Berry, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Salad

This delightful Berry, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Salad is not only fresh and easy to prepare but also an ideal choice for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner!

Why You’ll 🫶🏻 this Salad

This salad is all about the berries, goat cheese, and pistachios, which are a match made in culinary heaven. It is a delicious combination of tart and sweet berries, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy pistachios, piled on tender mesclun, all drizzled with a rich homemade raspberry dressing made with pistachio oil. This salad is not only ideal for busy weeknights but also perfect for effortless entertaining. You can easily customize it by adding more ingredients or protein to suit your taste. Enjoy! ~Nicole

Key Ingredients for Berry, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Salad

Raspberry Dressing uses frozen raspberries to provide a natural, sweet, and tangy base, while white sugar and honey are added to offset the raspberries’ tartness and elevate the overall flavor profile. The addition of honey not only brings another natural sweetness but also contributes to a smoother texture. Dijon mustard provides a sharpness and helps emulsify the dressing. Red wine vinegar adds sharp acidity that enhances the dressing’s flavor, while pistachio oil infuses a rich, nutty essence that beautifully complements the raspberries’ fruity notes.

Fresh Goat Cheese adds a creamy, tangy element to this berry salad, perfectly balancing the fruit’s sweetness. This combination not only enhances the flavor profile but also introduces a rich texture that elevates the salad’s overall freshness.

Mesclun is a delightful blend of various young salad greens, typically featuring arugula, spinach, and other tender leafy lettuces. This mix offers a vibrant and flavorful addition to salads, enhancing both taste and texture.

Mixed Fresh Berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, create a vibrant and delicious medley of flavors.

Roasted Pistachios bring a delightful crunch and a rich, nutty flavor that beautifully complements the sweetness of berries, creating a pleasing contrast in texture.

Equipment Needed

• Mini food processor
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Salad dressing shaker

Tips for Making Berry, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Salad

1. Purée thawed raspberries in a mini food processor until smooth. Transfer the purée to a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Strain by pressing the solids with a small ladle or silicone spatula to yield ¼ cup.
2. To make the dressing, I like to use a salad shaker to easily emulsify and store the dressing if making it one day in advance, but you can use a bowl and a whisk. Mix together the purée, honey, sugar, Dijon, and oil, and give the dressing a good shake. If using a bowl and a whisk, gradually add the oil to emulsify the dressing.
3. Place the mesclun or spring mix in a large bowl. Drizzle with ½ cup of the dressing and gently toss to coat. Divide the greens among 6 shallow salad plates. Top with mixed berries, goat cheese, and pistachios. Serve the remaining dressing separately.

Substitutions

With so few and simple ingredients, substituting too many will result in a completely different recipe. That said, here are some ideas.

• Substitute the pistachio oil with olive oil, or use half of each.
• Substitute the pistachios with another nut, like roasted sliced almonds or walnuts.
• If substituting another nut for the pistachios, replace the pistachio oil with the corresponding nut oil.
• Substitute the mesclun with a spinach-and-arugula mixture.
• Substitute the goat cheese with feta cheese.
• Substitute some of the mixed berries with sliced cucumber and/or diced avocado.
• Add some minced shallots or red onion to the greens right before tossing with the dressing and serving.
• Add chopped chives or mint for another fresh layer of flavor.

Serving Suggestions

This salad is welcome at brunch, lunch, or as a light dinner. I like to serve it on individual plates, but you can gently toss all the ingredients together to avoid the goat cheese melding with the dressing. It can also be served with protein, like eggs, chicken, salmon, or even pork. Here are some ideas.

• Deviled Eggs
• Gravlax Stuffed Eggs
• Baked Eggs in Ham Cups
• Cucumber and Basil Egg Salad
• Simple Roast Chicken or sliced grilled chicken
• Grilled Salmon with Lime Butter Sauce
• Grilled Ham Steaks
• Yellow Bell Pepper and Buttermilk Soup, or Potato Soup (gotta get to that recipe soon), for a soup-and-salad combo.

Can I use fresh raspberries for the dressing?

Yes, you can. I, however, find that frozen fruit has a sweeter flavor since it is harvested during peak growing season.

Can I make this ahead of time?

You can make the dressing up to 3 days in advance, cover it, and refrigerate it. The dressed greens will wilt if tossed too far in advance.

I don’t have a mini food processor. What can I use?

You can use a blender or an immersion blender, or use your muscles 💪🏻 to force it through a fine-mesh sieve.

Other raspberry recipes you may enjoy…

Berry, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Salad

By Nicole Prep: 10 minsTotal: 10 mins Servings: 6 This delightful Berry, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Salad is not only fresh and easy to prepare but also an ideal choice for brunch, lunch, or a light dinner!

Equipment

• Mini food chopper
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Salad dressing shaker

Ingredients 

For the Raspberry Dressing

• ¾ cup (about 90 grams) frozen raspberries, thawed
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons honey
• 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• ½ cup (4 ounces) roasted pistachio oil, or to taste (I prefer using slightly less, about 3 ounces)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Salad

• 1 (5 ounce) package spring mix or mesclun
• 1 ½ cups (about 8 ounces) crumbled fresh goat cheese
• ¾ cup (about 3 ounces) coarsley chopped roasted pistachios
• 2 generous cups mixed berries (such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and sliced or quartered strawberries

Instructions 

For the Raspberry Dressing

1. Purée the thawed raspberries in a mini food processor until smooth. Strain the raspberries through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids to yield ¼ cup. In a bowl fitted with a whisk, or in a dressing shaker, whisk together the purée, honey, sugar, Dijon, and pistachio oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Salad

1. Place Spring mix or mesclun in a large bowl. Drizzle with ½ cup of the dressing, toss to coat. Taste for seasoning. Divide greens among 6 plates. Top with goat cheese, pistachios, and mixed berries. Serve, passing the remaining dressing separately. Enjoy!

Notes

Dressing can be made, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 438kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 220mg, Potassium: 229mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 681IU, Vitamin C: 6mg, Calcium: 105mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit, July 2007