Strawberry Spinach Salad Balsamic (Printable Version)

A refreshing blend of strawberries, spinach, nuts, and tangy balsamic dressing for a light summer dish.

# What You Need:

→ Salad Components

01 - 6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and thoroughly dried
02 - 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced into halves
03 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
04 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - ½ cup roasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
06 - ¼ cup sliced cucumber, optional

→ Balsamic Vinaigrette

07 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 teaspoon honey or pure maple syrup
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine fresh baby spinach, sliced strawberries, thinly sliced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, roasted nuts, and cucumber if using. Arrange ingredients evenly for optimal presentation.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified and smooth. Alternatively, shake vigorously in a sealed jar.
03 - Drizzle the prepared balsamic vinaigrette over the salad immediately before serving. Toss gently using salad tongs to coat all ingredients evenly without bruising the spinach. Serve promptly for optimal texture and flavor.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The sweet strawberries and tangy feta create this incredible flavor combination that makes people think you spent way more time than you actually did
  • Its one of those rare salads that stays crisp and beautiful even after the dressing goes on, so you can assemble it ahead of guests arriving
02 -
  • Don't dress this salad too far ahead, the spinach will start to wilt after about 30 minutes with the vinaigrette on it
  • The vinaigrette makes more than you'll probably need, and that's actually perfect because it keeps in the fridge for weeks
03 -
  • Dry your spinach really thoroughly after washing, wet spinach makes for a sad, watered-down salad
  • Let the vinaigrette sit for at least 15 minutes before using, the flavors meld together beautifully

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