Arugula, Strawberries, and Creamy Goat Cheese Salad

ByCheri
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If you are looking for a salad that is both beautiful and bursting with flavor, look no further than this Strawberry Arugula Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, savory, creamy, and crunchy—and it comes together in under 30 minutes.

There was a bakery, Pacific Whey, in Newport Beach that had a salad featuring dates, strawberries, goat cheese, and nuts for years. It was my favorite, and I was deeply sad when it closed. This version adds red onions, fresh basil, and avocado..

Why You’ll Love This Salad

  • Quick & easy: It takes just 30 minutes to prepare.
  • Perfect for entertaining: Colorful and crowd-pleasing.
  • Versatile: Serve it as a light main course or with grilled chicken or salmon.
  • Seasonal & fresh: Ideal during spring and summer when strawberries are at their peak.

I love adding dates to the salad. I grew up stopping at Hadley’s Date Shack with my great grandparents as a kid, on the way home from Palm Springs. There are many types of dates but my fav for salads is Medjool which have more moisture and are sweet.

I lightly candied pecans here. You can always pick some up at places like Traders Joes. Also, buy crumbled goat cheese. These are great ways to cut down the cooking time.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Salad:

  • Mixed greens
  • Arugula – adds a peppery bite
  • Fresh strawberries – sweet and juicy
  • Avocado – creamy and rich
  • Dates – add a touch of sweetness
  • Goat cheese – tangy and soft
  • Candied pecans – crunchy and sweet
  • Red onions – optional, but they add a sharp contrast

For the Champagne Vinaigrette:

  • Champagne vinegar
  • Lemon juice
  • Honey
  • Dijon mustard
  • Garlic
  • Olive oil
  • Kosher salt & pepper

Optional Add-Ons:

  • Switch out pecans for pistachios or almonds
  • Add protein like grilled chicken
  • Switch out strawberries for peaches or blueberries

How To Make The Arugula, Strawberry, and Creamy Goat Cheese Salad

Candy the Pecans:
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium. Add pecans and sugar, stirring constantly until sugar melts and coats pecans (6–8 minutes). Transfer to parchment paper to cool.

Make the Vinaigrette:
In a bowl, whisk vinegar, lemon juice, honey, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble the Salad:
In a large bowl, toss arugula with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add strawberries, avocado, red onion, goat cheese, and cooled candied pecans.

Dress and Serve:
Drizzle with vinaigrette just before serving and toss gently. Enjoy!

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The Best Summer Salad: Arugula, Strawberries, and Creamy Goat Cheese

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A salad perfect for spring and summer. A combination of strawberries, dates, avocado, pecans and goat cheese. Top it with a balsamic or champagne vinaigrette.

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/2 cup sliced or slivered pecans (toasted)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 5 ounces of arugula greens
  • 5 ounces of mixed greens
  • 8 ounces strawberries (hulled and quartered or chopped)
  • 1 avocado chopped
  • 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
  • 1/4 cup dates, pitted and sliced

CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

  • 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • 1/2 lemon (juiced)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove (freshly grated)
  • pinch kosher salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
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Instructions

  1. Place the pecans in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring often, until the sugar melts and is caramelized, coating all of the almonds – about 6 to 8 minutes. Don’t take your eyes off this as they can burn quickly! Transfer the almonds to a piece of parchment paper to let them cool. Break them into pieces if they are clumped.
  2. Toss the arugula with a pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add in the strawberries, avocado, goat cheese, pistachios, and sugared almonds. Drizzle on the dressing and toss well. Serve immediately!


    Champagne vinaigrette

  3. Combine vinegar, honey, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk together. Stream in the olive oil while constantly whisking until the dressing comes together. Store in the fridge for up to one week.
  • Author: Cheri Liefeld
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Category: Salad

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