Strawberry Spinach Salad ~ Kitchen Mangal

Strawberry Spinach Salad is definitely a crowd pleaser! A bed of fresh spinach is tossed with ripe juicy summer strawberries, creamy avocado, candied pecans, feta cheese & thinly sliced onions.

Toss this salad with a quick and easy white balsamic dressing below or your favorite balsamic vinaigrette for the perfect summer meal.

strawberry spinach salad with avocado

A Perfect Summer Lunch

Spinach and strawberry salad is a perfect summer lunch, to make it a meal top it with grilled chicken or grilled salmon!

Ingredients

Spinach: I use spinach for this recipe but it’s great with your favorite crisp lettuce, like romaine or butter.
Berries: Strawberries add the perfect juicy sweet flavor. Toss blackberries, raspberries or even mandarin oranges in too!
Toppings: Candied pecans or toasted nuts and red onions add great flavor. Avocado and either goat cheese or feta are sprinkled on top for the perfect salad of crunchy, creamy, salty and sweet.

Candied pecans take a little bit of time to make but are so worth the effort. Make big batches and keep them in the cupboard to add to salads, top desserts or even just to snack on. If you don’t have them, substitute toasted pecans, walnuts or almonds.

To Toast Nuts

Place nuts in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the almonds are fragrant and lightly browned. Cool completely. Nuts can also be baked in the oven at 350°F for 6-9 minutes or until fragrant.

pouring dressing over a spinach salad with strawberries

Dressing

All of that fresh summer produce is topped off with a quick and easy homemade white balsamic vinaigrette.

It’s easy to shake up and the perfect combination of sweet and tangy! While I prefer this salad with the balsamic dressing, you can also use a Poppy Seed Dressing or your favorite vinaigrette!

What is White Balsamic Vinegar?

It is very similar to regular balsamic vinegar however it is made with a different grape and isn’t aged as long as traditional balsamic vinegar.

It’s slightly sweeter and has a little bit less tang or bite than a darker vinegar making it the perfect addition to salad dressings and other dishes where balsamic may be overpowering.

a bowl of strawberry salad

How to Make the Dressing

To create a vinaigrette dressing you will want to add the ingredients to a jar and shake to combine. If you happen to have a hand blender, you can also emulsify the dressing (which is blending it so the texture thickens).
For a thicker dressing, simply add all ingredients except the olive oil into a jar. Blend with a hand blender while drizzling the olive oil in as slowly as possible. This will emulsify (thicken) the dressing.

If not eating immediately, I leave the dressing off the salad and store it in the fridge for a couple of days. Toss immediately before serving.

More Fresh Salads

Easy Taco Salad – A quick favorite meal
Chef Salad – Great for a hot day
Greek Salad – Add grilled chicken to make it a meal
Favorite Spaghetti Salad – Lots of fresh veggies and flavor!
Cucumber Onion Salad – Classic bbq potluck recipe!
The Best Tossed Salad – Our go-to side, anything goes!