Peppery arugula, juicy-sweet strawberries, creamy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios, and tangy quick-pickled shallots join together in an epic green salad that I’ve been eating all summer long.

Whether you’re looking for a summertime green salad to serve the family or a party-worthy side, this strawberry, arugula, and goat cheese salad fits the bill. I love it as a side dish, but it’s honestly perfect as a light meal, too. I constantly crave this strawberry arugula salad!

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• Ingredients
• Arugula vs. Rocket
• Adaptations/Variations
• How to Make Strawberry, Arugula, & Goat Cheese Salad
• More Green Salad Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

I love strawberries in more savory applications, like this strawberry caprese salad, or this strawberry salsa, or even in these brie and strawberry grilled cheese sandwiches!

I knew I wanted to make a strawberry and arugula salad, because I’ve been craving good green salads, plus arugula’s peppery flavors pair SO well with strawberries. I wanted to bring in all the elements of a good salad – crisp greens, a bit of sweet, creaminess from the goat cheese, crunchy pistachios, and a simple but full-of-flavor vinaigrette.

I threw together this strawberry arugula salad, and it was a winner right out of the gate!

Ingredients

• Arugula – I get the prepackaged baby arugula. It’s perfect (and easy!)
• Strawberries – Fresh strawberries, hull removed, then sliced lengthwise.
• Goat cheese – Plain chèvre is the perfect creamy touch in this salad.
• Pistachios – Salted pistachios add protein, crunch, and pretty color.
• Salt & pepper
• Quick-pickled shallots
• White wine vinaigrette

For the quick-pickled shallots:

• Shallot – just a medium one, sliced as thinly as you can.
• White wine vinegar
• Honey – I like using honey as a sweetener, but you can also sub in granulated sugar.
• Kosher salt

For the vinaigrette:

• Olive oil – I prefer extra-virgin for salads, but you can’t lose by just using your favorite.
• White wine vinegar – Use the vinegar from the quick-pickled shallots for the most flavor.
• Honey – Just a bit to sweeten the dressing and help it to emulsify (mix together). You can use granulated sugar if you prefer.
• Freshly ground black pepper

Arugula vs. Rocket

Have you ever heard of “rocket” in reference to a leafy green? If not, well, now you have! It’s what they call arugula across the pond in the United Kingdom, Australia, and elsewhere in the world. In fact, while it might be called “arugula” in North America, it’s really more commonly known as rocket throughout the rest of the world. (source)

The scientific name for arugula is Eruca sativa. The word “rocket” comes from “eruca,” and rocket can also be called roquette, rocket, garden rocket or rocketsalad. OR it can be called arugula! (source) Whatever you call it, these pungent and peppery greens are easy to grow, packed full of micronutrients, and are delicious to boot.

Adaptations/Variations

• If you’re shorter on time, you can leave out the quick-pickled shallots, or simply dice some to add to the dressing if you still want that shallot taste.
• Crumbled feta is a great sub for the goat cheese.
• Vegan/dairy-free version: I’ve been meaning to try this recipe for Vegan Goat Cheese. If you’re eating vegan and/or avoiding dairy, this recipe looks like the perfect solution!

How to Make Strawberry, Arugula, & Goat Cheese Salad

First, start pickling your shallots by placing your thinly sliced shallot in a small bowl. Warm the vinegar, honey, and salt and pour it over the shallots. Set it aside to “quick pickle” while you assemble the rest of your ingredients.

Layer the arugula and strawberries in a large bowl. Crumble on the goat cheese, then top with the pistachios.

After about 20 minutes of “pickling,” pull the shallots out of the vinegar mix (which you’ll keep for the vinaigrette). Top the salad with the shallots.

Make the vinaigrette by whisking together some of the vinegar from the shallots, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper.

At this point, you can pour the vinaigrette right over the salad and serve it, or, what I like to do is pour about half the vinaigrette on, toss it, arrange a few extra strawberries, shallots, and pistachios over the top, and then pour on the remaining vinaigrette before serving.

