Spinach Salad
Make this delicious spinach salad recipe to serve with your main dish! It features fresh spinach, creamy goat cheese and seasonal fruit. Recipe yields 6 side salads.
Ingredients
Salad
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- ¼ medium red onion, very thinly sliced
- 4 to 5 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup pecan halves
- 6 ounces fresh raspberries or see note for additional options
- 1 tablespoon thick balsamic vinegar* or balsamic glaze, drizzled over the top
- Freshly ground black pepper
Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- 1 small clove garlic, pressed or minced
- ⅛ teaspoon fine salt, to taste
- Several twists of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Toast the pecan halves in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, until they are warm and smell fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
- To assemble the salad, place the spinach and sliced onion in a large serving bowl. Drizzle in all of the dressing, and gently toss until the spinach is lightly coated.
- Top the salad with the goat cheese, toasted pecans, and raspberries. Sprinkle a few twists of black pepper on top, then drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the top.
- Serve promptly. Leftovers keep well for a couple of days, covered and refrigerated.
Notes
Raspberry alternatives: Thinly sliced apple, pear, peach or nectarine, strawberries, or roasted root vegetables, such as beets, carrots, or sweet potatoes.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the goat cheese.
*Balsamic vinegar note: For a beautiful drizzle and impactful flavor, you must use high-quality, thick balsamic vinegar (like Napa Valley Naturals’ Grand Reserve Vinegar—make sure you get the bottle with “25 stars” on it) or balsamic glaze/reduction (DeLallo and Alessi make them). Or, make your own balsamic reduction with regular runny balsamic!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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