Strawberry Spinach Salad
Ingredients
- Salad:
- 8 cups baby spinach washed and dried
- 2 cups strawberries hulled and sliced
- ½ cup red onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup pecans or walnuts toasted and chopped
- ½ cup feta or goat cheese crumbled
- ¼ cup dried cranberries optional
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds optional
- Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp dried basil optional
Instructions
- Wash spinach thoroughly, dry completely with salad spinner or paper towels
- Hull strawberries, slice into ¼-inch thick slices
- Slice red onion very thinly into half-moons
- Optional: soak onion in ice water 10 minutes, drain, pat dry for milder flavor
- Toast pecans in dry skillet over medium heat 3-5 minutes until fragrant
- Let cool, chop roughly
- Make dressing: whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon, garlic, salt, pepper, basil in bowl
- Or combine in jar and shake until emulsified
- Taste and adjust—add more honey, vinegar, or salt as needed
- Place dried spinach in large salad bowl
- Add strawberries, onion, toasted nuts, cheese, cranberries, sunflower seeds
- Right before serving, drizzle half the dressing over salad
- Toss gently, add more dressing if needed
- Serve immediately, pass extra dressing on side
Notes
- Dry greens thoroughly—wet greens won't hold dressing
- Toast nuts fresh—brings out flavor
- Dress right before serving—salad wilts quickly
- Start with less dressing—can always add more
- Use fresh strawberries only—frozen too watery
- Store components separately until ready to serve
- Dressing keeps for 1 week refrigerated
- Soak the onion for a milder flavor
- Can add grilled chicken for the main dish
- Make dressing ahead—flavors improve
- Balance dressing to taste—should be sweet and tangy
- Slice strawberries uniformly for even distribution