Strawberry Salad Recipe

Make this simple Strawberry Salad recipe with spinach and balsamic dressing as a delicious side dish or top it with a protein for a meal.

Course Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 288kcal

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the nuts on a small sheet tray. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
In a large serving bowl, combine the greens, red onion, strawberries, and cheese.

In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and black pepper. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, starting with a few drops at a time, ending with a slow stream, until a smooth vinaigrette forms. (Alternatively, you can add all of the ingredients to a mason jar and shake to combine).

Just before serving, top the salad with the toasted nuts and drizzle with the dressing to taste. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to combine, if you like.

Use real balsamic vinegar for the best flavor—there are lots of imitators out there. Some signs to look for are certifications like DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta) meaning it was made in specific regions of Italy, or PGI (Protected Geographical Indication), which is less strict than DOP, but still a sign of quality. Good balsamic should be thicker and syrupy; when you tilt the bottle, it should flow slowly and leave streaks or “legs” on the glass.
If you prep your strawberries ahead of time, you’ll need to keep them in the fridge. Before serving, give them about 10-15 minutes at room temperature to take the chill off so their flavor will be more potent.
After step 2, when the salad ingredients are assembled, you can cover the salad and refrigerate it for up to 8 hours. Make the dressing and chill it separately in a glass jar, then shake it up, and drizzle it over the salad when you are ready to serve.