Strawberry Spinach Salad

Ring in spring with bright, fresh flavors, sweet-savory combos, and crunch for days with my strawberry spinach salad recipe! Great as a side / a light lunch.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword spinach salad, Strawberry Salad

Prep Time 10

Total Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 722kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

1 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette recipe
1 (12-ounce) bag baby spinach
1 1/2 quarts strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 cup sugared pecans
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
4 ounces feta or bleu cheese, crumbled
1 ripe avocado cut into 1/2 inch pieces

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Stir the poppy seeds (1 teaspoon) into the Balsamic Vinaigrette (1/2 cup).
In a large bowl add the baby spinach (12-ounce), strawberries (1 1/2 quarts), sugared pecans (1 cup), and red onion (1/2 cup). Toss gently with balsamic vinaigrette. Pour dressed salad onto a serving platter and toss with cheese (4 ounces) and avocado (1). Serve immediately.

Notes

Vinaigrette: This salad does not use a strawberry vinaigrette dressing — the strawberries are kept separate and offer a great burst of flavor with every bite. I like this variation better than strawberry spinach salad with berry vinaigrette, as it adds a nice, tangy contrast to the other salad flavors. But if you like more of a berry taste, or even want to try something with more citrus, go for it!
Spinach: I typically grab the pre-washed bag of baby spinach from the grocery store, so there’s no need to add the step of rinsing or prepping the leaves.

However, if you’re lucky enough to get it from farm fresh (or from your own garden!), then you’re going to need to wash it. Baby spinach leaves love to stick together and trap grit and extra water- neither of which are good in your salad!

1. Swish the leaves in a large bowl of water, separating them as best you can.
2. Scoop the leaves out of the water and set aside in a colander.
3. Change the water in the bowl and repeat until you there’s no grit when you sample a leaf or two.
  - You can also use a salad spinner as well!
Tossing Technique: Be gentle when you toss salad. The baby spinach and strawberries both bruise easily, which takes away from your presentation. Mix just enough to evenly distribute all the yummy toppings and coat the leaves in the dressing. A nice large pair of salad tongs work great, or use your hands!

Nutrition