Balsamic Spinach Tomato Goat Cheese Grains Salad Recipe

Published on Aug 03, 2020 By

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This strawberry spinach salad is tossed with honey balsamic vinaigrette, and it's so delicious and easy to make. It makes for a beautiful and delicious spring and summer salad recipe that is perfect for get-togethers and parties.

This lovely and fresh strawberry spinach salad recipe is a perfect side for any spring or summer party menu! And when you know you are fueling your body with healthy nutrients and it tastes this delicious? Well, I don't know if it gets any better than that! I hope you and your loved ones enjoy this spinach and strawberry salad!

Strawberry Spinach Salad Ingredients

For the salad

Spinach – Choose organic baby spinach, and make sure the spinach is not wilted and the leaves are not damaged when you buy it.
Strawberries – The star of this strawberry spinach salad is definitely the strawberries. I prefer to use organic. The most delicious strawberries I have ever had are from a local farm where you can pick your own.
Red onion – you can use raw red onions, or you can skip them if you don't like onions. In my opinion, they add a tangy flavor which complements the remaining ingredients.
Pecans – you can use raw, toasted or candied pecans. Either way, they add a crunchy texture to this easy salad. You can also substitute them for slivered almonds, or walnuts, and with sunflower seeds for a nut-free option.
Feta cheese – you can use either feta cheese or crumbled goat cheese. Both add a delicious creamy texture to the salad. Skip the cheese for a dairy-free version. It will taste just as good!

Balsamic Glaze

This simple balsamic glaze is the perfect dressing for this easy strawberry and spinach salad.

Balsamic vinegar
Honey
Salt and pepper

How To Make Strawberry Spinach Salad

Cook balsamic vinegar and honey in a small pot over medium-high heat. Boil for about 5 minutes until it thickens. Add salt and pepper.
Combine the spinach, strawberries, pecans, and red onion slices in a large salad bowl or on a platter. Sprinkle feta cheese, and drizzle the balsamic glaze over salad. Toss spinach strawberry salad lightly and serve immediately.

Strawberry Spinach Salad Dressing

This dressing works so well with the salad ingredients. The balsamic cuts through the creamy feta and the sweetness of the strawberries and the honey adds a wonderful natural sweetness to compliment.

Why eat leafy greens?

Now that summer is in full swing, I am trying to eat as many salads as I can. Some of my favorite green salads are Salmon Quinoa and Kale Salad, Chef Salad, Cobb Salad, and Greek Quinoa Salad with Chicken. Leafy greens are great for disease prevention because they are packed with nutrients and vitamins, they are also great for weight control and youthful skin. The most popular leafy greens are spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, beet greens, parsley, arugula, romaine lettuce, green and red leaf lettuce, dandelion greens.

It's easy to incorporate to eat more leafy greens in your diet – whether a salad for lunch/dinner with some protein, a green smoothie for breakfast, or you can also add greens as a side dish or in soups.

strawberry spinach salad recipe on a black plate with a fork

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

Make It Ahead: You can make the strawberry spinach salad and the dressing ahead of time, but store the balsamic vinaigrette in a separate container than the rest of the ingredients. It's best not to add the dressing until you are ready to serve, or the spinach can wilt.

Store It: You can prep the salad and keep it covered in the fridge for around 3 days, and the salad dressing will keep well in the fridge for up to a week.

spinach and strawberry salad in a black plate

What do you serve with the Strawberry Spinach Salad?

You can serve this strawberry spinach salad with pecans alongside grilled or baked meats in the summer, for example with chicken or salmon.

strawberry spinach salad with balsamic dressing and pecans on a plate

Recipe Notes and Tips

Wash the spinach leaves under cold running water and then pat them gently with a paper towel.
Use the ripest strawberries for the sweetest flavor.
Try swapping the feta for gorgonzola if you like blue cheese. It works so well with the other ingredients! Crumbly goat cheese is also an alternative substitute for this spinach salad.
If you don't have pecans, you can use walnuts, slivered almonds, or even sunflower seeds for a nut-free alternative.
Serve salad immediately because the dressing can make the spinach wilt.

More Easy Salad Recipes

Tuna Pasta Salad
Quinoa Salad with Salmon
Tomato Salad Recipe

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 278 kcal

Cook balsamic vinegar and honey in a small pot over medium-high heat. Boil for about 5 minutes until it thickens. Add salt and pepper.
Combine the spinach, strawberries, pecans, and red onion slices in a large salad bowl or on a platter. Sprinkle feta cheese, and drizzle the balsamic glaze over salad. Toss lightly and serve immediately.

Wash the spinach leaves under cold running water and then use a salad spinner to remove any excess moisture. You can also pat it gently with a paper towel.
Use the ripest strawberries for the sweetest flavor.
Try swapping the feta for gorgonzola if you like blue cheese. It works so well with the other ingredients! Crumbly goat cheese is also an alternative substitute.
If you don't have pecans, you can use walnuts, slivered almonds, or even sunflower seeds for a nut-free alternative.
Serve salad immediately because the dressing can make the spinach wilt.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword Gluten Free, Grain-Free, Paleo, Spring, Strawberry Spinach Salad, Summer, Whole30

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Meet The Author: Neli | Delicious Meets Healthy

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Neli Howard and the food blogger behind Delicious Meets Healthy. I started Delicious Meets Healthy in 2014 while working in public accounting. While everything I did at work was very analytical and detail oriented, I have enjoyed cooking because I get to use my creativity and experiment with flavors and textures of different foods.

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Balsamic Spinach Tomato Goat Cheese Grains Salad Recipe

Source: https://www.deliciousmeetshealthy.com/strawberry-spinach-salad/

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