Spinach Goat Cheese Salad

Fresh spinach with creamy goat cheese, dried cranberries, candied pecans, and balsamic vinaigrette. Light, elegant, and ready in 20 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

01 - 5 oz baby spinach leaves, washed and dried

02 - 3.5 oz goat cheese, crumbled

03 - ½ cup dried cranberries

04 - ¾ cup candied pecans, roughly chopped

05 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

06 - 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar

07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

08 - 1 teaspoon honey

09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until emulsified. Set aside.

02 - In a large salad bowl, add the spinach leaves. Drizzle with half of the vinaigrette and toss gently to coat.

03 - Add the crumbled goat cheese, dried cranberries, and candied pecans to the salad.

04 - Drizzle over the remaining vinaigrette and toss lightly to combine.

05 - Transfer to serving plates immediately, garnished with extra pecans or cranberries if desired.

01 -

It looks impressive but comes together in less time than it takes to set the table.
The balance of creamy, crunchy, sweet, and tangy hits every craving at once.
You can prep the components ahead and toss everything together right before serving.

02 -

Dry your spinach thoroughly after washing or the dressing will become watery and won't cling to the leaves.
Dress the salad right before serving, if it sits too long the spinach wilts and loses its bright, fresh bite.
Crumble the goat cheese yourself instead of buying pre-crumbled, it tastes fresher and has a better creamy texture.

03 -

Toast your own pecans with a bit of butter and brown sugar for fresher, more flavorful candied nuts.
Add the goat cheese last and don't toss too aggressively or it will break apart and disappear into the greens.
Use a ratio of three parts oil to one part vinegar if you prefer a milder, less tangy dressing.