Baked Brie Bites and Roasted Strawberry Salad

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Once the warmer weather rolls in, all I want to eat are salads and fruits, so I whipped up this super delicious, decadent salad that incorporates fresh spinach, sweet roasted strawberries, and creamy, crispy brie bites (you know me, always gotta have my cheese). I use Fromager d’Affinois’s Crispy Brie Bites on this salad (they’re also amazing as an appetizer and on any board), or you can also make your own–more on that below!

If you’re like me and are craving salads, check out some of my other fresh favorites like this sweet Waldorf Salad Platter or savory Cobb Salad Platter, Italian Chopped Salad, and Warm Winter Salad. For more roasted fruit ideas, see my Roasted Grape Crostini, Balsamic Roasted Strawberry Crostini, and Smashed Blackberry and Brie Crostini Recipes.

How To Make This Salad

Next time you’re craving something sweet and decadent, reach for this super easy salad! Bonus points for making your own brie bites. Check out this video for more tips.

The Fresh Stuff

• 4 ounces baby spinach, washed
• 2 cups roasted strawberries (see below)

The Dressing

• ⅔ cups extra-virgin olive oil
• ⅓ cups balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, smashed
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt 
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

The Toppings

• 1/4 cups Slivered almonds
• 4 Fromager d’Affinois Crispy Brie Bites

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

• Add the brie bites to a baking dish and bake for about 8 minutes or until the outside is crispy and the inside is gooey.

• Meanwhile, add the olive oil, balsamic, maple syrup, garlic, salt, and pepper to a blender and blend until completely combined.

• Divide the spinach evenly between 2 bowls, dress to your preference, then toss to evenly coat. Top with almonds, strawberries and the warm brie bites to serve.

How to Roast Fruit

If Strawberries aren’t your thing, go with your favorite fruit, though I highly recommend berries for their tenderness and sweetness. Check out this post for my other recommendations! 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add 16 ounces of whole strawberries, hulls removed, to a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, the sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 12 minutes, until the strawberries are tender. Let cool completely (or at least until cool enough to handle). 

How to Bake Brie Bites

If you can’t find the Crispy Brie Bites I used, you can make your own! The traditional way to bake brie is to wrap a wheel of brie in pastry or drizzle it with honey or jam (like Ina does!). For this recipe, you can either do it that way and use slices for the salad, or you can get brie bites (like these from Trader Joe’s or these from Supreme), bread them yourself by dredging the bites in egg wash and plain bread crumbs. Then you can either bake them as written in the recipe or use an air fryer to get that extra bit of crispy crunchiness! 

Show Me Your Salads

I hope this post inspires you to get creative with your salads! Nothing makes me happier than seeing the beautiful meals you make from my tips. If you make a salad inspired by this post, please tag me at @ainttooproudtomeg so I can see and share! 

And, If you liked this recipe, please rate and review.