Strawberry Goat Cheese Salad

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This strawberry goat cheese salad with lettuce, red onion, and basil is the ultimate summertime dish! It’s fresh, made with simple ingredients, and dressed with a basic balsamic vinaigrette.

Strawberry goat cheese salad in a blue bowl with a fork.

I LOVE adding fresh strawberries to my salads. They are sweet, juicy and add the ultimate summer/ spring touch! This strawberry goat cheese salad is the perfect combination of sweet, creamy, salty and tangy.

It’s made with a base of crisp romaine lettuce combined with juicy strawberries, red onion, basil and crumbled goat cheese. Everything is tossed in a simple 2 ingredient balsamic dressing for the ultimate touch. It is amazing to serve as an appetizer for a BBQ, as a dip of sorts with your favourite chips, or you can even serve it on top of grilled chicken for a refreshing summer salsa on top.

Strawberry salad in a blue bowl with a fork at the top

Ingredients you’ll need

You only need 7 healthy ingredients for this strawberry goat cheese salad recipe.

Lettuce: Romaine (cos) lettuce is a classic salad base- it's fresh, crisp, and easy to digest. Roughly chop a head of romaine into . This adds a crunch and freshness to the strawberry goat cheese salad.
Strawberries: The star of the show! Grab fresh juicy red strawberries when they’re in season, late spring and summer is best.
Red onion: For a little sharpness, dice up ¼ a red onion and add it to the salad.
Fresh basil: A big handful of fresh basil leaves chopped up for flavour. You can also use fresh mint if you prefer.
Goat Cheese: Finally, add in half a block of crumbled goat cheese. This adds the best creamy, salty, and delicious flavor to this salad.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Just a tablespoon to coat the salad
Balsamic Vinegar: Then, you’ll need 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar for a little sweetness and acidity.
Salt & Black Pepper: For seasoning.

Ingredients shown to make the strawberry goat cheese salad.

How to make strawberry goat cheese salad

This strawberry salad with goat cheese recipe comes together in 5 minutes. Simply prepare the salad base, make the dressing, and serve! Here are step-by-step instructions for any level cook:

Chop ingredients: Start by cutting the strawberries into quarters, chop the lettuce, finely shred a bunch of basil leaves and dice half of a red onion. Place into a large bowl.

Goat cheese: Crumble the goat with your fingers on top, making sure to leave some aside for garnish.

Balsamic dressing: Add the Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper to a jar and shake well until emulsified – so they are completely mixed and no longer separate. Taste and adjust to taste if desired.

When ready to serve, drizzle dressing on the salad and gently toss to combine or serve with dressing on the side. Enjoy!

All of the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl, unmixed.

Sstrawberry salad un a mixing bowl with goat cheese crumbled on top.

Customise your salad

It is super easy to customise this strawberry goat cheese salad and make it your own. Here are a few ideas:

No goat cheese? Use soft danish feta, regular crumbled feta o freshly shaved parmesan.
Add cucumbers. Feel free to add 1 Lebanese/ Persian cucumber for extra crunch.
Add Tomatoes. I love tomatoes, especially when they are in season. Just add 1 cup.
Nuts. Add a handful of roughly chopped almonds or walnuts for crunch.
Use a combination of leafy greens for more variety and flavor.
Use different flavored goat cheese such as herb, honey, or garlic and chive for a different flavor profile.

Strawberry goat cheese salad in a blue bowl with balsamic dressing on the side.

Add protein

To make this salad a balanced lunch or dinner, feel free to add protein! Here are my favorite options:

Grilled chicken: Grill up 2 chicken breasts, slice them up, and add them to your salad.
Grilled steak: Serve alongside medium cooked steak.
Grilled salmon: I love serving this alongside grilled salmon fillets.
Grilled prawns (shrimp): Add half a kilo/ 1 pound of cooked, grilled shrimp to this salad for protein.
Crispy tofu. If you are vegetarian add 1 air fryer or baked tofu to this salad!

How to store

This salad is best served immediately. If making ahead of time, store leftover, undressed salad in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in an airtight container. Make sure to store the dressing in a separate airtight container. Leftover dressed salad will be soggy but still delicious.

Strawberry goat cheese salad in a blue bowl.

Recipe FAQ

Is feta and goat cheese the same?

No, feta cheese and goat cheese are not the same. Goat cheese comes from goat milk, and is softer and often creamier. On the other hand, feta cheese is typically made from sheep milk and is tangier in flavor.

Can you make this ahead of time?

To be honest – I don’t recommend it. It isn’t something that tastes good leftover in my opinion. If you have leftovers, of course eat them the next day but it is *optimal* to eat and serve within an hour.

Can I make it dairy free?

Yes! While I do think the goat cheese gives this salad it's unique flavour, you can also use diary for feta cheese.

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If you try this strawberry goat cheese salad recipe or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.