Description
A fresh and colorful strawberry spinach salad with sweet, tangy, and savory flavors, featuring baby spinach, ripe strawberries, goat cheese, nuts, and a homemade vinaigrette dressing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese (or feta for a saltier bite)
- 1/3 cup toasted walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- For the Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Start by preparing the dressing. In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper until emulsified and smooth.
- Place the baby spinach in a large salad bowl. Add the sliced strawberries on top, making sure they are evenly distributed to showcase their vibrant red color.
- Scatter the thinly sliced red onions and crumbled goat cheese over the salad, enhancing both flavor and visual appeal.
- Sprinkle the toasted nuts generously, adding a warm, nutty aroma and crunchy texture.
- Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Toss carefully to avoid bruising the strawberries or wilting the spinach.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the refreshing contrast of cool spinach, juicy strawberries, and creamy cheese all accented by the tangy dressing.
Notes
- Make sure your spinach is well washed and completely dry to prevent soggy leaves and help the dressing adhere better.
- Use ripe but firm strawberries to maintain their shape and sweet flavor in the salad.
- Toast the nuts lightly in a dry skillet to bring out their natural oils and deepen their flavor.
- Prepare the dressing fresh and add it just before serving to keep the salad crisp and vibrant.
- Handle the salad gently when tossing to avoid mashing the berries and bruising the greens.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-cook assembly
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 12mg
Keywords: strawberry spinach salad, fresh salad, healthy salad, berry salad, goat cheese salad, nutty salad, easy salad recipe