Strawberry Bacon Brie Salad: A Culinary Masterpiece for Every Occasion
Experience a symphony of flavors and textures with our irresistible Strawberry Bacon Brie Salad. This isn’t just a meal; it’s an elevated culinary experience where sweet, tangy strawberries harmoniously blend with savory bacon, rich creamy Brie, and crunchy candied pecans, all nestled on a bed of fresh spinach. The magic is completed with a vibrant homemade Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette, transforming a simple salad into a dish worthy of any special gathering. Plus, learn our secret tips for keeping your fresh produce at its peak longer!
Forget ordinary spinach salads! This unique combination of ingredients offers an unparalleled gourmet touch. Each bite delivers a delightful contrast, making it a standout dish that promises to impress. Whether you’re hosting dinner guests or simply treating yourself to something extraordinary, this salad is a truly royal affair.
Why This Strawberry Bacon Brie Salad Will Be Your New Favorite
This isn’t merely a salad; it’s an adventure for your palate. We’ve meticulously crafted a dish that transcends the typical, offering an intricate interplay of flavors and textures that will undoubtedly become a highlight of your culinary repertoire. Here’s why this Strawberry Bacon Brie Salad is an absolute must-make:
- A Symphony of Sensations: Prepare for a truly complex flavor profile that dances between sweet, salty, savory, creamy, crisp, and crunchy. The delicate sweetness of ripe strawberries, the smoky crunch of bacon, the luxurious creaminess of triple creme Brie, and the satisfying bite of sugared pecans converge on a bed of fresh baby spinach, creating an experience unlike any other salad you’ve tried.
- Elevated Everyday Ingredients: Starting with the freshest baby spinach greens, we then layer on vibrant slices of ripe strawberries, generous bits of perfectly crispy bacon, rich and decadent Brie, and exquisite sugared pecan halves. Each component is chosen for its quality and its ability to contribute to the overall masterpiece.
- The Perfect Finishing Touch: A luxurious drizzle of our homemade Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette, infused with the natural sweetness of strawberry jam, acts as the unifying element. This dressing doesn’t just coat the greens; it ties all the diverse flavors together, ensuring a harmonious and unforgettable bite every time.
- Celebration in Every Bite: Truly, every forkful of this salad feels like a party in your mouth. It’s an ideal choice for entertaining, a sophisticated lunch, or a light yet satisfying dinner.
As spring transitions into summer, the markets overflow with fragrant berries and crisp greens. May, often celebrated as National Salad Month, marks the perfect time to indulge in such fresh, seasonal delights. The abundance of vibrant produce from local gardens and markets truly inspires us to create dishes that highlight nature’s bounty, and this salad does exactly that.
Key Ingredients for an Unforgettable Salad
Crafting the perfect salad begins with selecting the finest ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and tips for choosing the best:
- Kitchen Staples: Essential pantry items like Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper, high-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and a good Dijon Mustard form the foundation of our delicious vinaigrette.
- Aged Balsamic Vinegar: The quality of your balsamic vinegar significantly impacts the dressing. We highly recommend an 18-year-old aged balsamic for its inherent thickness, syrupy consistency, and deep, sweet flavor profile. This richness adds an incredible depth that cannot be replicated by younger vinegars. If unavailable, use the best quality balsamic you can find.
- Strawberry Jam: Beyond just sweetness, strawberry jam infuses the vinaigrette with an authentic, concentrated strawberry flavor, beautifully complementing the fresh berries in the salad. Choose a good quality jam with real fruit.
- Baby Spinach: Opt for baby spinach over mature spinach as it is far more tender and has a milder flavor, providing a delicate base that doesn’t overpower the other ingredients.
- Bacon: Choose a good quality bacon, fry it until perfectly crispy, then drain off any excess oil. Crumble or chop it into bite-sized pieces. For best results, render the fat slowly for maximum crispiness.
