Make a bright and fresh strawberry spinach salad today - it's filled with your favorite spring flavors. Strawberries, cucumber, fresh mozzarella, and baby spinach are tossed in a homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
This strawberry spinach salad is the perfect way to add extra fruits and veggies into your daily routine. Made with plenty of fresh and nutritious spring seasonal produce!
A bed of baby spinach is topped with fresh sliced cucumbers, strawberries, red onion, and fresh mozzarella pearls. A light, fresh, and flavorful combination.
This salad is topped with an easy to make balsamic vinaigrette dressing. It's tart, tangy, and just barely sweet.
Pair this side salad with your favorite entrée, like Easter ham or roasted chicken. Or, top with shredded rotisserie chicken for a complete meal.
Ingredients and substitutions
Baby spinach can be substituted with any fresh greens you have on hand.
Fresh mozzarella pearls can be substituted with crumbled feta or goat cheese.
Balsamic vinaigrette ingredients can be substituted with your favorite store-bought vinaigrette dressing you have on hand.
Maple syrup can be substituted with honey. Dijon mustard can be substituted with yellow mustard.
Make ahead
If you'd like to prepare your strawberry spinach salad ahead of time for an event, dinner, or party, here's what I recommend:
Prepare your salad base - spinach, strawberries, cucumber, onions, and cheese - in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can do this up to one day ahead of time (however, salad is always best served the same day).
In a small bowl or container, prepare your balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Cover and store until ready to serve. I like to store my homemade dressings in mason jars.
Just before serving, toss your salad ingredients with your dressing. Baby spinach is a very delicate green, and will wilt if dressed and stored in the refrigerator. I highly recommend adding your dressing just before serving your salad.
Leftovers
If you think you may have salad leftovers, I recommend serving your salad dressing to the side. Allow guests to add dressing to their own salad as desired.
Once dressed, your salad will not keep well as a leftover. Spinach is delicate and will wilt over time.
Leftover salad (without dressing) will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 9 ounces baby spinach
- 16 ounces strawberries sliced
- 1 cucumber sliced
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls
- ½ red onion sliced
Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add spinach. Top with sliced strawberries, cucumber, red onion, and mozzarella pearls. Set aside.
- In a bowl (or mason jar), add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk (or cover jar and shake) to combine.
- Just before ready to serve, toss salad in dressing until evenly coated. Serve immediately. Or, toss salad ingredients and serve dressing on the side.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Recipe will make 8 side salads or 4 large lunch salads. Optionally, add shredded chicken for a complete meal.
- Leftover salad (without dressing) will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.
- If you plan to have leftover salad, I recommend serving dressing to the side. Once the spinach has been dressed, it will wilt more quickly.
Leave a Reply