Name: Recipe "Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Dressing"
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 cup strawberries (chopped); 0.25 cup olive oil; 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar; 1 tbsp honey; 0.5 tsp Dijon mustard; kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste); 8 oz fresh spinach; 2 cup strawberries (sliced); 1 large avocado (sliced); 0.25 red onion (thinly sliced); 0.667 cup feta cheese or goat cheese (crumbled); 0.667 cup candied pecans or pecans (roughly chopped)

Why This Strawberry Spinach Salad Is a Spring Favorite

This strawberry spinach salad is the kind of salad that makes you look forward to strawberry season. I love the combination of sweet, juicy berries with creamy avocado, tangy feta, and crunchy candied pecans. The homemade strawberry balsamic dressing ties everything together with a bright, fruity tang. It’s a salad that works for everything from a quick lunch to a baby shower or backyard BBQ. Add grilled chicken if you want to turn it into a full meal.

Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Spinach Salad

The dressing is made from fresh strawberries, so it’s naturally sweet and tangy, and it comes together in the blender in under a minute.
Every bite has a different texture: creamy avocado, crunchy candied pecans, soft spinach, and juicy strawberries.
It’s a no-cook recipe that takes just 15 minutes to assemble, making it perfect for busy days or last-minute gatherings.

Key Ingredients for Strawberry Spinach Salad

Strawberries: Use ripe, sweet berries for the best flavor in both the dressing and the salad. If your strawberries are tart, add a little extra honey to the dressing. Frozen strawberries can be used in the dressing but not in the salad.
Avocado: Adds creamy texture. Choose an avocado that yields slightly to gentle pressure. Slice just before serving to prevent browning.
Feta cheese: Provides tangy saltiness. Goat cheese is a good substitute. For a vegan salad, omit the cheese entirely.
Candied pecans: Give the salad a sweet crunch. You can buy them pre-made or make your own. Regular pecans, almonds, pistachios, or candied walnuts also work.

Kitchen Tools for Strawberry Spinach Salad

Blender: Essential for making the smooth strawberry dressing.
Large salad bowl: For tossing the salad.
Chef’s knife and cutting board: For slicing strawberries, avocado, and red onion.

Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Spinach Salad

I like to make a batch of candied pecans ahead of time and keep them in a jar in the pantry. That way I can throw this salad together in minutes. You can use regular pecans, almonds, pistachios, or candied walnuts instead. If you want a little extra savory flavor, add some cooked crumbled bacon.

Expert Tips for a Perfect Strawberry Spinach Salad

For the best flavor, use ripe, sweet strawberries in both the dressing and the salad. If your berries are tart, add a little extra honey to the dressing. Slice the avocado just before serving and toss it with a squeeze of lime juice to prevent browning. Always dress the salad right before you serve it, so the spinach stays crisp and the avocado doesn’t get mushy. If you’re making the salad for a crowd, plate individual servings and let everyone add their own dressing.

Strawberry Spinach Salad Variations to Try

This salad is easy to adapt. For a vegan version, use maple syrup instead of honey in the dressing and skip the feta cheese. Goat cheese works beautifully in place of feta if you prefer a milder tang. Swap the pecans for almonds, pistachios, or candied walnuts. You can also add cooked crumbled bacon for a salty crunch. To make it a heartier meal, top with grilled chicken, shrimp, or sliced steak. And if you don’t have spinach, any greens will work, arugula, mixed greens, or even kale (massage the kale first to soften it).

What to Serve with Strawberry Spinach Salad

This salad is versatile enough to pair with almost anything. Serve it alongside grilled chicken or salmon for a light dinner. It’s also a great side for burgers, steaks, or BBQ ribs. For a potluck or picnic, bring the dressing separately and toss just before serving. You can also add a scoop of quinoa or farro to make it a more substantial lunch.

How to Store Strawberry Spinach Salad

The dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Give it a good whisk before using. The assembled salad is best eaten immediately, as the spinach will wilt and the avocado will brown. If you have leftovers, pick out the avocado and store the rest undressed in a sealed container for up to a day. Add fresh avocado and dressing when you’re ready to eat.

Strawberry Spinach Salad FAQs

Can I use frozen strawberries in the dressing?

Fresh strawberries are recommended for the best flavor and texture, but you can use thawed frozen strawberries in a pinch. The dressing may be slightly thinner, so you might need to adjust the consistency.

What can I use instead of spinach?

Any greens will work. Arugula, mixed greens, or kale are good options. If using kale, massage it with a little olive oil first to soften the leaves.

Can I make this salad vegan?

Yes. Use maple syrup instead of honey in the dressing and omit the feta cheese. You can also use a vegan feta alternative if desired.

How do I keep the avocado from browning?

Slice the avocado just before serving and toss it with a little lime or lemon juice. You can also add it to the salad right before serving to minimize exposure to air.

What nuts can I use instead of pecans?

Almonds, pistachios, candied walnuts, or regular pecans all work well. The source also mentions you can use candied walnuts or any nut you prefer.

Recipe

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Dressing

Spinach salad with fresh strawberries, avocado, candied pecans, red onion, feta cheese, and a simple strawberry dressing. The perfect salad for spring and summer!

easyVegetarian

15 min

Prep Time

15 min

Total Time

Servings

Lunch

Course

American

Cuisine

401 kcal

Calories

Ingredients

Servings

1 cup strawberries, chopped
0.25 cup olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
0.5 tsp Dijon mustard
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

8 oz fresh spinach
2 cup strawberries, sliced
1 large avocado, sliced
0.25 red onion, thinly sliced
0.667 cup feta cheese or goat cheese, crumbled
0.667 cup candied pecans or pecans, roughly chopped

Instructions

1
To make the dressing, add the strawberries, olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

2
To assemble the salad, place the spinach, strawberries, avocado, red onion, cheese, and pecans in a

Nutrition (per serving)

401kcal

Calorie breakdown

Protein12%48 kcal

Fat48%198 kcal

Carbohydrates40%162 kcal

How this was calculated — 12 of 12 ingredients matched

strawberriesBeverages, Strawberry-flavor beverage mix, powder, prepared with whole milk211 kcal

olive oilOil, corn, peanut, and olive530 kcal

balsamic vinegarVinegar, balsamic40 kcal

honeyHoney roll sausage, beef27 kcal

Dijon mustardMustard, prepared, yellow2 kcal

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepperPepper, banana, raw0 kcal

fresh spinachSpinach, raw52 kcal

strawberriesBeverages, Strawberry-flavor beverage mix, powder, prepared with whole milk422 kcal

large avocadoAvocados, raw, Florida1 kcal

red onionOnions, red, raw0 kcal

feta cheese or goat cheeseCheese, caraway602 kcal

candied pecans or pecansCandied fruit515 kcal

Serving size ≈ 232 g · 6 servings

Nutrition information is automatically calculated from USDA FoodData Central, so should only be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and preparation methods used.

Open in analyzer

Keyword: gluten-free, No-Cook, vegetarian

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