Description
This vibrant spinach salad combines fresh baby spinach, creamy goat cheese, toasted pecans, and juicy raspberries, all tossed in a tangy homemade vinaigrette. Perfect as a colorful and healthy side dish, it offers a delightful mix of textures and flavors that include a hint of sweetness and a peppery finish.
Ingredients
Scale
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
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
- 1 tablespoon thick balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze, for drizzling over the salad
Instructions
- Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, your choice of sherry, red wine, or apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup or honey, pressed garlic, fine salt, and freshly ground black pepper until emulsified.
- Toast the pecans: Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the pecan halves and toast, stirring often, until fragrant and warm, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
- Toss the salad: Place baby spinach and thinly sliced red onion in a large serving bowl. Drizzle all of the vinaigrette over the greens and gently toss until the spinach is lightly coated.
- Assemble and finish: Top the dressed spinach with crumbled goat cheese, toasted pecan halves, and fresh raspberries. Sprinkle several twists of freshly ground black pepper over the top and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar or glaze for extra sweetness and tang.
- Serve: Serve the salad promptly as a side dish. Leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator and consumed within a couple of days for best freshness.
Notes
- This spinach salad makes a perfect accompaniment to a variety of main dishes, especially grilled meats or roasted vegetables.
- For seasonal variation, fresh berries such as strawberries or blackberries can be substituted for raspberries.
- To make the pecans extra flavorful, you can toss them with a pinch of salt or a drizzle of honey before toasting.
- Use thick balsamic vinegar or a balsamic glaze for the final drizzle to add a rich, sweet tartness that complements the other salad ingredients.
- Best served fresh, although leftovers will keep well refrigerated for up to two days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 salad serving
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 2.7 g
- Sodium: 177.1 mg
- Fat: 17.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.2 g
- Fiber: 3.4 g
- Protein: 5.5 g
- Cholesterol: 8.7 mg
