This arugula goat cheese salad recipe is great as a side salad or a main dish when topped with shrimp, chicken or salmon.
Arugula Goat Cheese Salad
Best Cheese For Salad
I LOVE creamy goat cheese!! I’m not sure that I tasted it until I was in college. I remember the Brixx Pizza house salad with goat cheese was where I fell in love with it when I was at Davidson.
While occasionally I will buy crumbly goat cheese, a fresh log crumbled yourself tastes so much better!
For more ideas on what to do with fresh cheese, out these bedazzled goat cheese logs, this pumpkin goat cheese lasagna or Anne’s goat cheese frittata.
This perfect spring salad is both loaded with healthy nutrients and packed with fresh flavor! You can have the whole recipe complete and cleaned up in less than 30 minutes.
The perfect spring salad
This arugula salad brings together the fresh goat cheese with spring strawberries, peppery arugula, toasted walnuts, and an orangey dressing.
I added shrimp that I sautéed in some Cajun seasoning on top for an easy lunch.
Arugula Goat Cheese Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- Fresh arugula – you can sub in any tender salad green that you like
- Goat cheese – goat cheese is the star, but if you really don’t love it, use feta instead
- Walnuts – Toasted
- Fresh strawberries – Sliced
- Shrimp – tossed in Cajun seasoning (optional)
Dressing For Goat Cheese Salad
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp orange juice (freshly squeezed is best!)
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Pinch garlic powder (or a clove if you like)
- 2 pinches kosher salt
- 3 grinds pepper
Instructions
Rinse fresh produce
Wash and slice the strawberries and arugula. Wash and slice the orange for the dressing. Crumble the goat cheese.
Make the dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until well blended. Season with salt and pepper.
Toast walnuts
Chop walnuts if using whole ones, and toast in a toaster oven for 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. Stand there and watch so you don’t burn them!
Cook protein (if adding)
If you’re using shrimp, season both sides with Cajun seasoning and sauté in a pan for a few minutes per side, until shrimp are cooked through and golden brown.
Assemble
In a large bowl (shout out to my grandmother’s vintage bowl!), toss arugula with dressing.
Then mix in berries and walnuts. Gently toss in crumbled goat cheese.
Finally, top with shrimp.
Tips For How To Make Arugula Goat Cheese Salad
Mix up your goat cheese
As I mentioned, a log of goat cheese is much more creamy and flavorful than goat cheese crumbles. There are also lots of delicious flavored herb goat cheeses out there that you can use to boost the salad up a notch. You can also swap in blue cheese or feta if you prefer.
Swap in spiced nuts
Spiced pecans, candied walnuts, or truffle almonds would also be great to swap in here!
Mix up your proteins
Chicken or salmon would be great here too. Fresh lima beans or white cannellini beans would be good for vegetarians. Or a No Bull Burger! Use whatever proteins you have on hand.
More dressing ideas
I have an e-book full of homemade dressings, and this post shares more about it.
Also check out the post on DIY Salad Dressing for tips on creating your own! If you don’t have an orange, lemon juice works too, but add a little honey for sweetness. You can use balsamic vinegar for a stronger flavor or honey mustard for a sweeter dressing.
Store in the fridge for a few days
We ate this salad for both lunch with shrimp and as a side salad with dinner. It will keep in the fridge undressed for a day or so.
What To Make With Arugula?
If you have extra arugula (or fall in love with this spicy green) there are so many delicious ways to use it:
- Arugula as a sandwich topper. This hearty green does not wilt easily.
- Add it to an omelet in lieu of spinach.
- Wilt it into spaghetti or pasta dishes for added nutrition.
- Mix it with grains for a half salad / half warm grain bowl. Spiced Millet Salad + Wheatberry Salad.
- Serve it with beans like this Herby Lentil Salad.
- Try using a food processor to make arugula pesto!
Read more: all about lettuce nutrition!
Arugula Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients
- 1 container arugula
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1/3 cup walnuts
- 5 large strawberries
- 8 large shrimp
For the dressing
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp orange juice freshly squeezed is best!
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Pinch garlic powder
- 2 pinches kosher salt
- 3 grinds pepper
Instructions
- Wash and slice the strawberries and arugula. Wash and slice the orange for the dressing. Crumble the goat cheese.
- In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients until well blended. Season with salt and pepper.
- Chop walnuts if using whole ones, and toast in a toaster oven for 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. Stand there and watch so you don't burn them!
- If you're using shrimp, season both sides with cajon seasoning and saute in a pan for a few minutes per side, until shrimp are cooked through.
- In a large bowl, toss arugula with dressing. Then mix it berries and walnuts. Gently toss in crumbled goat cheese. Finally, top with shrimp.
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