A berry driven spinach salad both adults and kids will love. A simple strawberry vinaigrette that not only perks up the greens, but is pleasing on the eyes.
Salads, the perfect way to start off any meal and so easy to turn into an entrée if you prefer. Who doesn’t love a fresh citrus salad with poppy seed dressing or a fresh corn and cherry salad? Or make it a meal with this farmer’s market nicoise salad and enjoy every bite of this deliciousness.
The Best Spring Salad
When strawberries are in season this Strawberry Spinach Salad is a must. It’s also a perfect choice for all the spring celebrations, think Easter and Mother’s Day, baby and bridal showers as well as graduations.
It’s also the best weeknight dinner salad since the vinaigrette is a cinch to put together.
There’s one thing that can ruin an otherwise good strawberry spinach salad and that’s dry, undressed greens. Do not pour the dressing over the top of your salad because you will be left with gloppy, over-dressed greens that sit above layers of dry greens that grind against your teeth. You definitely don’t want to be the last person served in this situation.
Avoid this whole scenario by tossing together the greens with the dressing before serving. Save some almonds and your prettiest strawberries to put on top, and serve any extra dressing on the side for anyone who wants more.
Ingredients for Strawberry Spinach Salad
Full recipe and instructions can be found at the bottom of the page.
Pantry Ingredients
- apple cider vinegar – has the perfect acidity to balance the vinaigrette
- almonds
- avocado oil – you can use a light olive oil if preferred
- black pepper – finely ground
Fresh Ingredients
- fresh strawberries – look for strawberries that are completely ripe and not mushy
- fresh spinach – baby spinach are preferred, but you can use large if you need to
- fresh blueberries – look for round and plump berries
- red onion
- fresh lemon juice – do not use bottled
How To Make Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Step one: Add all ingredients for the vinaigrette to the jar of a blender and blend until well combined. Set aside.
Step two: In a large bowl, add the salad ingredients and toss well.
Step three: Serve immediately.
Can I Make This Salad More Hearty?
If you are wanting a more hearty main dish salad feel free to add shredded or cubed chicken or some crumbled feta, goat, or blue cheese. You can also serve as is with bread for a full meal.
Can I Use Vegetable/Canola/Other Oil for the Vinaigrette?
I recommend sticking with either avocado oil or light olive oil for this recipe. Many cooking oils have a strong flavor that really overpowers the taste of this vinaigrette.
Can I Use Store-Bought Lemon Juice In Place of Freshly Squeezed?
The brightness and freshness of freshly squeezed lemon juice is incomparable. You can surely use store-bought lemon juice, but the vinaigrette will not be as zingy as it could.
Can I Use Store-Bought Dressing?
You can absolutely use a store-bought vinaigrette or other salad dressing to make this dish even faster and easier, but hopefully you make the fresh version since it’s so simple to put together and tastes amazing!
Can I Make This Salad Ahead of Time?
The vinaigrette can be made and stored in the refrigerator up to two days ahead. Put together the salad right before serving for best results.
Other Salads You Might Enjoy
- Orange and Avocado Salad
- Cucumber Edamame Salad
- Avocado and Three Bean Salad
- Tangy Sweet Shredded Carrot Salad
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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Strawberry Vinaigrette:
- 1-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
- 2 tbsps fresh lemon juice
- 3 tbsps apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsps avocado oil or light olive oil
- 1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
Strawberry Spinach Salad
- 16 oz fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
- 10 oz fresh spinach, washed and dried
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add all ingredients for the vinaigrette to the jar of a blender and blend until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the salad ingredients and toss well.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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