More Green Salad Recipes

• Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad
• Massaged Kale & Chickpea Salad
• Simple Fall Green Salad
• Grilled Halloumi & Peach Salad
• Buffalo Chickpea Salad
• Cobb Salad

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Strawberry, Arugula, & Goat Cheese Salad Recipe

I'm obsessed with this salad! Peppery arugula is the base for sweet strawberries, creamy goat cheese, tangy shallots, and salty pistachios. This colorful salad is full of flavors and textures and honestly just might be the ultimate summer salad!

Course Salad, Side Dish

Keyword arugula strawberry salad, rocket salad recipe, strawberry arugula and goat cheese salad, strawberry arugula salad, strawberry rocket salad

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 273kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

Quick Pickled Shallots

• 1 shallot thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons honey or granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Salad

• 5 ounces arugula leaves about 7 cups; loosely packed
• 2 cups strawberries sliced
• 3 ounces goat cheese crumbled
• 1/4 cup salted pistachios
• salt & pepper

White Wine Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar from shallots
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

• First, make the quick-pickled shallots. Thinly slice the shallot and put it in a small bowl or jar. To a small saucepan, over low heat, add the white wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons honey, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat just until it comes to a simmer, then pour it over the shallots. Press down/stir the shallots to make sure they're submerged, then set aside.
• Assemble the salad. Add the arugula to a large bowl, and top with the strawberries, goat cheese, and pistachios. Reserve some of the toppings to arrange over the salad as garnish, if desired.
• Once the shallots have marinated for 20 minutes, pull them out of the vinegar (keep it for the dressing) and arrange on the salad.
• Make the vinaigrette. To a small bowl or jar, add the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of vinegar from the shallot mixture, honey, and black pepper. Whisk together until emulsified.
• Pour half of the vinaigrette over the salad and toss the salad until well-incorporated. Arrange any remaining toppings over the salad as garnish, if you wish. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the top.
• Sprinkle of a pinch of salt over the salad and some freshly ground pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Serves 4 as a side or 3 as a main course. 

Make-ahead tips: You can make the shallots ahead of time and refrigerate them. You can also make the vinaigrette ahead of time, and refrigerate that. To make the entire salad ahead of time, add the arugula, strawberries, goat cheese, and shallots to a large bowl and cover tightly, storing separately form the vinaigrette. I would only go up to about 4 hours ahead of time, though, much longer than that and the strawberries will start to get soggy. Add the pistachios at the last minute to retain the crunch.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 381mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 960IU | Vitamin C: 48mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Strawberry, Arugula, & Goat Cheese Salad Recipe appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

A fresh, light, seasonal, and – most importantly – scrumptious dinner right from the grill? Yes please.

Grilled halloumi, juicy peaches, and fresh arugula in this Grilled Halloumi & Peach Salad means you get a salty, sweet and zesty element all in one light bite.

If you don’t have white balsamic, a regular balsamic or even a reduce balsamic glaze would be equally delicious on this salad.

Happy Summer!

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Grilled Halloumi & Peach Salad

Grilled halloumi, juicy peaches, and fresh arugula in this Grilled Halloumi & Peach Salad means you get a salty, sweet and zesty element all in one light bite.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 445kcal

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 4 ounces grilled halloumi slices about 4 2-inch by 4-inch slices (here’s how to grill halloumi cheese)
• 2 cups baby arugula
• 2 peaches cut into 6 wedges
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts*
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat outdoor grill or stove-top grill pan over medium-high heat.
• Spray peach segments with cooking spray or brush with olive oil then place on the grill. Add cheese to the grill too. Grill for 2-3 minutes per side until charred grill marks appear and peach is just starting to soften, flip and grill on the other side.
• Arrange the arugula on a salad dish, top with grilled peach segments and grilled halloumi slices. Top with toasted pine nuts.
• Whisk the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl until combined. Drizzle dressing over top of the salad and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Serves 1 as a main dish or 2 as a side

* To toast pine nuts, warm a saute pan over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat before they get *too* toasted – they will continue to cook for a bit even off-heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 2g | Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Sodium: 708mg | Potassium: 326mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 967IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 609mg | Iron: 1mg

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“The sun is shining, the clouds are breaking … ’cause I can’t lose now, there’s no game to playyyy!”

Have I ever mentioned my undying, unadulterated, slightly obsessive love for the band Boston? Man, those guys knew how to rock a song. Every time I hear a Boston song, I have to jump out of my seat and break out the air guitar. Not really. Okay, maybe a little.

