Spinach Strawberry Salad
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This Spinach Strawberry Salad recipe is the perfect summer salad! It’s filled with juicy berries, creamy cheese, crunchy pecans, and a sweet and tangy poppy seed dressing. This salad is perfect as a side dish, or a main dish with grilled chicken or balsamic salmon. It’s healthy, gluten free and easy to make!
Table of contents
A favorite on the blog since 2013, this salad has the perfect balance of sweet, salty and savory ingredients, with juicy, crunchy and creamy textures. It really is the most perfect salad for the spring and summer months when strawberries are in their peak season!
Make it your own by adding more delicious ingredients, like avocado, tomatoes, grilled chicken, or balsamic salmon. Serve it as a side dish at a summer BBQ, a starter before a delicious meal on the grill, or with added protein, this salad can be made into an easy weeknight dinner.
I guarantee after just one taste, you’re going to fall in love with the flavors of this spinach strawberry salad. It truly is the perfect summer salad recipe!
Ingredients
For the full detailed recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Spinach – you’ll need about 8 cups of baby spinach leaves to make this salad. If you want to mix things up, you can use 4 cups of spinach and 4 cups of arugula to add a peppery taste to the base of the salad.
- Strawberries – a cup of sliced strawberries will add juicy sweetness to the salad.
- Blueberries – double up on the berry goodness by also adding blueberries into the mix.
- Red onion – thinly sliced red onion adds a nice crunch on top of the salad. If you want a sweet, more mild flavor, use thinly sliced shallots instead.
- Poppy seed dressing – click the link for my Grandma’s salad dressing recipe. It’s easy to whisk together with pantry staples in just 5 minutes.
- Candied pecans – click the link for my easy homemade recipe to make the candied pecans at home, or purchase candied pecans in a bag, or the bulk bins, at your grocery store. If you don’t want the added sugar of candied pecans, feel free to use plain pecans, walnuts or almonds, instead.
- Ricotta cheese – any creamy, crumbly cheese will work on this salad. Over the years, I’ve used ricotta, goat cheese, feta cheese and blue cheese crumbles. They’re all delicious on this salad, just depending on the flavor you want to add with the cheese.
Instructions
- Make the poppy seed dressing. If you don’t already have prepared salad dressing, mix up the poppy seed dressing, using the recipe linked here.
- Toss the salad. In a large bowl, toss the spinach leaves, sliced strawberries, blueberries, and sliced red onions with the poppy seed dressing.
- Top the salad. Sprinkle chopped candied pecans and dollop ricotta cheese on top of the salad. Feel free to season the salad with salt and pepper before serving.
Additions and substitutions
Add any of these fruits, vegetables or proteins for even more flavor in the salad.
- Avocado (diced)
- Cherry tomatoes (quartered)
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
- Cucumbers (sliced into half moon shapes)
- Pears (thinly sliced)
- Bacon (cooked and diced)
- Lemon rosemary chicken (grilled)
- Lemon pepper chicken (stovetop)
- Marinated chicken (grill, oven or stovetop)
- Balsamic salmon (oven roasted)
- Marinated salmon (grill or oven)
Substitute any of these cheeses for the ricotta cheese, or any of these nuts for the candied pecans. You can also add homemade croutons, or use them instead of the candied pecans to add crunch to the salad.
- Blue cheese
- Gorgonzola cheese
- Goat cheese
- Feta cheese
- Sliced almonds
- Chopped walnuts
- Shelled pistachios
If you want to switch up the salad dressing, feel free to use a balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette, in place of the poppy seed dressing.
Recipe notes
- This recipe serves 2 as a meal, or 4-6 people as a side dish. If you’d like to double this recipe to serve 10-12 people at a backyard bbq or 4th of July party, simply click the 2X button in the recipe card below. The ingredient amounts will automatically update for the new serving size.
- This salad is naturally gluten free, using the ingredients shown above.
- To make this recipe vegan, omit the ricotta cheese. Candied pecans or glazed pecans are traditionally made with egg white or butter. So be sure to check the ingredients if adding them to the salad. You might have to make a vegan version yourself, or just add plain pecans.
- I only recommend making as much salad as you plan to eat at that time. Once the salad has been tossed with the dressing, it can not be saved and eaten later, as the salad will become soggy.
What to serve it with
If serving this strawberry spinach salad recipe as a side dish, try pairing it with these main dishes and sides.
Spinach Strawberry Salad
Ingredients
- 8 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup strawberries, stems removed and sliced
- ½ cup blueberries
- ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup poppy seed dressing, click link for homemade recipe
- ½ cup candied pecans, chopped (or use walnuts or almonds)
- ½ cup ricotta cheese, dollops (or use goat cheese or feta cheese)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, toss the spinach leaves, strawberries, blueberries and red onions with the poppy seed dressing.
- Top with the chopped candied pecans and dollops of ricotta cheese, then serve immediately.
Notes
- If you want to switch up the salad dressing, feel free to use a balsamic vinaigrette or lemon vinaigrette, in place of the poppy seed dressing.
- To add protein to the salad and make it a meal, I recommend topping the salad with either lemon rosemary chicken, honey mustard chicken or balsamic salmon.
- This recipe serves 2 as a meal (without added protein), or 4-6 people as a side dish. If you’d like to double this recipe to serve 10-12 people at a backyard bbq or 4th of July party, simply click the 2X button above. The ingredient amounts will automatically update for the new serving size.
- This salad is naturally gluten free, using the ingredients shown above.
- To make this recipe vegan, omit the ricotta cheese. Candied pecans or glazed pecans are traditionally made with egg white or butter. So be sure to check the ingredients if adding them to the salad. You might have to make a vegan version yourself, or just add plain pecans.
Nutrition Facts
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One Comment on “Spinach Strawberry Salad”
5 stars