- Brie: Select a ripe, triple-creme Brie for its rich, buttery, and exceptionally creamy texture. Slice or dice it into manageable, bite-sized pieces. The rind is edible and adds a rustic, earthy note, but feel free to remove it if you prefer.
- Candied Pecans: These add a wonderful crunch and a touch of sweetness that perfectly balances the savory elements. While store-bought are convenient, making them at home is surprisingly easy and allows for customization of sweetness. (You’ll find a link to a recipe in the recipe card below!)
- Sliced Strawberries: The star of the show! Look for strawberries that are bright red, glossy, and highly fragrant – indicators of peak ripeness. Avoid any with bruising, white patches, or signs of deterioration. For optimal freshness and flavor, slice them just before you are ready to assemble and serve the salad.
The Art of Presentation: How to Arrange Your Gourmet Salad
A beautifully arranged salad is a feast for the eyes before it even reaches the palate. When preparing this Strawberry Bacon Brie Salad for dinner guests, an attractive presentation can elevate the entire dining experience. Here’s how to create a stunning arranged salad:
- Build a Strong Foundation: Begin by layering your fresh baby spinach greens as an even base in your chosen serving bowl or platter. Ensure the greens are well-dried to prevent the dressing from diluting or making them soggy.
- Strategic Ingredient Placement: As shown in the photo above, you can arrange the remaining ingredients—bacon, Brie, candied pecans, and sliced strawberries—in visually appealing concentric circles or distinct sections over the greens. This method allows each ingredient to shine and contributes to a professional, gourmet look. Alternatively, you can simply scatter each ingredient artfully across the platter of spinach, giving a more rustic yet equally appealing presentation.
- Timing is Everything: The golden rule for any fresh salad is to add the dressing just before serving. This crucial step prevents the greens from wilting and becoming soggy, ensuring every bite is crisp and fresh. If preparing ahead, keep the dressing separate and drizzle it over the salad at the very last moment, or even at the table for a touch of tableside drama.
- Serving Suggestions: This salad makes a fantastic starter for a sophisticated dinner, a light lunch paired with crusty bread, or an elegant side dish for grilled chicken, salmon, or a hearty vegetarian main. Its vibrant colors and balanced flavors make it suitable for almost any occasion.
Keep Your Produce Fresher, Longer: A Game-Changer for Your Kitchen
Have you ever been frustrated by how quickly your beautiful berries or crisp greens deteriorate after bringing them home from the market? Does finding moldy raspberries overnight sound familiar? You’re not alone! The rapid spoilage of fresh produce is a common kitchen challenge. That’s why I’m incredibly excited to share a product that genuinely helps increase the life of your produce by a significant margin.
Products like Rubbermaid FreshWorks Produce Savers are designed with a special “FreshVent” technology and an elevated crisp tray that work together to regulate the flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide, creating an optimal environment for various fruits and vegetables. These containers are a true game-changer, helping to extend the freshness of your produce by as much as 80% longer. I personally observed my berries showing no signs of new soft spots or deterioration a full week after purchase when stored in these containers. Simply transfer your produce from the grocery store packaging directly into these specialized savers, and you’ll notice a remarkable difference in their longevity and freshness.
Frequently Asked Questions About Strawberries and Salads
Selecting perfect strawberries involves using all your senses. Look for berries that are fully red, without any green or white patches, which indicates they were picked unripe. They should have a natural, glossy sheen, and their seeds should not appear brown and dehydrated. Most importantly, a truly fresh strawberry will emit a sweet, unmistakable strawberry aroma. Feel them gently; they should be firm to the touch, not soft or mushy. Buying in peak season is always your best bet for flavor and quality.
Strawberry seasons can vary by region. In the United States, California strawberries are famously available year-round, thanks to diverse growing climates. Florida’s strawberry season typically runs from March to November, with peak harvests in late spring. Always check your local farmer’s markets for the freshest, in-season varieties in your area.
