Strawberry Crunch Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette Recipe
A refreshing and crunchy Strawberry Crunch Salad featuring peppery arugula, sweet strawberries, creamy avocado, tangy goat cheese, and toasted sugared almonds, all tossed in a zesty champagne vinaigrette. Perfect as a light lunch or a vibrant side dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad
- ⅔ cup sliced or slivered almonds
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 10 ounces arugula greens
- 8 ounces strawberries, hulled and quartered or chopped
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 2 ounces crumbled goat cheese
- ⅓ cup roasted salted pistachios, chopped
For the Champagne Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, freshly grated
- Pinch kosher salt and pepper
- ½ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare Sugared Almonds: Place the almonds in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar melts and forms a caramel coating over the almonds, about 6 to 8 minutes. Be vigilant to prevent burning. Transfer the almonds to parchment paper to cool, then break any clumps apart.
- Make Champagne Vinaigrette: In a large bowl, combine champagne vinegar, honey, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, freshly grated garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk together thoroughly. Slowly stream in the olive oil while continuously whisking until the dressing emulsifies. Refrigerate dressing for up to one week.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large bowl, toss arugula with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add strawberries, chopped avocado, crumbled goat cheese, chopped pistachios, and the cooled sugared almonds. Drizzle with the prepared champagne vinaigrette and toss well to coat evenly.
- Serve: Serve the salad immediately to enjoy the fresh flavors and crisp textures at their best.
Notes
- Watch the sugared almonds carefully as the sugar caramelizes to avoid burning.
- For extra crunch, you can substitute or mix in other nuts such as pecans or walnuts.
- The champagne vinaigrette can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
- To make this salad vegan, omit the goat cheese or replace it with a vegan cheese alternative.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor and sweetness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg
Keywords: Strawberry salad, crunchy salad, arugula salad, champagne vinaigrette, sugared almonds, goat cheese salad, summer salad
