Take advantage of fresh berry season with this delicious Summer Strawberry Salad! Loaded with fresh strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, pecans, goat cheese, and sparkling orange vinaigrette, it really is the perfect taste of summer!

It’s no secret that I’m all about salads. I love them any way I can get them, and I literally eat them daily. Of course I have my favorites, like my Blueberry Feta Salad or my Pineapple Crunch Salad (trust me…you have to try it!), but the truth is I’ve never met a salad I didn’t like.

And when it comes to summer salads, I especially love them with fresh fruit. Because the fresh fruit selection is amazing…and the savory-sweet combination of fruit + cheese + nuts is exactly what a good salad recipe needs.

Case in point: this Summer Strawberry Salad! It’s loaded with fresh berries, mandarin oranges, goat cheese, and pecans… and the homemade orange vinaigrette is the perfect finishing touch. It’s delicious as a side dish OR main dish, and we love topping it with our favorite grilled chicken, salmon, or shrimp for an even more satisfying meal!

what you’ll need for this recipe

Lettuce – I used 8 ounces of spring mix as the base of this salad. You can substitute arugula, baby spinach, a spring mix blend, or any type of lettuce you like.

Fruit – I used a combination of sliced strawberries, blueberries, and mandarin oranges. You could also add blackberries, raspberries, or fresh pineapple to the mix.

Pecans – I added 1/2 cup unsalted pecans for a nutty crunch. Substitute candied pecans for an extra special treat!

Goat cheese – I used 3.5 ounces of crumbled goat cheese. Substitute creamy feta, blue cheese, or Parmesan.

Onions – I added 2 Tablespoons sliced green onions.

how to make summer strawberry salad

Add the spring mix to a large bowl. Pour the lettuce into a large salad bowl.

Top with remaining ingredients. Add the fruits, pecans, goat cheese, and green onions.

Prepare the dressing. In a small jar with a lid, combine sparkling orange juice, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Shake well.

Drizzle and toss the salad. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Serve. Serve the dressed salad in individual serving bowls.

Recipe Variations

Use any of your favorite types of lettuce
Add additional fruits, such as mango, pineapple, blackberries, raspberries or kiwi
Substitute crumbled feta cheese or blue cheese for the goat cheese
Add homemade croutons
Top it with balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette
Substitute candied walnuts, almonds, or pistachios for the pecans
Use chopped red onion instead of green onion
Add sliced avocado, tomatoes, or chickpeas

make-ahead & storage tips

You can easily make this salad in advance, cover it tightly, and simply wait to add the dressing until you are ready to serve it. Once you add the dressing, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge but will probably want to eat them within the same day. The good news is this salad will be such a hit, there won’t likely be much leftover.

More Summer Salad Recipes

Looking for even more delicious summer salads? Look no further! These are our tried and true favorites.