Strawberry Walnut Spinach Salad (Printable Version)
Refreshing blend of strawberries, walnuts, spinach, and balsamic vinaigrette for a light, flavorful dish.
# What You Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and thoroughly dried
02 - 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced into quarters
03 - ½ cup walnut halves, toasted until fragrant
04 - ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced into rounds
05 - ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
→ Balsamic Vinaigrette
06 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 teaspoon honey
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - ¼ teaspoon sea salt
11 - ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How To Make It:
01 - In a large salad bowl, combine the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, toasted walnuts, and red onion slices.
02 - If desired, sprinkle the crumbled feta cheese evenly over the salad mixture.
03 - In a small bowl or jar with lid, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified and thickened.
04 - Drizzle the vinaigrette over salad just before serving. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately for optimal freshness.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The way sweet strawberries meet tangy balsamic creates that perfect sweet and savory dance we all crave on warm days
- It comes together in fifteen minutes flat but tastes like something from a restaurant where they charge three times as much
02 -
- Dressed spinach gets wilty fast, so never add the vinaigrette until youre literally about to put it on the table
- Dry your spinach like your life depends on it because water on leaves makes dressing slide right off instead of clinging
03 -
- A glass jar with a tight lid makes whisking unnecessary because shaking creates the same emulsification with zero effort
- Taste your strawberries first and if theyre not very sweet, add another pinch of honey to the dressing