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This strawberry blue cheese salad is fresh, vibrant, and perfectly balanced — sweet strawberries, creamy blue cheese, and peppery arugula all tossed in a tangy homemade sherry vinaigrette.
It’s the kind of salad that feels just a little special but comes together in minutes, making it perfect for everything from quick lunches to holiday tables.
If you’re looking for a more classic version, my Strawberry Spinach Salad is another easy favorite — or keep this one bold and flavorful for something a little different.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
- Perfect sweet + savory balance: Juicy strawberries, tangy blue cheese, and peppery arugula make every bite interesting.
- Fresh and seasonal: This is the kind of salad that feels right at home in spring and summer.
- Easy to serve: It works beautifully as a side dish, but you can make it a meal with added protein.
- Simple to customize: Swap the greens, cheese, or add-ins to make it fit your table.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Use ripe strawberries: This salad depends on fresh, sweet berries for balance — underripe fruit won’t deliver the same flavor.
✨ Arugula adds contrast: The peppery bite cuts through the sweetness beautifully, but spinach or mixed greens can be used instead.
✨ Don’t overdress: Start light with the vinaigrette and toss — you can always add more.
✨ Balance is key: Sweet strawberries + salty blue cheese + tangy dressing is what makes this salad shine.
Strawberry Salad Ingredients
Arugula: You can, of course, switch up the lettuce as you like. Romaine is my other go-to for this recipe. Baby spinach is also a nice addition and provides a great nutrient boost.
Strawberries: If fresh strawberries are out of season, substitute chopped apple, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or peaches!
Blue cheese: Creamy, tangy, and bold — this is what gives the salad its signature flavor. If you prefer something milder, feta or goat cheese are great alternatives.
Customize This Strawberry Salad
Make it a meal: Add grilled chicken or steak to turn this into a more filling lunch or light dinner.
Add crunch: Walnuts, pecans, pistachios, sliced almonds, or sunflower seeds all work well here. Toast the nuts first for the best flavor. Candied pecans are especially delicious if you want a sweet-salty finish.
Add red onion: Thinly sliced red onion adds a sharp, savory bite that balances the sweetness of the berries.
Add avocado: Creamy avocado makes this salad even more satisfying and pairs beautifully with the arugula and blue cheese.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Salads love fridges! Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.
To extend the life of your strawberry salad even further, add the dressing only as you eat it. The longer the dressing sits on the arugula, the more wilted the greens will become!
Can You Freeze This?
No! Sadly, frozen greens do not do well.
Make-Ahead Tips:
You can prepare this recipe up to 6–8 hours in advance. Any longer, though, and your arugula will wilt and lose all its delicious crunch. For the perkiest salad possible, wait to fold in the blue cheese until just before serving.
More Fresh Salad Recipes You’ll Love
If you loved this strawberry blue cheese salad, here are a few more fresh, flavor-packed salads to try next:
1905 Salad — crisp, tangy, and packed with bold flavor from its signature vinaigrette and classic ingredients.
Peach Salad — sweet, juicy, and perfect for summer, with fresh flavors that pair beautifully with a light dressing.
Portillo’s Chopped Salad — hearty, flavorful, and loaded with texture for a more satisfying bite.
Mediterranean Salad — bright, crisp, and loaded with fresh veggies, herbs, and bold Mediterranean flavor.
Southwest Salad — hearty, colorful, and packed with bold Tex-Mex flavor and plenty of texture.
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Strawberry Blue Cheese Salad
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 (10 ounces) bag baby arugula leaves
- 2 cups fresh strawberries sliced in half
- 2 ounces blue cheese sliced or crumbled
- 1/3 cup sherry vinaigrette
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Sherry Vinaigrette
- 1 small shallot minced
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Salad:
- In a large bowl combine the arugula (10 ounces), strawberries (2 cups), salt (1/2 teaspoon), pepper (1/4 teaspoon), and sherry vinaigrette (1/3 cup) and toss well. Gently fold in cheese (2 ounces). Serve.
Vinaigrette:
- In a jar with a tightly fitting lid, add all ingredients and shake vigorously to combine. Any leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Notes
- Vinaigrette: I love using the balsamic vinaigrette recipe to mellow out the berries in this salad, but if you want a fruitier experience, use my strawberry vinaigrette recipe, or even a poppy seed dressing — olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, mayo, and poppy seeds.
- Balsamic: If you do go with the balsamic vinaigrette dressing, make sure you grab balsamic vinegar at the store — not balsamic glaze! Balsamic glaze is the condensed version and will give your dressing way too strong of a vinegar flavor.
- Fruit Substitutions: If fresh strawberries are out of season, you can always use frozen (but be sure to drain them or you’ll end up with salad soup!). You can also sub in chopped apple, orange segments, blueberries, raspberries, or even dried fruit!
- Blue Cheese: Don’t fear the blue cheese! I know this cheese is famous for being pungent, but if you follow proper buying guidelines (or even ask your local grocer for tips!), you’ll end up with yummy cheese.
Nutrition
Source: The Lemonade Cookbook
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The perfect salad for me
Amazing recipe! My family loved this refreshing salad during our Easter celebration!
I’m SO happy to hear that, Rebecca <3
I tried this recipe and it is absolutely delicious! Great photo!