4.64 18 Published Mar 25, 2024, Updated May 06, 2024 This strawberry spinach salad is a staple recipe in my opinion. Need a salad to bring to a potluck? This will be a crowd pleaser. Need a side salad for dinner that satisfies your sweet tooth and is packed with nutrients? This is your recipe.
Why I Love This Salad
Simple – This salad is so easy to make… you only need 5 main ingredients, plus the dressing and one bowl! Customizable – This is a great recipe to customize with different toppings. I also love adding grilled chicken or another protein to make it a meal-sized salad. Seasonal – It’s the perfect spring and summer salad that’s packed with fresh berries and produce!
Strawberry Spinach Salad Ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to whip up this delicious salad. Here’s what you need:
baby spinach – the perfect mild green to use as the base of this salad. Of course you can switch it up and do another baby green like arugula or kale. strawberries – The star of the show here. I love the burst of flavor and sweetness fresh strawberries bring to this recipe! avocado – adds healthy fats and a delicious creaminess to the salad. goat cheese – a savory yet tangy flavor to compliment the others. Feel free to purchase goat cheese crumbles or a log of goat cheese that you crumble yourself. Either option works. If you’re not a goat cheese fan you can always swap in feta or your favorite cheese. pecans – add more healthy fats and a necessary crunch factor to the salad. You can keep this raw or toast them for extra flavor. creamy balsamic vinaigrette – this amazing dressing ties the salad together. It’s made with Greek yogurt for a creamy take on the classic.
How to Make Strawberry Spinach Salad
Step 1: If desired, toast your pecans by spreading them out on a baking sheet and toasting them in the oven at 350°F for about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Make creamy balsamic vinaigrette dressing if you haven’t already. Step 2: Add spinach to a salad bowl and top with strawberries, avocado, goat cheese and pecans. Sprinkle on salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle dressing over salad and enjoy!
Customize Your Salad
One of the reasons I love this salad is how customizable it is! Here are some suggestions for variations and substitutions:
To make this dairy-free and vegan, simply skip the goat cheese (or use a vegan option) and use this balsamic dressing, which is dairy-free. Different dressing – craving a different dressing? This creamy poppyseed dressing or raspberry vinaigrette is also delicious on this salad! Add grains – I love adding grains to my salad for some extra volume and nutrients. Toss in cooked quinoa, rice or farro to make this a heartier salad. Add protein – want to enjoy this as a meal-sized salad? Add a protein of your choice! I’ve served it up with grilled chicken, but it would be delicious with crispy tofu or roasted chickpeas. Add red onion – want a little added zip?! Add sliced or diced red onion to the salad. Switch up the fruit or add more fruit – I think this would be delicious with apples or blueberries as well! Use candied nuts – the ultimate treat. Try my rosemary candied pecans. Swap the nuts for seeds – if you have a nut allergy or if you just prefer seeds you can swap the pecans for sunflower seeds or pepitas.
How to Prep Strawberry Spinach Salad Ahead of Time
This salad is super simple to throw together, but you can also prep it in advance! Here’s what I recommend: You want to make sure you mix in the dressing as close to serving as possible. If you don’t plan to eat the full salad, only add dressing to the portion you plan to eat and store the rest in the fridge.
What to Serve with Strawberry Spinach Salad
Like I said, this is a great recipe to bring to a potluck or to serve as a meal. Here are some recipes that would be delicious with it:
Tempeh veggie burgers or black bean sweet potato burgers – fire up that grill and throw a veggie burger on to pair with this salad. Spinach and feta turkey burgers – my go-to turkey burger recipe! BBQ jackfruit sandwiches – my vegan take on a pulled pork sandwich. This would be so tasty paired with this salad. Make a meal-sized salad by adding shredded chicken, grilled lemon pepper shrimp or blackened Salmon on top of the salad.
More Salad Recipes to Try
Sweet Kale Salad Classic Broccoli Salad Baby Beet and Clementine Salad Easy Spinach Salad Roasted Tomato Salad Beet Salad with Arugula and Balsamic Dressing Arugula Salad
Be sure to check out the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!
