Description
This delicious Strawberry Spinach Salad is a refreshing and healthy meal option perfect for a light lunch or a nutritious side dish. Featuring fresh spinach, sweet strawberries, crunchy nuts, and a tangy homemade balsamic vinaigrette, it’s a vibrant combination of flavors and textures that’s quick to prepare and perfect for warm days.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Salad:
- 6 cups fresh spinach leaves (washed and dried)
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- ¼ cup goat cheese or feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
- ¼ cup walnuts or pecans, toasted and chopped
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or sunflower seeds (optional)
- 1 tablespoon red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
For the Balsamic Vinaigrette:
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional, for sweetness)
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Wash and dry the spinach leaves thoroughly to avoid sogginess. Hull and slice the strawberries, thinly slice the red onion if using, and toast the walnuts or pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
- Make the Dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together balsamic vinegar, olive oil, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until the dressing is smooth and emulsified. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the fresh spinach, sliced strawberries, crumbled goat or feta cheese, toasted nuts, red onion slices, and optional chia or sunflower seeds. Toss gently to mix ingredients evenly.
- Dress and Serve: Pour the balsamic vinaigrette over the salad and toss again lightly to coat all ingredients in the dressing. Serve immediately for the freshest taste, optionally garnishing with extra cheese or nuts for added texture and flavor.
Notes
- To toast nuts, use a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until they release aroma and turn lightly golden.
- For a vegan version, omit the cheese and honey or substitute honey with maple syrup.
- Make sure to dry spinach thoroughly after washing to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
- Strawberries should be added last to avoid crushing and releasing too much juice.
- Salad is best served immediately but can be prepared up to 1 hour in advance if dressing is added just before serving.
