Description
Refreshing strawberry spinach salad delivers summer’s sweet and tangy promise on one delightful plate. Crisp spinach leaves dance with juicy berries, creating a light meal that welcomes fresh flavor and healthy indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 6 cups (1.4 liters) fresh baby spinach
- 1 pound (454 grams) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- ½ cup (60 grams) sliced almonds, toasted
Dairy and Cheese:
- ½ cup (75 grams) crumbled feta cheese
Other Ingredients:
- ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
Dressing Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters) balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) honey
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) Dijon mustard
- ½ cup (120 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Craft a vibrant vinaigrette by whisking balsamic vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard in a compact mixing vessel, creating a harmonious base for the dressing.
- Gradually introduce olive oil into the mixture, using a continuous whisking motion to develop a smooth, emulsified consistency that will elegantly coat the salad ingredients.
- Enhance the dressing with a delicate balance of salt and freshly ground black pepper, tasting and adjusting the seasoning to achieve a perfect flavor profile.
- Select a spacious salad bowl and layer baby spinach leaves as the verdant foundation of the dish, creating a lush green canvas.
- Artfully arrange sliced strawberries, adding bursts of crimson color and sweet-tart complexity to the leafy base.
- Scatter toasted almonds across the salad, introducing a nutty crunch that will provide textural contrast to the tender greens and juicy berries.
- Sprinkle thinly sliced red onion throughout, contributing a subtle sharpness and additional depth to the salad’s flavor composition.
- Drizzle the prepared vinaigrette over the ingredients, ensuring an even distribution that will elevate and unite the individual components.
- Delicately toss the salad, coating each element with the dressing without bruising the delicate ingredients.
- Crown the salad with crumbled feta cheese, allowing the tangy, creamy cheese to nestle among the spinach and berries.
- Serve the salad immediately, celebrating the fresh ingredients and vibrant flavors at their peak of perfection.
Notes
- Customize the dressing by swapping balsamic vinegar with apple cider vinegar for a lighter, tangier flavor profile.
- Toast almonds quickly in a dry skillet to enhance their nutty aroma and prevent burning by constantly stirring.
- Keep spinach crisp by washing and thoroughly drying leaves before assembling the salad, preventing soggy texture.
- Make this salad gluten-free and dairy-free by replacing feta with nutritional yeast or dairy-free cheese alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 15mg