Roasted Strawberry, Goat Cheese & Arugula Salad
There is something quietly beautiful about strawberries in a savory salad. When roasted, they become softer, deeper, and more concentrated — their natural sweetness turning almost jammy at the edges while still holding onto a bright, fresh character.
This Roasted Strawberry, Goat Cheese & Arugula Salad is elegant, seasonal, and simple in the best way. Peppery arugula meets warm roasted strawberries, creamy goat cheese, toasted nuts, fresh herbs, and a bright balsamic vinaigrette. The result is a salad that feels refined enough for brunch or a dinner gathering, but easy enough to make for a beautiful weekday lunch.
At The Verdant Table, salads are never an afterthought. They are an opportunity to layer color, texture, freshness, and flavor in a way that feels abundant and intentional. This salad brings all of that together — sweet, tangy, creamy, crisp, peppery, and beautifully balanced.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This salad is fresh and elegant, but still easy to prepare. Roasting the strawberries gives the dish a more layered flavor, while goat cheese adds creaminess and arugula brings a peppery bite.
You’ll love it because it is:
- Bright, seasonal, and colorful
- Elegant enough for entertaining
- Simple enough for everyday meals
- A beautiful balance of sweet, tangy, creamy, and peppery
- Vegetarian and easy to adapt
- Perfect for spring, summer, brunch, lunch, or a light dinner
Ingredients
For the Roasted Strawberries
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
For the Salad
- 5 cups baby arugula
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ⅓ cup toasted pistachios, almonds, or walnuts
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion or shallot
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil or mint, torn
- Optional: ½ avocado, sliced
- Optional: cooked farro, quinoa, or couscous for a heartier salad
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
1. Roast the Strawberries
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the strawberries on the baking sheet and toss gently with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup or honey, sea salt, and black pepper.
Roast for 12–16 minutes, or until the strawberries soften and release some of their juices. They should look glossy and slightly jammy, but not completely collapsed.
Let them cool slightly before adding them to the salad.
2. Make the Vinaigrette
In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup or honey, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper until smooth and emulsified.
Taste and adjust as needed. Add a little more lemon for brightness, more maple or honey for softness, or more vinegar for tang.
3. Assemble the Salad
Add the arugula to a large serving bowl or platter. Scatter the roasted strawberries over the top, followed by goat cheese, toasted nuts, red onion or shallot, and fresh herbs.
If using avocado, farro, quinoa, or couscous, add it now.
4. Dress and Serve
Drizzle the vinaigrette lightly over the salad just before serving. Toss gently or serve arranged on a platter for a more elegant presentation.
Finish with extra black pepper, a few more herbs, and any roasted strawberry juices from the pan.
Tips for the Best Salad
Use ripe but firm strawberries. Very soft strawberries may collapse too much when roasted.
Let the roasted strawberries cool slightly before adding them to the arugula so the greens do not wilt too quickly.
Toast the nuts for the best flavor and texture. A few minutes in a dry skillet makes them more fragrant and crisp.
Dress the salad right before serving so the arugula stays fresh and lively.
For a more substantial meal, add cooked farro, quinoa, pearl couscous, or chickpeas.
Serving Ideas
This salad is beautiful for spring brunch, summer lunches, garden gatherings, Mother’s Day, Easter, or a light dinner with soup, tartines, or a simple pasta.
Serve it alongside:
- Lemon olive oil cake
- A vegetable tart or galette
- Creamy soup
- Grilled salmon
- Herbed quinoa
- Toasted sourdough
- A light pasta or risotto
It also makes a beautiful first course for an elegant plant-forward dinner.
Substitutions
You can Use feta instead of goat cheese for a saltier flavor.
dairy-free cheese or avocado for a vegan option.
spinach, mixed greens, or baby kale instead of arugula.
raspberries, peaches, or figs when strawberries are out of season.
Try walnuts, almonds, pecans, or pistachios depending on what you have.
Use honey instead of maple syrup if the recipe does not need to be vegan.
Storage Notes
This salad is best served fresh.
The roasted strawberries can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
The vinaigrette can be made up to 5 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Shake or whisk before using.
Store the greens, roasted strawberries, cheese, nuts, and dressing separately until ready to serve.
Roasted Strawberry, Goat Cheese & Arugula Salad
Ingredients
Roasted Strawberries
- 2 cups fresh strawberries hulled and halved
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Salad
- 5 cups baby arugula
- ½ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ⅓ cup toasted pistachios almonds, or walnuts
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion or shallot
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil or mint torn
- Optional: ½ avocado sliced
- Optional: cooked farro quinoa, or couscous
Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss strawberries with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup or honey, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Roast for 12–16 minutes, until softened, glossy, and slightly jammy. Let cool slightly.
- Whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup or honey, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper to make the vinaigrette.
- Arrange arugula on a serving platter or in a large bowl.
- Top with roasted strawberries, goat cheese, toasted nuts, red onion or shallot, and fresh herbs.
- Drizzle with vinaigrette just before serving.
- Finish with extra herbs, black pepper, and roasted strawberry juices if desired.
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