This Strawberry Spinach Salad is an AMAZING twist on a summer favorite! Loaded with fresh strawberries, goat cheese, pistachios, and a delicious honey balsamic vinaigrette. This salad is sure to become your new favorite go-to for picnics, cookouts, and everyday meals!
If you’ve been following me for a while now, you know that SALADS are one of my favorite foods ever. And not just because they’re healthy, and beautiful, and easy to whip up….but because the possibilities for them are endless. They’re like a blank canvas for creativity, which means I can basically do whatever I want with them! On any given day, I make at least one salad. Which I then eat for lunch. And about 50% of the time I make two. One for lunch, and one as a side for dinner! My kids are in awe….as are many of my family and friends….finding it hard to believe that I never get tired of eating so.much.salad.
Well. The truth is, every now and then I DO get tired of it. Seriously! Which is how I know it’s time for me to mix things up. Make something different. Make a salad that feels special….instead of just ordinary! I recently had the opportunity to visit the new Metro Market Shorewood (a sister store to my favorite Pick N’ Save stores)….and let me tell you, if you are looking for a way to make things special, this store is IT! I almost don’t even know where to start, since literally EVERY square foot of the store is unique and fabulous….but I’ll do my best to walk you through it.
Imagine the BEST grocery store you’ve ever been to, with all the freshest produce and best selection, and then imagine that it also has Starbucks. And a juice bar. And gelato. And made to order sushi, in addition to a variety of other delicious restaurants. And a trail mix bar. And a cheese bar. With amazing cheeses you’ve never even heard of. And that’s just scratching the surface. (Do you see where I’m going with this??) I could spend all day there! (In fact, I almost did!) It’s EVERYTHING!
Strawberry Spinach Salad – A summer favorite
So, as you can imagine, I HAD to take advantage of the cheese. Because, after all, #Wisconsin. So I picked up some Nababbo Goat Taleggio, a washed-rind semi-soft goat cheese…..and after tasting it, I knew exactly what I needed to do with it. Make a *special* salad! With spinach. And strawberries. And pistachios, which to me, just scream spring! I knew that such an amazing salad also needed an amazing dressing, so I headed to Metro Market’s Italian aisle (which, by the way, is phenomenal) and grabbed some Lucini Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Colavita White Balsamic Vinegar. Wondering how I knew what to grab? I had the inside scoop that these are two special items ONLY available at Metro Market. Perfect for my special salad!
As you can see, the end result was gorgeous. And SO delicious!!! The goat taleggio has a distinct savory taste that pairs perfectly with the sweet strawberries….and the vinaigrette I made was the BEST I’ve ever had! (I guess that’s what happens when you splurge on the “good” stuff!) I can see myself making this salad ALL the time this summer. It’s light and refreshing, yet packed with flavor. Delicious. Memorable. Special.
Speaking of special ingredients, Metro Market has a number of items that you can ONLY find there! Items like Temptation Apples, which would also be amazing in a salad or a caramel apple muffins and Rapini, which would be delicious sautéed with lemon and garlic for an easy spring & summer side dish. You can also find Red Garnet & White Sweet Potatoes, which I can’t wait to make into loaded sweet potatoes, and Cranberry Borlatti, a beautiful bean that would make an amazing dip! Clearly this is a store I’m excited about. (Can you tell?) And just in case you’re still not convinced, here’s a sneak peek of the inside. Because once you see it, you won’t be able to resist! Kinda like this salad. ENJOY!
You can learn more about Metro Market by checking out their website or visiting them on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram!
Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese & Pistachios
Ingredients
- Salad:
- 1 8 oz. bag fresh spinach
- 1 1/2 c. fresh strawberries quartered
- 4 oz. Nababbo Goat Tallegio
- 1/2 c. shelled pistachios
- Dressing:
- 1/3 c. Lucini Olive Oil
- 1/3 c. Colavita White Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 2 tsp. poppy seeds
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Fill a large salad bowl with fresh spinach.
- Top with strawberries, Goat Tallegio, and pistachios.
- Prepare dressing by combining all ingredients and shaking vigorously.
- Top salad with dressing as desired.
Michelle | A Latte Food says
I love goat cheese! This salad looks so gourmet and perfect for spring!
Cookin Canuck says
Wow, that sounds like a grocery store that has it all! This salad is perfect for springtime and you can never go wrong with Tallegio.
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says
I just bought a container of strawberries – first of the season! Gorgeous salad!
Jess says
You know I can’t resist your salads! This one looks amazingly delicious!
Cathy Trochelman says
Awww…thanks, Jess! I think they’re my favorite recipes to share! Glad you appreciate them 🙂 xoxo
Laura / I Heart Naptime says
This looks so fresh and delicious! I really need to step up my salad game and try this!
Cathy Trochelman says
Thanks so much, Laura!
Ashlyn+@+Belle+of+the+Kitchen says
This salad is just so beautiful! All those flavors and colors, WOW!
Cathy Trochelman says
Thanks, Ashlyn!
Kelley says
I just love all your salad recipes! And I lol’ed at the hashtag Wisconsin. Gotta love a good cheese! And that place looks like heaven to me! I can see how you spent almost the whole day there!
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze says
This salad is gorgeous!! I want to start dieting and this salad is right up my alley. I’ve heard goat cheese tastes great in cheese, but I’ve yet to try it. I need to make this asap! 🙂
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
I cannot get over the beautiful colors in this salad! I’m sure it tastes as good as it looks! Great job with this!
Kristen says
This salad is perfection. I love everything about it. I love the pistachios most–unexpected goodies!
Liz says
This is one incredible salad! Gorgeous and delicious!!
marcie says
That market sounds amazing, and I love the combination of ingredients in this salad! Goat cheese is something I’ve grown to love so much and I love it in sweet and savory salads and appetizers. This is just perfect for spring!
Jamie @ Love Bakes Good Cakes says
The market sounds amazing – and this salad?! It’s all of my favorite things in one salad!!
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
I’m totally craving this for lunch today. Bright, fresh and so delicious!
Megan @ MegUnProcessed says
I love adding strawberries to salads! This dressing sound amazing!
Lynne | 365 Days of Baking and More says
That grocery store looks and sounds amazing!! I want one near me, but I don’t think I’d ever leave it!
I’ve made a strawberry and spinach salad that has been a family favorite for years, but this one is so much better with your additions. I can’t wait to make it. It’s on our Mother’s Day menu. Actually, someone else will make it for me. 😉
Ashley - Baker by Nature says
What a stunning salad!
Alida says
What a gorgeous salad! It has spring and summer written all over it….yum!!
Rachael Yerkes says
This Salad!!! I’m dying over how good it sounds!
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
This is my dream salad! So full of flavor and perfect for strawberry season coming up!
Nancy | The Bitter Side of Sweet says
Totally want this salad! It looks so healthy and refreshing!
Jessica says
This dressing sound amazing!