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Tantalizing Strawberry Crunch Salad

As seen in Fresh, Vibrant Salads for Every Season.

This colorful fruity crunch salad brings together seasonal ingredients. The peppery arugula creates a zesty foundation, layered with juicy strawberries, buttery avocado, tangy goat cheese bits, and crunchy pistachios. The star players are the candied almonds that add a delicious toffee-like bite. Everything gets tossed in a bright champagne dressing made from honey, fresh garlic, and tangy dijon. It's a treat for both your taste buds and eyes. You can whip it up in half an hour to feed four people. Everyone will love this dish no matter when you serve it!

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Lindsey
Created By Lindsey
Last updated on Wed, 23 Apr 2025 20:27:16 GMT
A bowl of fruit and vegetables. Save Pin
A bowl of fruit and vegetables. | cookbing.com

The bright strawberry crunch salad mixes fresh berries, soft avocado, and sweet almonds for a cool meal that hits all the right notes between taste and texture. I whipped up this dish while hunting for an eye-catching summer option that would wow friends but still be easy enough to throw together on busy weeknights.

I first brought this to a spring get-together where everyone scraped their plates clean. The sugar-coated almonds are so popular now that my kids ask me to make them just for snacking.

Ingredients

Step-by-Step Instructions

A bowl of fruit salad with strawberries, avocado, and nuts. Save Pin
A bowl of fruit salad with strawberries, avocado, and nuts. | cookbing.com

The sugar-coated almonds are honestly the hidden gem in this dish. I stumbled upon them a while back when trying new salad add-ins and can't go without them now. Their sweet crunch next to the soft goat cheese creates a taste combo that makes everyone beg for my secret.

Make It a Meal

A bowl of fruit salad with strawberries, avocado, and feta cheese. Save Pin
A bowl of fruit salad with strawberries, avocado, and feta cheese. | cookbing.com

Storage and Prep Tips

The dressing stays good in the fridge for about a week. I usually fix a bigger batch to have handy for quick salads all week long. Just let it warm up a bit and give it a good shake before you use it.

When cooking for company, you can cut everything except the avocado many hours ahead. Keep all prepped stuff separately in the fridge, then cut the avocado and throw it all together right before eating.

Seasonal Adaptations

Common Questions

→ What's the best way to keep the almonds from burning?

Stick with medium heat and don't stop stirring the almonds and sugar mixture. Stay right there watching them because sugar can turn black in seconds.

→ Can I swap the cheese for something else?

Sure thing, you can try feta or even blue cheese instead of goat cheese to get a whole different taste.

→ What works if I don't have champagne vinegar?

You can go with white wine vinegar or even apple cider vinegar if you're out of champagne vinegar.

→ How should I keep extra dressing?

Pop any leftover dressing in a sealed container in your fridge and it'll stay good for a week. Just give it a good shake before you use it again.

→ Is it OK to make this salad in advance?

You can fix the sweet almonds and dressing ahead, but wait until you're ready to eat before tossing everything together so it stays fresh and crisp.

Fruity Crisp Salad

Juicy strawberry salad with creamy avocado, tangy goat cheese, and sweet candied almonds in a sparkling vinaigrette.

Preparation Time
25 Minutes
Cooking Time
5 Minutes
Overall Time
30 Minutes
Created By: Lindsey

Recipe Type: Salads

Skill Level: Moderate

Type of Cuisine: American

Serves: 4 Portions

Diet Preferences: Suitable for Vegetarians, Gluten-Free Option

What You'll Need

→ Salad

01 ⅔ cup chopped or thin-cut almonds
02 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 10 ounces fresh arugula
04 8 ounces fresh strawberries, cut into small chunks
05 1 avocado, diced
06 2 ounces goat cheese crumbles
07 ⅓ cup chopped roasted salty pistachios

→ Champagne Vinaigrette

08 3 tablespoons bubbly vinegar
09 Juice from half a lemon
10 2 tablespoons natural honey
11 1 teaspoon sharp dijon
12 1 fresh garlic clove, grated
13 Small amount of kosher salt and fresh pepper
14 1/2 cup good olive oil

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 01

Toss the almonds into a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add sugar and keep stirring until it melts and covers all the nuts, taking about 6 to 8 minutes. Put the hot almonds on parchment to cool down, then break apart any clumps.

Step 02

Grab a big bowl and throw in the arugula with a bit of salt and pepper. Add your cut strawberries, diced avocado, crumbled goat cheese, pistachios, and candied almonds. Pour some dressing on top and mix it all up. Eat it right away.

Step 03

In a wide bowl, dump in the bubbly vinegar, fresh lemon juice, honey, sharp dijon, grated garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix it all together. Slowly pour in your olive oil while you keep whisking until everything blends smoothly. You can keep this in your fridge for a whole week.

Essential Tools

  • Non-stick frying pan
  • Big mixing bowl
  • Whisking tool
  • Baking parchment

Allergen Warnings

Always review the ingredient labels for allergens or consult a healthcare professional with concerns.
  • Watch out for nuts (almonds and pistachios)
  • Has dairy stuff (goat cheese)

Nutritional Info (Per Portion)

Nutritional values are approximations and shouldn’t be viewed as customized health guidance.
  • Calories: 280.5
  • Fat Content: 21.4 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 18.2 grams
  • Protein Content: 6.7 grams