Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado, Goat Cheese, and Candied Pistachios

By Maria Lichty

Updated March 05, 2020

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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado, Goat Cheese, and Candied Pistachios-this bright and colorful salad is perfect for spring and summer!

Spring is officially here and we are soaking up as much sunshine as possible. The boys love playing at the park and going on walks every night after dinner. I am also loving the spring produce. I found a beautiful basket of strawberries at the market and used them to make a Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado, Goat Cheese, and Candied Pistachios. Yeah, it is a mouthful of a salad, but a very good mouthful. Trust me, this one is a winner and a must make for spring!

This salad makes me very happy…just like spring! I love the bright colors and the flavors are amazing. Strawberry spinach salads are my favorite and I jazzed this one up by adding avocado, goat cheese, and candied pistachios.

Have you tried pistachios? Oh man, they are my current obsession. They are easy to make and are SO good in this salad. They add a nice, sweet crunch! Plus, you’ve got the sweet strawberries and creamy avocado and goat cheese. This salad has it going on!

To finish the salad, I drizzled a simple lemon olive oil dressing over the top! It adds a burst of freshness!

I served the salad with Imagine Foods Organic Creamy Potato Leek Soup. Imagine creamy soups are rich, non-dairy and are bursting with garden-fresh flavor. The soup is made with potatoes, sautéed leeks, onions, roasted garlic, and blended with a light vegetable stock. The soup is creamy, smooth, and super easy to make. I just heated it up, poured it into bowls, and we had a delicious soup and salad lunch! Soup and salad lunches are the best! I love keeping Imagine soups on hand for easy lunches.

Caleb loved the soup. He actually had two bowls. I am still trying to get him to like salad. He picked off the strawberries and avocado, but wouldn’t touch anything else:)

If you are looking for a new spring salad to enjoy, make Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado, Goat Cheese, and Candied Pistachios. It is great for a simple lunch or dinner at home or for entertaining. I am adding it to our Easter menu…and probably our Mother’s Day menu too. Well, maybe I will tell Josh to make it for Mother’s Day because that is my day off, right? 🙂 And maybe Caleb can make me the soup, it is that easy! Enjoy!

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Vegetarian

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado, Goat Cheese, and Candied Pistachios

This colorful and flavorful salad is perfect for a light lunch or dinner. It is also great for spring and summer potlucks!

4 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  

For the Salad:

• 3 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons hot water
• 1 cup pistachios
• 8 cups fresh baby spinach
• 2 cups strawberries hulled and sliced
• 2 avocados diced
• 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

For the Dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons golden or white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and hot water. Add the pistachios and toss until well coated. Pour mixture onto a large baking sheet that has been lined with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper. Bake until pistachios are crisp, about 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled, break pistachios apart.
• In a large bowl, add spinach, strawberries, avocado, goat cheese, and candied pistachios.
• In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and honey. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle dressing over the salad. Serve immediately.
• Note-I usually don't add the full 1 cup of pistachios to the salad, but I like to candy 1 cup at a time. I like to snack on them while I make the salad or save some for later. Add however many you like!

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