This goat cheese salad features a delicious blend of arugula, Lebanese cucumbers, purple onions, grapes, cranberries, and goat cheese—all topped with a lemony vinaigrette to give you that fresh zest and tangy flavor.
Great for summer evenings to combat the oppressive heat, this salad recipe is best to pair with a dry, zesty white wine like Sauvignon Blanc.
Inspired by the rolling hills of France
A year after university, I spent a memorable week in France with my best friend, Sarah. We went to Paris, feasted on cheeses and cheap wine, and took embarrassing selfies. We then spent a weekend in Lille in Northern France with the family that hosted Sarah when she was still a student. It was there, in a small and cozy farmhouse in Lille, that the inspiration for this amazing salad came.
The family's mom would serve simple food—quiches, fish, pasta—but always with a side of salad consisting of bitter leafy greens such as arugula and endive. Sprinkled with creamy cheese and fresh, dried fruit, the combination of these flavors became unforgettable, which is why, years from now, I still find myself replicating the flavor combinations in my own kitchen!
To make this salad, we use arugula as this salad’s leafy greens. Combined with Lebanese cucumbers, purple onions, sliced almonds, grapes, and dried cranberries, the salad becomes a sweet and savory mix of flavors. We then marinate it in a tangy lemon vinaigrette and top it with a healthy serving of goat cheese and poppy seeds for a pop of texture.
The not-so-secret tip is to use ripened goat cheese because of its creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture. After successfully mixing the main ingredients, douse the salad with olive oil, add jam, season with salt and pepper, and viola! You’ve just made your new favorite summer salad!
Directions to make my Goat Cheese Salad Recipe
Ingredients For this salad with goat cheese
- Arugula: Peppery and vibrant leafy green, providing a robust base for the salad.
- Goat cheese: Creamy and tangy, adding richness and depth to each bite.
- Lebanese cucumbers: Crisp and refreshing, offering a subtle sweetness and smooth texture.
- Purple onion: Sharp and pungent, providing a flavorful contrast to the other ingredients.
- Sliced almonds: Crunchy and nutty, adding a delightful textural element to the salad.
- Grapes: Juicy and sweet, imparting bursts of fruity flavor throughout.
- Dried cranberries: Chewy and tart, balancing the sweetness of the grapes with a hint of acidity.
- Olive oil: Smooth and fruity, forming the base of the tangy lemon vinaigrette.
- Lemon juice: Bright and citrusy, adding a refreshing zing to the dressing.
- Jam: Sweet and flavorful, enhancing the tanginess of the vinaigrette with a touch of sweetness.
- Salt and pepper: Seasonings that elevate the flavors of the salad and dressing.
- Poppy seeds: Tiny and crunchy, sprinkled on top for a pop of texture and visual appeal.
If you prefer your salad to have a less lemony taste, you could add a splash of balsamic vinegar to it to prepare a balsamic vinaigrette.
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
Step-by-step instructions for my favorite salad:
Assemble the salad
In a large bowl, combine arugula and other mixed greens, sliced cucumbers, sliced onion, almonds, grapes, and cranberries.
Prepare the vinaigrette salad dressing
Then, to make the lemony vinaigrette, get a separate small bowl and whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a teaspoon of poppy seeds.
Add the goat cheese and garnish
Add sliced or crumbled soft goat cheese to the salad. Drizzle the dressing on top of the salad and toss everything together gently to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
Lastly, sprinkle some additional poppy seeds, walnuts, or candied pecans on top if you like. To taste, add salt and pepper, and serve this delectable side salad.
Storage
Transfer the leftover goat cheese salad into an airtight storage container in the crisper drawer of your fridge to prevent the ingredients from wilting quickly. This way, you can enjoy the salad for up to a week.
If you’re planning to use this recipe as meal prep, make sure the leafy greens are dry by giving them a whirl in a salad spinner or simply patting them dry using paper towels. Then, place the salad and dressing in separate airtight containers before refrigerating. You can mix them together when you’re ready to eat.
Keep in mind that cucumbers spoil as fast as one to two days, so it’s best if you don’t cut them immediately before storing them. On the other hand, the lemon vinaigrette will last up to four days in the fridge.
Top Tips
- Let the goat cheese sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. Do this before adding it to the salad. It helps make the goat cheese softer and more spreadable, achieving that creamy texture we’re going for.
- Choose extra-virgin olive oil. This variant works best for most marinades and dressings due to its herbaceous notes. Although light olive oil is cheaper than extra-virgin, it is highly processed and has fewer nutrients.
- Choose ripe and firm fruit. It’s a given that you shouldn’t choose unripe and hard fruit since it will taste sour or bitter. On the other hand, overripe fruit should also be avoided because it’ll perish easily and will turn to mush in the salad.
Accompanying Main Dishes for this side dish recipe
Sweet and creamy goat cheese salad with fruit can be an amazing tangy and savory side dish to serve with a lot of other dishes. Here are my ideas:
- Sheet-pan paprika chicken and veggies
- Cast-iron pan-fried sockeye salmon
- Festive Thanksgiving charcuterie board
- Gluten-free brie and pear quiche
- Creamy roasted eggplant soup
Recipe
Tried and loved this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below! Your reviews mean a lot to me, so if you've got any questions, please let me know in a comment.
Sweet and Creamy Goat Cheese Salad with Fruit
Ingredients
- 3 cups arugula
- 100 g ¾ cup goat cheese
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers sliced
- ½ purple onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup grapes halved
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons jam
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds plus more for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine fresh greens: arugula, sliced cucumbers, sliced onion, almonds, grapes, and cranberries.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, jam, salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon poppy seeds.
- Crumble or slice the goat cheese and add it to the salad.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine.
- Sprinkle additional poppy seeds on top before serving.
Tay says
Ksenie,
This salad looks scrumptious.
The dressing recipe calls for jam, what type did you use?
Thanks,
Tay
kseniaprints says
Thank you, Tay! I used homemade strawberry jam that I had on hand, but honestly, any jam will do.
Melissa says
My family loved this! We will be adding this to our regular dinner/lunch rotation
kseniaprints says
So happy to hear that!
John Dough says
this was very yummy. I added:
balsamic, green apple, strawberry. Definitely remembering this recipe thank you
kseniaprints says
Love these suggestions! Any bit of fruit works really well here.