You know it’s summer when fruit starts showing up in my dinner salads, like this strawberry arugula salad. You’ll find sweet, crispy bites of sunflower seeds, creamy goat cheese, and red onions all tossed in a honey lemon dressing.
Every time I make this salad, whether it’s for my family during the week or friends on the weekend, I always get compliments. The layers of textures and flavors (and those irresistible sunflower seed clusters!) bring everyone at the table back for seconds.🍓
When my 9-year-old asks for seconds of salad, I know I’ve struck gold. That’s exactly what happened the first time I made this one, and now it’s on steady rotation all summer long. It’s bright, colorful, and bursting with that sweet-meets-savory magic that makes you keep going back for “just one more bite.”
The crunchy sunflower seed clusters are like little caramelized nuggets scattered throughout, playing perfectly against juicy, sweet-tart strawberries. Add in the occasional pop of sharp red onion, creamy goat cheese that melts into the greens, and peppery arugula that gives it a little kick, and you’ve got a salad that tastes like peak summer in a bowl.
Key ingredients to gather
Once you’ve made your dressing and candied your sunflower seeds with honey and a little butter, the rest of the salad comes together in minutes.
Greens: Baby arugula, baby spinach, or a mix all work well in this salad.
Goat cheese: I prefer soft, fresh goat cheese.
Strawberries: Fresh, in-season strawberries are ideal. I would avoid frozen strawberries as the turn quite soft when thawed.
There’s a good chance you have everything you need to make this salad in your kitchen right now. If needed, some simple swaps can bring it all together without a trip to the grocery store. Any seed or nut can replace the sunflower seeds; Boursin or feta can replace the goat cheese; and you can use your favorite salad greens. Easy!
Make-ahead tips
While you can’t dress the salad ahead of time without it turning soggy, you can prep some of the components. The sunflower seed clusters can be made a few days in advance and kept in a sealed container on your counter. The dressing can be made up to a week in advance and stored in your fridge. Note that olive oil hardens when cold; bring it to room temperature and rewhisk before using.
If you’re making this for a dinner party and want to prepare it a little ahead, put the arugula, red onions, sliced strawberries, and goat cheese in your salad bowl an hour or two ahead and leave it in the fridge. Just before serving, add the seed clusters and toss with the dressing. Easy!
Strawberry Arugula Salad with Candied Sunflower Seed Clusters
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Ingredients
Candied Buttered Sunflower Seeds
- ▢ ⅓ cup roasted sunflower seeds
- ▢ 2 tablespoons honey
- ▢ 1 teaspoon butter
Honey Lemon Dressing
- ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ▢ 1 teaspoon honey
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dijon
- ▢ Salt and pepper (to taste)
Strawberry Arugula Salad
- ▢ 4 ounce baby arugula
- ▢ 2 cup sliced strawberries
- ▢ 2 ounces goat cheese
- ▢ ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
Instructions
- Put a piece of parchment paper on your counter. Place the sunflower seeds, honey, and butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Once the honey starts boiling, stir constantly for 1 minute, then transfer the seeds to the parchment paper, spreading them out a little so they are mostly in a single layer. Let them cool and then break them into smaller pieces. ⅓ cup roasted sunflower seeds, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon butter
- In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and dijon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon dijon, Salt and pepper
- Add the arugula, strawberries, goat cheese, onion, and candied sunflower seeds to a large salad bowl. 4 ounce baby arugula, 2 cup sliced strawberries, 2 ounces goat cheese, ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- Pour the dressing over top and gently toss to combine. Serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here .
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More summer salads with fruit
For even more inspiration, have a look at my salad recipes collection .
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Grilled Peach Salad with Curry Pecans & Honey Vinaigrette
Summer Grilled Chicken Salad with Raspberries and Goat Cheese
Watermelon Cucumber Salad with Feta and Mint
Strawberry Arugula Salad with Candied Sunflower Seed Clusters
Ingredients
Candied Buttered Sunflower Seeds
- ⅓ cup roasted sunflower seeds
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon butter
Honey Lemon Dressing
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon dijon
- Salt and pepper , to taste
Strawberry Arugula Salad
- 4 ounce baby arugula
- 2 cup sliced strawberries
- 2 ounces goat cheese
- ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
Instructions
- Put a piece of parchment paper on your counter. Place the sunflower seeds, honey, and butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Once the honey starts boiling, stir constantly for 1 minute, then transfer the seeds to the parchment paper, spreading them out a little so they are mostly in a single layer. Let them cool and then break them into smaller pieces. ⅓ cup roasted sunflower seeds, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon butter
- In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and dijon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon dijon, Salt and pepper
- Add the arugula, strawberries, goat cheese, onion, and candied sunflower seeds to a large salad bowl. 4 ounce baby arugula, 2 cup sliced strawberries, 2 ounces goat cheese, ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
- Pour the dressing over top and gently toss to combine. Serve right away.