This week has been a combination of unseasonable, summer-like sunny days combined with lots and lots of music. The latter is thanks to an awesome new stereo system we splurged on. We’ve been all about dancing in the living room many times a day with our tunes-loving toddler. Sometimes Caspar Babypants is playing, and sometimes it’s Boston.

Regardless of the music going in the background, two other themes this week have been dirt and the grill. Not together, thankfully. We’re building raised beds for my garden areas (let there be tomatoes! Let there be herbs!), and ambitiously, we had five yards of garden mix soil dropped off on our driveway at the beginning of the week. So now we’re desperately trying to transfer the dirt to its permanent homes before the rain sets back in.

What does this all have to do with that sliced-up-looking brain down there? Well, that’s the grilling part! And it’s not a brain, it’s cauliflower!

So, cauliflower “steaks.” Have you tried them yet? Essentially, we’re talking about cross-sections of cauliflower, seasoned and roasted until tender and succulent. Good, right? I mean, I sort of think “steak” is a reach, but I’m on board with the method for sure.

Well, with all of this sun and music and outdoors and grilling, a crazy idea popped into my head: how about grilled cauliflower steak sandwiches? Instead of roasting those suckers, I could grill them and throw them in a burger bun (hello, they’re the perfect size!) and make myself the easiest veggie patty in the history of vegetarian burgers! No marinating, no forming patties – just brush with oil, season with salt and pepper, grill ’em up, throw them on a bun with some good stuff, consume.

As a nod to traditional steak sandwiches, I dressed this burger up steak-sandwich style – a layer of melty provolone, a smear of Dijon and mayo, some onions (but not grilled, because we’re too busy dancing and shoveling dirt to have time for that), and a pile of arugula, all inside toasty ciabatta buns.

Easiest veggie burger ever, seriously. Happy dance (with air guitar)!

For the meat-eaters

If your resident carnivores want plain-ol’ meat for their burgers, well, this is kind of perfect! Just grill up some cauliflower for the vegetarians, and cook the meat on the other side of the grill. The toppings will go with either one – and everyone’s happy!

More Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes

• Ultimate Veggie BLT
• Vegetarian Club Sandwich
• Bahn-Mi Inspired Egg Salad
• Grilled Veggie Sandwich
• Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Roasted Red Pepper & Goat Cheese Sandwich
• The Perfect Grilled Cheese

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Grilled Cauliflower “Steak” Burgers

The simplest veggie “patty” ever! Tender seasoned cauliflower steaks fit perfectly inside a bun, making for an incredibly easy – and scrumptious – vegetarian burger.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 burgers

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 2 medium-size heads cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 slices provolone cheese or whatever cheese you like, or you can skip the cheese for a dairy-free option
• 4 Ciabatta rolls or Ciabatta-style hamburger buns
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise about 1 tablespoon per burger
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard about 1 tablespoon per burger
• 1 red onion sliced
• 1 cup arugula
•  

Instructions

• Preheat your grill to medium, about 350 – 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Peel the leaves off of the heads of cauliflower and cut the stem off of the bottom. Sit the heads upright on the flat cut bottom and, with a sharp chef’s knife, cut into in 1-inch thick slices. Generally, you can only get 2 good steaks out of one head of cauliflower, the slices from the middle. Reserve the two middle slices and safe the outer sections for later use. Repeat with the second head of cauliflower.
• Brush both sides of the cauliflower slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Cut the Ciabatta buns in half and brush the insides with olive oil, so that they’ll be ready to grill when it’s time. Set aside.
• Place cauliflower on the grill and cook, flipping occasionally, until golden brown on both sidesand fork-tender in the middle, 10-15 minutes. Add provolone and cook until melted, about 1 more minute. Remove cauliflower steaks from the grill and set aside. Place the buns over the warm grates and cook until toasty, 1-2 minutes. Remove.
• Smear the insides of the buns with Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. Lay cauliflower on bottom bun and top with arugula and red onions. Close with the top bun, slice in half if desired, and serve.

Notes

Don’t have a grill? No problem! Just sear the cauliflower steaks in a saute pan for 3-4 minutes until browned on both sides, then transfer to a 400-degree oven and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

Dairy-Free Option:

Omit the cheese.