To maximize their freshness, store your strawberries unwashed in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Resist the urge to wash them until you are just about ready to use them, as excess moisture can accelerate spoilage. If you don’t have a specialized produce saver, placing a paper towel at the bottom of the container can help absorb any ambient moisture and extend their life.
While the salad is best served immediately, you can prepare many components in advance. Wash and dry your spinach, cook and crumble the bacon, slice the Brie, and make the candied pecans a day or two ahead. Store each component separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Slice the strawberries and prepare the vinaigrette just an hour or two before serving, and assemble the entire salad right before you are ready to present it.
If Brie isn’t your preference or readily available, several cheeses can make excellent substitutes. Goat cheese (chevre) offers a tangy creaminess, feta provides a salty crumble, or a milder blue cheese like Gorgonzola adds a pungent depth. For a harder cheese option, shaved Parmesan or a mild provolone can work, though they will change the overall texture and creaminess.
Absolutely! While strawberries are the star, this salad is quite versatile. Blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries would all make delightful additions or substitutions, offering their own unique sweet-tart notes that pair beautifully with bacon, Brie, and pecans. A mix of berries can also create a visually stunning and flavor-rich salad.
Strawberry Bacon Brie Salad Recipe
This perfect salad for berry season features ripe strawberries, crispy bacon, creamy Brie, and crunchy pecans, all tossed with fresh spinach and a homemade Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette. It’s a delightful combination that’s quick to prepare and truly satisfying.
The Recipe:
Strawberry Bacon Brie Salad Recipe
20 minutes
20 minutes
6 servings
A gourmet spinach salad featuring the perfect blend of sweet strawberries, savory bacon, creamy Brie, and crunchy candied pecans, all dressed in a vibrant strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. This salad is ideal for a light lunch, an elegant starter, or a stunning side dish.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars based on 19 reviews.
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon strawberry jam
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Salad:
- 5 ounces baby spinach greens
- 4 slices of bacon, cooked until crispy, drained, and crumbled or chopped
- ⅓ pound Brie cheese, sliced or diced into bite-sized pieces
- ½ cup candied pecans*
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together the aged balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, strawberry jam, salt, and freshly ground black pepper until well combined.
- Emulsify the Dressing: While continuously whisking, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil. Continue whisking until the mixture is fully emulsified and smooth. Set the dressing aside.
- Assemble the Salad: Place the baby spinach greens in a large salad bowl or arrange them on a platter. Artfully arrange the crumbled bacon, sliced Brie, candied pecans, and sliced strawberries over the greens.
- Serve: Just before serving, drizzle the homemade Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette generously over the salad. Gently toss to combine all ingredients, ensuring each leaf and component is lightly coated. Serve immediately to enjoy the freshest flavors and textures.
Notes
* To make delicious homemade candied pecans, refer to our detailed Spinach Salad with Pears, Cranberries, and Candied Pecans recipe for step-by-step instructions.
The quality of your balsamic vinegar truly makes a difference in this recipe. A good quality, aged balsamic vinegar is naturally sweet and syrupy, contributing a rich depth to the dressing. If possible, invest in an 18-year-old balsamic for the best results.
Recommended Products
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- OXO Cutting Board
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 367
Total Fat: 32g
Saturated Fat: 8g
Trans Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 23g
Cholesterol: 33mg
Sodium: 573mg
Carbohydrates: 11g
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 6g
Protein: 9g
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Explore More Delicious Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed the delightful flavors of our Strawberry Bacon Brie Salad, you’ll love these other fantastic recipes. Perfect for any occasion, these dishes highlight fresh ingredients and creative combinations.
- Easy Honey French Salad Dressing
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- Plus, if you happen to have extra strawberries on hand, this Strawberry, Turkey and Brie Grilled Cheese offers a surprisingly yummy and unique twist on a classic comfort food.
- Discover even more of our Best Salad Recipes for every season and palate.
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