Strawberry Spinach Salad with Almonds and Goat Cheese
Feb 28, 2013, Updated Mar 20, 2024
I know this recipe isn’t altogether seasonal – the thought of fresh, local strawberries might make my heart go pitter-patter, but I accept that it will still be many months away before they reach my belly. However, I walked past a display of California berries the other day and I just couldn’t resist.
This dressing has a secret ingredient – Worcestershire sauce. My mom’s version calls for a lot of it – there’s even a scribbling at the top of her recipe, “Note: amount of Worcestershire not a mistake”. I think hers called for something like 1/2 cup – granted, it yields a large amount.
Unable to track down the index card where I had scribbled her formula, I riffed on it – with very tasty results.
Worcestershire sauce is based on a tangy blend of malt vinegar, molasses, tamarind, sugar, anchovies, onion and garlic – really, it makes perfect sense for a vinaigrette. And while it has a distinct aroma in the bottle, you really can’t detect it in the salad.
The other components of the dressing are grated onion (in a small amount, but not negotiable – it’s very important!), sugar, oil, pungent white vinegar and crunchy poppyseeds. It’s quite sweet – it really enhances the strawberries and takes the earthy edge off of the raw spinach.
Toasted almonds and creamy cheese add textural interest. To toast almonds, spread on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven and bake for about 6 minutes, watching closely and shaking the pan a couple of times.
I didn’t have goat cheese, and I had some feta to use up – you can use either, but my preference is for soft goat cheese.
Toss with some cooked, cooled quinoa and/or sliced chicken for a complete meal.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Almonds and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
For dressing:
- 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tbsp finely grated onion
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
For Salad:
- 12 cups 2-10 oz bags baby spinach
- 2 cups 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
- ½ cup sliced almonds toasted
- 4 oz 6 tbsp/110 g soft goat cheese or feta, crumbled
Instructions
- Whisk together all dressing ingredients, taste, and add more salt if needed.
- In a large bowl, combine baby spinach and sliced strawberries. Add a splash of dressing and toss. Repeat, adding small amounts of dressing and tossing until leaves are lightly coated (you will have extra dressing).
- Divide among six plates and top with sliced almonds and goat cheese (or add almonds and cheese to the large bowl and gently toss everything together).
I’m crying! The middle collapsed after I put the toothpick in to check if it was done…
Put it back in the oven, Jenn! That means it wasn’t done yet… 🙁 I’m sorry to hear that happened….
Put it back in the oven, Jenn! That means it wasn’t done yet… 🙁 I’m sorry to hear that happened….
Making this right now. I had everything but the loaf pan. Borrowed one from my neighbor. I’m not really a baker so I hope the pan size is right. I measured it 2 ways, the top edge is 9 by 5 but under neath of that is 8 1/2 by 4 1/4. I guess it’s close enough. Wish this very inexperienced girl luck 🙂
I made this cake twice this week and it is incredibly tasty.  My only problem is that both times it sunk in the middle – it was about half the height in the middle as it was on the sides.  I used a pretty good quality loaf pan (Paderno) and reduced the baking time by 15 minutes when I made it the second time because it was overcooked the first time.  Any idea why the middle is not rising like the sides are?  (I am willing to try almost anything because the cake is that good.)
TRY A PYREX GLASS LOAF PAN.. WORKS FINE
Ummmmm! This looks so good and similar to the pound cake that I’ve eaten which was fantastic, but it was a bunt so my question is can this be made as a bundt instead of a loaf just to get more servings??????
Not without really tinkering the recipe! There wouldn’t be enough batter…
Thanks for the delicious recipe. Finally a pound cake with 2 eggs! Was searching for a cream cheese pound cake but not with 6 eggs as all the other recipes suggested. This was so decadent and moist. I made it to serve with afernoon tea for some guests and got so many compliments. Will definitely add to my regular recipes. The cream cheese makes it so moist and melt in your mouth. I baked mine in a round cake pan and it was ready in 1hr10 mins. I drizzled lemon icing on it to make it look fancier but it really doesnt need anything. I prefered it plain straight out of the oven. So yummy!
I AGREE MIA, I MADE IT TODAY AND ITS SO MOIST AND RICH, AND WEIGHES A LOT MORE THEN A POUND…LOL, ITS A KEEPER, MAY MAKE A LEMON SAUCE FOR IT, BUT NEEDS NOTHING BUT A PLATE AND A CUP OF COFFEE.. THANK YOU,.:) AND MY HUBBY LOVED THE CRUST.. COMPARED TO STORE BOUGHT FLAT LOAF CAKES.
Thanks for the delicious recipe. Finally a pound cake with 2 eggs! Was searching for a cream cheese pound cake but not with 6 eggs as all the other recipes suggested. This was so decadent and moist. I made it to serve with afernoon tea for some guests and got so many compliments. Will definitely add to my regular recipes. The cream cheese makes it so moist and melt in your mouth. I baked mine in a round cake pan and it was ready in 1hr10 mins. I drizzled lemon icing on it to make it look fancier but it really doesnt need anything. I prefered it plain straight out of the oven. So yummy!
I AGREE MIA, I MADE IT TODAY AND ITS SO MOIST AND RICH, AND WEIGHES A LOT MORE THEN A POUND…LOL, ITS A KEEPER, MAY MAKE A LEMON SAUCE FOR IT, BUT NEEDS NOTHING BUT A PLATE AND A CUP OF COFFEE.. THANK YOU,.:) AND MY HUBBY LOVED THE CRUST.. COMPARED TO STORE BOUGHT FLAT LOAF CAKES.
Ummmmm! This looks so good and similar to the pound cake that I’ve eaten which was fantastic, but it was a bunt so my question is can this be made as a bundt instead of a loaf just to get more servings??????
Not without really tinkering the recipe! There wouldn’t be enough batter…
I’m crying! The middle collapsed after I put the toothpick in to check if it was done…
Put it back in the oven, Jenn! That means it wasn’t done yet… 🙁 I’m sorry to hear that happened….
Put it back in the oven, Jenn! That means it wasn’t done yet… 🙁 I’m sorry to hear that happened….
Making this right now. I had everything but the loaf pan. Borrowed one from my neighbor. I’m not really a baker so I hope the pan size is right. I measured it 2 ways, the top edge is 9 by 5 but under neath of that is 8 1/2 by 4 1/4. I guess it’s close enough. Wish this very inexperienced girl luck 🙂
I made this cake twice this week and it is incredibly tasty. My only problem is that both times it sunk in the middle – it was about half the height in the middle as it was on the sides. I used a pretty good quality loaf pan (Paderno) and reduced the baking time by 15 minutes when I made it the second time because it was overcooked the first time. Any idea why the middle is not rising like the sides are? (I am willing to try almost anything because the cake is that good.)
TRY A PYREX GLASS LOAF PAN.. WORKS FINE