Vegan Option:

Omit the cheese and replace the mayo with a vegan alternative.

The post Grilled Cauliflower Steak Sandwiches appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

Here, my friends, I offer you an Artichoke Arugula Pesto Grilled Cheese. Pure unadulterated, um, lunch.

I love a good grilled cheese. Which, incidentally, I typically don’t call “grilled cheese.” In our house, it’s called toasted cheese, but when in Rome … or when writing a food blog … you do as the Romans/bloggers do. And pretty much everyone else. So “grilled cheese” it is. At least in print.

This Artichoke Arugula Pesto Grilled Cheese was inspired by an incredible sandwich that I’ve enjoyed for years at one of my favorite restaurants. It’s a smoked mozzarella sandwich slathered with pesto and topped with tomatoes. It’s perfection. They’ve recently removed it from the menu (WHAT) but, so far, they’re still willing to make it for me when I ask. So that’s cool.

But I wanted to make something similar at home. And I wanted it to have artichoke hearts. And arugula. And cheddar instead of mozzarella. Really, I suppose the only similarity is that this, too, is a grilled cheese with pesto.

Allow me to daydream for a minute, here. Pesto on grilled cheese is a very, very good thing. The pesto gets all warm and melty, its intense green goodness simultaneously infiltrating the bread and mingling with glorious melted cheese.

This particular version features a super-addicting pesto made with arugula, artichoke hearts, walnuts, and lemon. When combined with golden buttered bread and salty-sharp cheddar cheese, the result is heaven.

Pure unadulterated bliss.

More Grilled Cheese Recipes

• How to Make the Perfect Classic Grilled Cheese – learn the secret to the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, every time!
• Spinach & Artichoke Grilled Cheese
• White Pizza Ricotta Grilled Cheese – SO good.
• Chipotle Butternut Squash & Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese – spicy!
• Cranberry, Pear, & Brie Grilled Cheese – perfect for using up leftover cranberry sauce
• Balsamic Strawberry & Brie Grilled Cheese Sliders
• And even more grilled cheese sandwich recipes

More Artichoke Recipes

• How to select, prep, cook, & eat artichokes
• Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese
• Creamy Artichoke Baked Pasta

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Artichoke Arugula Pesto Grilled Cheese

Creamy artichoke-arugula pesto and sharp cheddar melt together deliciously in this simple – but simply divine – grilled cheese sandwich. Add a little grilled chicken or cooked bacon to the meat-eaters’ sandwiches, and everyone’s happy!

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2 sandwiches

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the artichoke arugula pesto:

• 3 cups about 2 ounces baby arugula
• 1 cup canned artichoke hearts packed in water drained
• 2 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup walnuts
• ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly grated zest and juice of 1 medium lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the sandwiches:

• 4 slices of a good crusty Artisan bread, about 1/2-inch thick
• 4 ounces thinly sliced sharp cheddar cheese Beecher’s Flagship is a favorite
• 3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
•  

Instructions

• Make the pesto. In a food processor, pulse together the baby arugula, artichoke hearts, garlic, walnuts, Parmesan, zest, lemon juice, and salt until the texture resembles a very coarse meal. While the food processor is running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture forms a saucy, spreadable pesto (you may need a little less or a little more olive oil).
• Make the sandwiches. Butter the outsides of each slice of bread and lay buttered side down. Spread 2 tablespoons pesto on the inside of each slice. Lay cheese on two of the slices and cover each with the second slice of bread, pesto side down and buttered side up.
• Heat an electric griddle or large frying pan over medium-low heat. Carefully transfer sandwiches to cooking surface and cook, pressing occasionally with the back of a spatula, until golden brown. Flip and cook the other side, pressing occasionally, until browned. Turn the sandwich back over and continue cooking, turning occasionally, until the cheese has completely melted, about 5 more minutes.
• Slice in half and serve.

