Summer fruit salads usually fall into one of two camps: boring bowls of melon chunks, or overly sweet concoctions drowning in sugar syrup. This one’s different.
The combination of juicy strawberries and tangy goat cheese sounds unusual at first, but it’s actually a classic pairing that works incredibly well. The creaminess of the cheese balances the fruit’s natural sweetness, while fresh mint and a light honey drizzle tie everything together.
I started making this when I needed something to bring to cookouts that wasn’t just another pasta salad. It’s become my go-to contribution because it looks impressive, tastes better than expected, and takes maybe 15 minutes to throw together.
Plus, it holds up surprisingly well at room temperature, which makes it perfect for picnics and potlucks.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This salad requires no cooking whatsoever. Just slice, crumble, and toss—that’s it.
The tangy goat cheese adds a savory element that makes this feel more sophisticated than your average fruit bowl. It’s the kind of thing that makes people ask for the recipe.
You can prep most of it ahead of time and add the dressing right before serving. The ingredient list is short, and everything’s easy to find at any grocery store.
It works as a side dish, a light lunch, or even a unique appetizer. The flavors are bright and refreshing without being cloying.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of sea salt
- Fresh black pepper to taste
- Chef recommended, ideal for strawberries, tomatoes, melon, watermelon and cucumber
- Simply scoop the stem by inserting the teeth of the corer and twist it out. Measures 4.75in/12cm
- Effortlessly core your tomatoes and strawberries without mangling fruit. Hand wash recommended
- Professional kitchen gadget fruit corer remover will make cooking so much easier than using a knife
- Red, durable and heavy duty baller with stainless steel teeth for better removal of fruits heart
Instructions
Hull and halve the strawberries, then place them in a large serving bowl. Add the blueberries to the bowl.
Toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until they’re golden and fragrant. Set them aside to cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, and olive oil until well combined. Add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
Add the crumbled goat cheese and torn mint leaves to the fruit. Drizzle the honey-lemon dressing over everything.
Gently toss the salad to combine, being careful not to break up the goat cheese too much. You want some creamy chunks throughout.
Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the top just before serving. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours. If making ahead, wait to add the almonds and dressing until just before serving to keep everything fresh and crisp.
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Strawberry Goat Cheese Fruit Salad
This fresh strawberry goat cheese salad combines sweet berries, tangy cheese, and crunchy toasted almonds with a simple honey-lemon dressing.
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Pinch of sea salt
- Fresh black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Hull and halve the strawberries, then place them in a large serving bowl. Add the blueberries to the bowl.
- Toast the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until they’re golden and fragrant. Set them aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, and olive oil until well combined. Add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
- Add the crumbled goat cheese and torn mint leaves to the fruit. Drizzle the honey-lemon dressing over everything.
- Gently toss the salad to combine, being careful not to break up the goat cheese too much. You want some creamy chunks throughout.
- Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the top just before serving. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours. If making ahead, wait to add the almonds and dressing until just before serving to keep everything fresh and crisp.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
