salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
Heat a pan or skillet over medium heat and toast the walnuts for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, mustard, poppy seeds, salt and pepper to a glass jar. Seal the jar tightly and shake well until the ingredients are fully combined. Set aside.
Arrange the arugula on a large plate or bowl as the base. Top with sliced strawberries, crumbled goat cheese, avocado slices, and red onion. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the top.
Chop the walnuts and arrange on top of the salad. Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds on top.
Pour the prepared poppy seed dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to combine then serve immediately.
Notes
Toasting the walnuts enhances their flavor and adds a delicious crunch to the salad. Keep an eye on them to prevent burning.
To prevent the salad from turning soggy, we add the poppy seed dressing just before serving.
If you’re not a fan of goat cheese, try using feta or blue cheese for a similar tangy flavor.
You can prepare the dressing and toast the nuts ahead of time to save time when assembling the salad.