More melty-gooey-good grilled cheese recipes:

• White Pizza Grilled Cheese – for-real deliciousness.
• Spinach & Artichoke Grilled Cheese – like the classic dip, only better. Proof that’s possible!
• Chipotle Butternut Squash & Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese – spicy!
• Cranberry, Pear, & Brie Grilled Cheese – perfect for using up leftover cranberry sauce. (Make extra sauce so you have an excuse!)
• Balsamic Strawberry & Brie Grilled Cheese Sliders tasty AND cute.
• And even more grilled cheese sandwich recipes – 32 melty, gooey, savory, fruity, and just plain over-the-top grilled cheese sandwiches.
• How to Make a Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich – because basic is never bad! Here’s how to do it just right.

The post Artichoke Arugula Pesto Grilled Cheese appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

So BLTs aren’t really something we do around here. For one, I don’t eat the bacon, so mine is just an LT – lettuce and tomato. And his wouldn’t have tomato, so his is just a BL. So if I didn’t break out a tomato for just my sandwich, we’re looking at a … lettuce sandwich? An L? Yeah, probably not … unless that’s some fabulous thing I’m totally missing out on, and if so, please share now!

Lately, though, I’ve been thinking about BLTs. Maybe throw some fake bacon on mine? It’s not so bad, some of it. Or, scratch that. Just load up the veggies for mine. Maybe swap the tomato for olive-oil-soaked roasted red pepper. Maybe add a little goat cheese to the mix. Maybe swap the lettuce for baby arugula. And add bacon to his (and the bacon-obsessed toddler’s). And hey! Now it’s nothing like a BLT. Now we’ve got an RRPBAGCB.

Hmm. Doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

Oh well. It’s still terrific, even if it lacks the cutesy name.

You start with rustic, chewy ciabatta bread – preferably warm, straight out of the oven. Add roasted red peppers – homemade is best – doused in olive oil and sprinkled with a little coarse salt. These are really the star of the show. (And, actually, if you consider stopping there, I’ll understand – in fact, just-plain-old roasted red pepper sandwiches are pretty great.)

Then a couple of layers of crunchy, peppery baby arugula and a crumble of soft, tangy goat cheese. Bacon if your tomato-hating carnivore would like, and then just a little extra drizzle of olive oil to make the whole dang RRPBAGCB sing.

The more initials the better, that’s what I say.

More Vegetarian Sandwich Recipes

• Ultimate Veggie BLT
• Vegetarian Club Sandwich
• Bahn-Mi Inspired Egg Salad
• Grilled Veggie Sandwich
• Chickpea Salad Sandwich
• Cauliflower Steak Sandwich
• The Perfect Grilled Cheese

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Roasted Red Pepper, Baby Arugula, & Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Optional Bacon

Inspired by a BLT, but not really a BLT at all. Chewy ciabatta bread is loaded with gorgeous roasted red peppers, zippy arugula, creamy goat cheese, a little olive oil and black pepper, and bacon – if you choose.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 2 sandwiches

Author Kare

Ingredients

• 1/2 loaf ciabatta bread I like the half-loaf size from Trader Joe’s – it’s perfect for these sandwiches
• 8 ounces roasted red peppers preferably in olive oil
• 1/2 cup baby arugula rinsed and dried
• 2 ounces goat cheese chevre
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

If adding bacon, per sandwich add:

• 2 slices bacon cooked, drained, and cooled

Instructions

• Slice the ciabatta bread in half lengthwise and then cut about a five-inch hunk of bread for each sandwich. Lay sandwich inside-up and begin layering.
• First, add a couple of layers of the roasted red peppers. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. I add a little more salt for the veggie sandwich, and just a tad for the carnivore’s sandwich because it will have the natural saltiness of bacon, too. Pile a handful of arugula onto each sandwich, then crumble the goat cheese onto the arugula, dividing evenly between the two sandwiches. Lay the bacon on top, if using. Drizzle a teaspoon or so of the olive oil from the roasted red peppers onto the top of the whole thing and lightly dust with black pepper.
• Close up those sandwiches, slice in half, and serve!

The post Roasted Red Pepper, Baby Arugula, & Goat Cheese Sandwiches (Bacon Option) appeared first on Kitchen Treaty.

A few months back, I was waiting for a coffee at Starbucks and found myself toying with the idea of finding a CSA to take part in. I turned around, and there was a Lucky Dove Farm flyer tacked to the wall.

Dana is a stay-at-home-mom with a small CSA operation and big dreams. I’m thrilled to be a part of her CSA and I can’t wait to pick up my boxes every week this summer. Fridays are going to be awesome.

