This delightful spinach salad combines tender baby spinach leaves, a flavorful vinaigrette, tangy goat cheese crumbles, and crunchy pecans.
It's an easy salad, and if you use pre-washed spinach leaves and crumbled goat cheese, it's ready in just ten minutes.
I typically serve spinach cooked in recipes like creamed spinach, steamed spinach, and sauteed spinach. But fresh spinach leaves dressed in a simple vinaigrette are delicious, too!
The secret ingredient in this recipe is the pecans. They add flavor and crunch, while the goat cheese adds creaminess and a tangy flavor. This is one of my favorite salads to make for my family - it's about time I shared it with you guys!
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Ingredients
Here's a look at the ingredients needed for this recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
For the Dressing
- Olive oil: I use extra virgin olive oil.
- Apple cider vinegar: I like its hint of sweetness.
- Mustard: I use creamy Dijon mustard. It adds flavor and helps the dressing emulsify.
- Maple syrup: Just a teaspoon to balance out the sourness of the vinegar and mustard.
- Minced garlic: Just ½ teaspoon. You never want to overdo raw garlic.
- Salt and pepper: I use freshly ground black pepper.
For the Salad
- Baby spinach leaves: It's best to use pre-washed spinach. It's not just easy but also ensures the spinach leaves are dry.
- Red onions: Slice them very thinly and use just ¼ cup. Just like garlic, we don't want to overdo it.
- Crumbled goat cheese: I LOVE the tang and creaminess it adds to the salad.
- Pecan halves: Add sweetness and crunch.
Variations
- Although I prefer apple cider vinegar, it's OK to use white wine vinegar. Please avoid using distilled white vinegar. It's too acidic.
- Crumbled feta is an acceptable substitute for goat cheese, but goat cheese is better. Goat cheese adds creaminess and tang, while feta adds mostly saltiness.
- You can replace the pecans with walnuts, although I prefer pecans. Both add crunch, but pecans are slightly sweet, while walnuts are slightly bitter.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here's an overview of the steps for making this salad:
Add the dressing ingredients to a jar, close the lid tightly, and shake until the ingredients emulsify into a dressing.
Pour the dressing on spinach leaves and toss to coat.
Arrange the spinach on a serving platter. Top it with sliced red onions, crumbled goat cheese, and pecan halves. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- The pretty presentation is a big part of this salad's appeal. That's why I coat the spinach in the dressing and arrange the other ingredients on top instead of just mixing everything in a bowl.
- Pecans are delicious raw, but you can spread them on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet and toast them in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes if you wish.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can use lettuce - especially romaine lettuce - or arugula.
You can omit it, but it does balance the other flavors nicely. Sugar-free maple is an acceptable substitute if your concern is sugar or carbs, although we only use a teaspoon for the entire salad.
No. It's too strong to be used in the amounts listed here.
Serving Suggestions
This salad makes a perfect side dish for countless main courses! I often serve it with baked drumsticks, New York strip steak, or baked cod.
I also love turning it into a complete meal by topping it with a protein. Good options include hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp, grilled skirt steak, and baked salmon.
In the photo below, you can see a recent lunch my husband and I enjoyed. I served this salad surrounded with slices of tender poached chicken. It was so good!
Storing Leftovers
Spinach salad should be enjoyed freshly prepared. The dressed spinach will wilt if stored. Please only make as much as you can finish right away.
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Recipe Card
Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Pecans
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic - fresh, minced
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup - real or sugar-free
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper - freshly ground
Salad:
- 5 ounces baby spinach leaves
- ¼ cup red onion - thinly sliced; 20 grams
- ½ cup pecans - halved; 60 grams
- ½ cup goat cheese - crumbled; 60 grams
Instructions
- In a small jar with a lid, combine the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, maple syrup, salt, and pepper.
- Close the lid tightly and shake the jar until the ingredients emulsify into a smooth, velvety dressing.
- Place the spinach leaves in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat the leaves.
- Arrange the coated spinach leaves on a serving platter. Scatter the red onions on top.
- Add the pecan halves and goat cheese crumbles, evenly spreading them on the spinach leaves.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- The pretty presentation is a big part of this salad's appeal. That's why I coat the spinach in the dressing and arrange the other ingredients on top instead of just mixing everything in a bowl.
- Pecans are delicious raw, but you can spread them on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet and toast them in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes if you wish.
- Acceptable substitutions include walnuts instead of pecans and crumbled feta instead of goat cheese (but goat cheese is creamier and pecans are sweeter).
- Turn this salad into a complete meal by topping it with a protein. Good options include hard-boiled eggs, grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp, grilled skirt steak, and baked salmon.
- This salad should be enjoyed freshly prepared. The dressed spinach will wilt if stored. Please only make as much as you can finish right away.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
Yael
Yum! I LOVE the combination of goat cheese and pecans. Dried cranberries are great too in this salad, if you can spare the carbs!
*I'm Vered's daughter, but this is my honest opinion!*
Vered DeLeeuw
Agree on the cranberries, Yael! 🙂
Carol
Delicious !! Can make with mozzarella or jack cheese.
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you liked it, Carol! Thanks for sharing your tweaks.