Strawberry Spinach Walnut Salad (Printable)
Fresh spinach, strawberries, walnuts, and tangy balsamic combine in a delightful, crisp salad.
# What You Need:
→ Salad Components
01 - 6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped and lightly toasted
→ Balsamic Vinaigrette
06 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 teaspoon honey
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - ⅛ teaspoon salt
11 - ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How To Make:
01 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until well combined and emulsified.
02 - Place the spinach in a large salad bowl. Add strawberries, red onion, feta cheese, and toasted walnuts on top.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Gently toss to combine, ensuring all ingredients are lightly coated with the vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The strawberries burst with juice against the creamy feta, creating those little moments where you stop chewing and just look up at whoever youre eating with
- It comes together in fifteen minutes but looks like something from a restaurant, which Ive learned is the best kind of dinner party trick
02 -
- I learned the hard way that adding the dressing too far in advance turns this into a soggy mess, so now I wait until everyone is actually sitting at the table
- The walnuts really do need to be toasted, not just warmed up, and youll know theyre done when you can smell them and theyve turned a shade darker
03 -
- Dry your spinach really well after washing it, since water on the leaves keeps the dressing from clinging properly and makes the salad wilt faster
- Warm the honey for ten seconds in the microwave if it has crystallized, which will help it dissolve into the dressing more easily