The first box was on the small side as it’s so early in the season. We received a generous bag of spicy salad mix, a beautiful bunch of radishes, a small bunch of garlic chives, and a sweet arrangement of flowers in a mason jar.

In fact, I was so charmed by the bouquet that I didn’t pay enough attention when Dana shared with me what all was included in the greens. I know there were mustard greens in there, but, yeah. Total fail because: a bouquet of flowers! In a mason jar!

I’m planning to talk about my CSA treasures – and, of course, share many of the recipes I make with them – all summer long. But the only problem with Friday being a CSA day is that Friday night is also pizza night around here. And so I may have a lot of CSA-inspired pizzas. Like, you know, this one. But I will try to break out of the box – so to speak – more often than not.

But meanwhile, you got it: pizza! This pizza strays pretty far from your typical American pizza, but it was so, so good. The flavors are nicely balanced, none overshadowing the other – even with the heat of the spicy mystery greens, the snappy radishes, and the generous sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. The ricotta base was absolutely perfect for showcasing the wonderful fresh veggies.

(See! Flowers!)

I adapted the recipe from Cooking Light’s version which features arugula and, well, overall far less cheese. You know me. I had to use more cheese.

So here’s how it went. I got home with my goods, placed my CSA flowers at the center of the picnic table, smiled, and went back inside to stretch my pizza dough. I placed it on a pizza stone (a cookie sheet works fine too), and then I smeared ricotta on the crust (an incredibly easy store-bought Trader Joe’s whole wheat dough). Then I sprinkled it with a little salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Then I sprinkled some cooked chicken on half for my carnivorous guy, and crumbled a good amount of soft, tangy goat cheese over the top of the whole thing. (If you’re a vegetarian and the idea of meat so close to your vegetarian half makes you queasy, just make two smaller pizzas).

While the pizza was cooking, I tossed the greens and radishes with a nice garlicky vinaigrette, then I pulled the piping hot pizza out of the oven and layed the veggies right on top of that bad boy. Oh, and I poured a couple of glasses of a beautiful local Riesling – not too sweet, just perfect – then I rolled the wheel through the pizza (veggie side first) and then, being a blogger and all, I quickly photographed it.

And then we ate it. And life was good. The end.

Well, the end of that meal. BUT! The very beginning of CSA season. Hooray!

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Radish & Goat Cheese Pizza with Spicy Mixed Greens and Optional Chicken

This unique light pizza is perfect for showcasing the freshest late-spring ingredients. The crust gets a slather of ricotta and then a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes, crumbled tangy goat cheese, and a little optional cooked chicken. A simple toss of spicy mixed greens and kicky sliced radishes top it off.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 32 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Kare

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 small clove garlic minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
• Pinch salt & freshly ground black pepper

For the pizza:

• 1 pound 16 ounces of your favorite pizza crust dough
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes + more to taste if desired
• Pinch kosher salt or other coarse salt
• Cracked black pepper
• 4 ounces goat cheese chèvre
• 2 cups spicy mixed greens or baby arugula
• 5-6 radishes sliced
• Grated Parmesan cheese if desired
• If adding chicken to half
• 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken
• If adding chicken to all
• 1 cup diced cooked chicken

Instructions

• In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic, and salt and pepper. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if you wish.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Pull/press/roll pizza dough into an approximately 14-inch circle. Sprinkle a little flour on your baking surface (stone or baking sheet) and carefully transfer the dough.
• Spoon the ricotta onto the dough and gently spread with a spoon, leaving 1/2-inch border around the edge of the pizza. Sprinkle the ricotta with the crushed red pepper flakes, a generous pinch of coarse salt, and the freshly ground pepper. Crumble the goat cheese and evenly sprinkle it over the top.
• If adding chicken, spread it onto half or all.
• Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until the crust is golden brown and cooked through.
• Meanwhile, add the mixed greens and radishes to a large bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and toss.
• Remove the pizza from the oven and immediately top with the greens and radishes.
• Slice and serve. Pass grated Parmesan for topping, if desired.

Notes

Any spring green mix will work with this pizza, but the occasional baby mustard green and/or peppery arugula will add a welcome little kick.

Adapted from Cooking Light

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