Spinach Salad with Berries, Pecans & Raspberry Vinaigrette
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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.
You Might Also Like
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
Powered by 
- 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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
This was an excellent refreshing summer salad! Super easy and fast to put together and got rave reviews!!
I made this to compliment the Beef Tenderloin, the parmesan roasted potatoes, and fresh strawberry cake for a Birthday meal I was cooking for my mother-n-laws Birthday meal. I don’t have a lot of confidence in myself to cook nice dinners for special occasions, but had used some of Jenn’s recipes in the past with Fantastic results. I went to Jenn’s site to plan this meal, due to the confidence I have in her recipes. My guests were delighted (my fresh strawberry cake looked just like the picture!) This salad was delicious, since I had some of the fresh strawberries left over from the cake recipe. I used a mix of baby spinach, chard & kale (Costco package)–the nuts, cranberry goat cheese. For the dressing I didn’t have the exact ingredients (but used a mix of balsalmic vinegar, EVOO, raspberry chipotle (from Costco also) to try to mimic the best I could and the result was great. What can I say Jenn, but thanks again. I really appreciate all your recipes, and the format you use to present them help someone like me to make quality meals… 🙂
So glad you had success with the recipes for your MIL’s birthday — thanks for letting me know! ❤️
This is great! I’m not typically a salad person, but I thought this combination of flavors would be great, and I was right 🙂 I omitted the blueberries since some people here don’t like them. I didn’t feel like it was missing anything. Thanks so much!
Great! The dressing is really tasty
I loved this salad but decreased the honey by half because I was serving it to a diabetic. I think I would decrease it even more as I tend to not like things too sweet. I also tried it with goat cheese and blue cheese and preferred the blue. Great recipe, especially in August when all the berries are so prevalent.
Love this recipe! Was just looking for inspiration for a gender reveal potluck and this one came to mind to stick with the pink and blue theme. Jenn, you are the best-thank you for sharing your gift of creative and delicious food with us!
💕
Hi Jenn, I don’t know why I never provided a review for this salad before, especially since we have it several times a month. This is probably my favorite salad. The dressing is fabulous and the salad is perfect as is. I never make modifications and get compliments every time I make it. I’ve also been asked to provide the recipe multiple times. It pairs well with quiche and grilled chicken, fish, or steak. It is also fabulous for a light lunch. We’re having this again tonight with grilled tri-tip and corn on the cob. Thanks again for another fabulous recipe!!! Katy
Wow, this was a hit. I’m a cop and work with a platoon full of “dudes” on the night shift. We had a work potluck, and as everyone else (seriously) was bringing some form of meat, I thought I’d try to balance it out with a salad. I used the recipe’s ingredients to make this and modified the dressing slightly for what I had in my kitchen. From across the room my sergeant commented that he doesn’t eat salad, but that this was pretty darn good. Another officer stated that he couldn’t believe he was going back for seconds for a salad! Definitely a huge winner, thanks for the recipe!!
LOL – glad everyone enjoyed! 🙂
Hi Jenn,
Can you substitute pears for the strawberries? I’m looking for a pear salad and thought it might work in this one. Thanks!
Sure, Rosalie, I think that would be nice!
Delicious and SO easy to put together. This salad has it all – sweet from the fruit, crunchy from the pecans, creamy from the goat cheese and balanced out with a sweet oniony dressing. We served this with steak which was a nice combination… Kept all of the ingredients separate so we could enjoy leftovers the next day. We will certainly be making this often during berry season.
Hi, Jenn,
This salad is a firm favourite, but I’ve run out of raspberry vinegar and the only vinegar I have found with raspberries is Beaufor’s Raspberry Red Wine Vinegar. Will this work for the dressing? BTW, we love your cookbook; anything made from it is always a “success story”! Thank you.
So happy you’re enjoying the cookbook, Karen! And yes, the raspberry red wine vinegar will definitely work for the dressing. 🙂