Side Dish Ideas is an Amazon Associate and may receive compensation for purchases made through affiliate links.
My flavorful Strawberry Salad with Spinach is a simple, fresh salad recipe you will love as a side dish or even as a main course salad. Complete with homemade honey balsamic dressing, it's filling, refreshing, and perfect from Winter to Summer!
Jump to:
Spinach and Strawberry Salad
To me, salads are a classic side dish you can never go wrong with, and of all the salad recipes I've made, salads with fresh seasonal fruit are by far my favorite. This spinach and strawberry salad is easily one of my family's favorites, especially paired with homemade honey balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
Fresh, sweet strawberries pair beautifully with crisp spinach, crumbled feta, pecans, sweet onion, dried cranberries and avocado for a flavor combination that is so warm and refreshing, with the perfect balance of sweet. It makes me smile every time, and I hope it does the same for you!
Try serving this strawberry spinach salad recipe as your next side dish for a pita sandwich, panini, roasted chicken, grilled salmon, or juicy steak. No matter what you serve it with, you might find yourself finishing it before the rest of your meal!
Strawberry and Spinach Salad Ingredients
- spinach - you can also use romaine or spring mix greens
- strawberries
- sweet onion, thinly sliced
- rotisserie chicken, shredded - optional, if serving as a full meal
- pecans
- dried cranberries
- crumbled feta
- avocado, diced
Spinach Strawberry Salad Dressing
- honey
- balsamic vinegar
- salt
- pepper
- olive oil
How to Make Spinach Salad with Strawberries
- Add fresh lettuce to a serving bowl and top with sweet onions and shredded chicken (if using).
- Combine honey, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Stir with a whisk.
- Sprinkle pecans, dried cranberries, crumbled feta, avocado, and quartered strawberries on the salad.
- Pour dressing over the salad evenly and gently toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe Tips
- Adding sliced grilled chicken breast makes this spinach strawberry salad recipe an easy light lunch or main course meal. To keep it a side dish, you can leave the chicken out.
- Instead of crumbled feta cheese, you can also use shredded Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, goat cheese, or even freshly torn mozzarella cheese, if you prefer.
- If you want to add another green to your salad, try mixing in some fresh arugula for an extra bite. I recommend half spinach, half arugula. Or, you can use romaine mixed with spring mix (pictured).
- You can use fresh strawberries or frozen, but if you're using frozen, make sure to let them thaw first.
- Balsamic vinaigrette isn't the only dressing this salad pairs well with! Try a champagne vinaigrette, or a poppy seed dressing, if you prefer.
- Additional berries make this salad even more bright and fun. Try adding in a few raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries for an extra pop of color and flavor.
- Pecans are my top choice of nuts for this salad, but you can also use almonds, walnuts, or even candied pecans if you'd like something a little extra sweet.
- You can make the dressing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Just give it a good shake or stir before using it again.
If you love spinach salads, you will love my Peach Salad for the summer. Give it a try next!
Spinach Strawberry Salad Recipe FAQ
It is generally not necessary to remove the stems from spinach for salad. However, if you use a larger variety of fully-grown spinach, and not baby spinach, you may wish to trim the stems.
Spinach may be dirty when you pick it up from the store. For this reason, it's a good idea to rinse it before using it in your salad. Make sure to use cool water and to be gentle when washing the leaves, and only wash when you're ready to make the salad, so the greens don't wilt over time.
📌 Pin it for later!
Did you enjoy this page? Save it on Pinterest for later!If you enjoyed the recipe, leave a comment and a rating below!
Strawberry Salad with Spinach
Ingredients
Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
Strawberry Chicken Salad
- 8 cups spinach or use 4 cups romaine and 4 cups spring mix; you can also use half spinach and arugula
- 2 cups quartered strawberries
- ⅓ cup sweet onion thinly sliced
- ½ cup rotisserie chicken shredded; optional, if serving as a main course
- ¼ cup pecan pieces
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup crumbled feta
- 1 avocado diced
Instructions
- Add fresh lettuce to a serving bowl and top with sweet onions and shredded chicken (if using).8 cups spinach, ⅓ cup sweet onion, ½ cup rotisserie chicken
- Combine honey, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Stir with a whisk.1 tablespoon honey, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon pepper, 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Sprinkle pecans, dried cranberries, crumbled feta, avocado, and quartered strawberries on the salad.2 cups quartered strawberries, ¼ cup pecan pieces, ¼ cup dried cranberries, ½ cup crumbled feta, 1 avocado
- Pour dressing over the salad evenly and gently toss to combine. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Adding sliced grilled chicken breast or shredded rotisserie makes this spinach strawberry salad recipe an easy light lunch or main course meal. To keep it a side dish, you can leave the chicken out.
- Instead of crumbled feta cheese, you can also use shredded Parmesan cheese, blue cheese, goat cheese, or even freshly torn mozzarella cheese, if you prefer.
- If you want to add another green to your salad, try mixing in some fresh arugula for an extra bite. I recommend half spinach, half arugula. Or, you can use romaine mixed with spring mix (pictured).
- You can use fresh strawberries or frozen, but if you're using frozen, make sure to let them thaw first.
- Balsamic vinaigrette isn't the only dressing this salad pairs well with! Try a champagne vinaigrette, or a poppy seed dressing, if you prefer.
- Additional berries make this salad even more bright and fun. Try adding in a few raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries for an extra pop of color and flavor.
- Pecans are my top choice of nuts for this salad, but you can also use almonds, walnuts, or even candied pecans if you'd like something a little extra sweet.
- You can make the dressing ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Just give it a good shake or stir before using it again.
Nutrition
» About Me
- Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese - September 12, 2023
- Air Fryer Corn on the Cob - September 5, 2023
- Potato Seasoning - August 29, 2023
Leave a Reply