Inspiration for the Strawberry Macadamia Nut Salad

Do you ever feel a little pressured to eat all the berries, when summer rolls around? They’re abundant at the market this time of year, and they are usually on sale. The popular fruit tastes a little sweeter and looks prettier, too. I guess you could say that I was inspired to make this Strawberry Macadamia Nut Salad, so I could utilize my all-time favorite berry…the strawberry!

Foodland also recently released their Roasted Macadamia Nuts, and I wanted to use them in a salad recipe. I thought they would add just the right amount of salty flavor and crunchy texture.

I have to say that I am beyond excited to share this recipe with you. It’s perfect for anytime of year, and it’s delicious! Keep reading to see what other ingredients are needed to make this fruit and nut inspired salad. Also, see what simple and easy dressing I paired with it.

Ingredients for the Strawberry Macadamia Nut Salad

Ingredients and Possible Substitutions

Roasted Macadamia Nuts

As I mentioned before, the Roasted Macadamia Nuts are a new product at Foodland stores here in Hawai’i. They are lightly covered in sea salt.

For the recipe, I do suggest that you roughly chop them, as they are a bit large for a salad, if left whole. You can substitute another nut into the recipe, but I would suggest something roasted and salted, so you don’t lose that element of flavor.

Goat Cheese

Made from goat’s milk, goat cheese is creamy and smooth. The recipe calls for you to crumble it, but you must be delicate with it. Feta cheese would be a good substitution here.

I used the goat cheese from Sweet Land Farm. This farm is located in Waiālua on the island of O’ahu. If you’re interested in learning more about them and their other products, visit their website, sweetlandfarmhawaii.com.

picture of goat cheese and mac nuts on table

Arugula

I chose arugula for the base of this salad, as I love its spicy taste. It adds another element of flavor, among the salty nuts, creamy cheese, and sweet strawberries.

For those who are not fans of arugula, you might try spinach in the recipe instead.

Sweet Onion

I am a fan of sweet onions in salad. You don’t need a lot for this salad. If you’re not a fan of onion or if they don’t agree with your stomach, feel free to omit them all together. If you like onions like I do, I think you’ll really enjoy them with the other ingredients.

Strawberries

You can find strawberries year-round at the market, but they really are abundant and very sweet when purchased during the summer. A possible substitute for the strawberries would be cooked beets. Beets could turn this into a great salad for fall.

Dressing

I put together a simple olive oil, balsamic, and honey dressing. Feel free to use your favorite balsamic dressing with this salad.