Spinach Salad with Berries, Pecans & Raspberry Vinaigrette
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Get ready for oohs and aahs—this spinach salad with berries, pecans, and goat cheese is an absolute stunner!
We usually think of fresh berries as something to enjoy at breakfast or for dessert, but here they make a delicious addition to a summery spinach salad. What really makes the salad work is the fruity raspberry vinaigrette, which ties everything together beautifully. This is one of my go-to dishes for outdoor entertaining—it’s gorgeous and always gets oohs and aahs when I bring it to the table. Don’t wait for a special occasion to make it, though; it’s just as wonderful served alongside grilled chicken or cedar plank salmon for a casual family dinner.
A quick tip: to keep the goat cheese in nice chunks, crumble it over the salad after tossing. If goat cheese isn’t your thing, blue cheese or feta are great alternatives. And yes, the amount of honey in the dressing might seem like a lot, but trust me, the sweetness balances perfectly with the tart berries and tangy goat cheese. That’s what makes this salad so delicious.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need To Make Spinach Salad with Berries, Pecans & Raspberry Vinaigrette
- Raspberry Vinegar: Adds a tangy, fruity base to the dressing and ties all the ingredients together.
- Vegetable Oil: Provides a neutral, smooth consistency to the dressing.
- Honey: Balances the acidity of the vinegar and tanginess of the mustard with a touch of sweetness.
- Dijon Mustard: Adds depth and a slight tang; it also helps the dressing emulsify.
- Shallots: Contribute a mild, sweet onion flavor.
- Baby Spinach: Provides a fresh, leafy base and bright green color for the salad.
- Strawberries: Add sweetness and a pop of beautiful color.
- Blueberries: Pair nicely with the strawberries and offer additional color and a burst of juicy flavor.
- Pecans: Adds a crunchy, nutty element. Toasting the nuts makes them crunchier and helps bring out their rich flavor.
- Goat Cheese: Adds a creamy, tangy finish. Blue cheese or feta will also work here.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Raspberry Vinaigrette
Combine raspberry vinegar, vegetable oil, honey, Dijon mustard, shallots, salt and pepper in a small sealable container.
Shake vigorously to blend, making sure the honey doesn’t stick to bottom. (Alternatively, combine vinegar, honey, mustard, shallots, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil until emulsified.)
Step 2: Assemble the Salad
In a large bowl, combine baby spinach, strawberries, blueberries and pecans.
Add the dressing little by little and toss until greens are well-coated (you may have a bit left over but you’ll use most of it).
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese over the top of the spinach salad and serve.
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Spinach Salad with Berries, Pecans, Goat Cheese & Raspberry Vinaigrette
Get ready for oohs and aahs—this spinach salad with berries, pecans, and goat cheese is an absolute stunner!
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons finely minced shallots, from one shallot
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Salad
- 1 (6-7 ounce) bag or carton baby spinach (about 6-7 cups)
- 2 cups (1 pint) stemmed and sliced strawberries
- 1 cup (½ pint) blueberries
- ½ cup pecans, toasted
- 4 ounces goat cheese
Instructions
- Combine raspberry vinegar, vegetable oil, honey, Dijon mustard, shallots, salt and pepper in a small sealable container and shake vigorously to blend (be sure honey doesn't stick to bottom). Alternatively, combine vinegar, honey, mustard, shallots, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil until emulsified.
- In a large bowl, combine baby spinach, strawberries, blueberries and pecans. Add the dressing little by little and toss until greens are well-coated (you may have a bit left over but you'll use most of it). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese over top and serve.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 481
- Fat: 37g
- Saturated fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Sugar: 26g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 9g
- Sodium: 296mg
- Cholesterol: 13mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Very nice salad for a change, and adaptable to different tastes.
Made this for a dinner with friends along with homemade candied pecans. It was a huge hit. The Raspberry Vinaigrette made the salad!
This looks awesome, but my husband will not eat goat cheese, any suggestions? Maybe Feta? Or Gorgonzola? Thanks much.
Sure, either feta or gorgonzola would be great here -enjoy!
This salad is so tasty and satisfying without being overly sweet, which surprised me. I wanted to try something different and although I have never been a huge fan of fruit in my salad, Jenn’s recipes never fail so I gave it a go. The balanced dressing, toasted pecans (worth the 5 minutes to do) and creamy goat cheese (pinch off small bits when scattering on top) are really excellent together. I sliced the strawberries thinly to avoid having too big of a bite of fruit at once. I can’t wait to try this again with Jenn’s perfectly grilled chicken sliced on top. The red white and blue will make this a perfect 4th of July dish!! It looks very pretty in the bowl, which is just icing for this excellent recipe.
Help, Jenn! I would like to use the raspberry vinegar instead of ACV. I keep seeing this Alessi White Balsamic Raspberry Blush Vinegar. Is that the same thing? https://alessifoods.com/catalog/product/1905/alessi-raspberry-blush-balsamic-vinegar?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrvGo-rqP_gIV1MmUCR02EQ5HEAAYASAAEgI4XfD_BwE
Hi Jen, I’m not certain they’re the same thing, but feel confident it should work. Hope you enjoy!
After seeing this recipe about a year ago I hunted down a raspberry vinegar that I have had in my fridge nagging me. After searching through your dressing recipes I couldn’t find this dressing as a stand alone recipe so the vinegar kinda just hung out in the back of my fridge for 2022. Since finding the salad recipe that the dressing is associated with, and realizing I have until July to polish off the vinegar, I’ve been making this dressing weekly and my family devours any salad I put it on. It gets even better with each day. Thank you!
Hi Jenn. Again, this salad and dressing are spectacular. We polished off our Raspberry Vinegar and I couldn’t find the same brand. The bottle I ended up buying this time is actually a “Raspberry Champagne Vinegar” and it just doesn’t hit the same in this recipe (it’s much paler and just doesn’t bring the magic like our original brand). What brand do you recommend for the raspberry vinegar?
Hi Shannon, Glad you like the salad! I believe the last bottle I bought (I don’t have it in my pantry right now), was Whole Foods brand.
Jenn, I only have canola & evoo. Would canola work in place of the vegetable oil? Tanks in advance & Merry Christmas! 🎄
Sure, and merry Christmas to you too! 🙂
I’ve made this salad three times in the last two weeks for dinner for my family and it is a home run. I add some grilled chicken to make it a meal and it is an absolute summer delight. It hits all the notes – tangy, sweet, crunchy – and is light & refreshing.
Easy, but simply delicious. Toasting the pecans certainly bumps it up a notch. Thanks Jen for sharing your perfected recipes with all of us foodies! Ever thought of opening your own restaurant? I would come from Ohio!
Glad you liked the salad! Ha — I don’t think I’ll be opening a restaurant (but love that you’d come from Ohio to try it)!! 😊
Beautiful and delicious.