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.
Recipe summary
Flavor: Refreshing, light salad topped with a tart, tangy, and barely sweet dressing.
Yield: Makes 8 side salads or 4 large lunch salads.
Simple ingredients. Baby spinach, strawberries, cucumbers, mozzarella pearls, and red onion.
Easy homemade dressing. Don't skip the dressing! It's easy to make with simple ingredients like oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and dijon mustard.
Great for: Easter dinner, light lunch, meal prep.
Serve with: Marmalade Glazed Ham or Juicy Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts
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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.
- Cucumber - Adds fresh, bright flavor to the salad.
- Red onion - Adds color, flavor, and crunch to the salad.
- Strawberries - Adds flavor, color, and sweetness to the salad. Strawberries could be substituted with your favorite berry, like blueberries or raspberries.
- Balsamic vinaigrette - We're making a simple vinaigrette today with oil (not pictured), balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. These ingredients can be substituted with your favorite store-bought vinaigrette dressing if desired.
How to make strawberry spinach salad
- Add spinach, onion, mozzarella, strawberries, and cucumbers to a large bowl. Toss to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.
- Salad can be dressed and served immediately, or served with dressing on the side.
Tips and tricks
Make ahead - If you'd like to prepare your strawberry spinach salad ahead of an event, prepare the salad base separately and store in the refrigerator. Prepare your dressing and store in a separate container.
Whisk dressing before serving - Give your dressing a whisk just before dressing and serving your salad. While the recipe does include an emulsifier (dijon mustard), the dressing ingredients may settle while they sit.
Storage
Leftover salad without dressing will keep for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Dressed salad will begin to wilt after a few hours and leftovers do not keep well. Serve your salad with dressing on the side if you plan to have leftovers.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, feel free to substitute the spinach with your favorite leafy greens you have on hand.
I like to serve this salad with juicy oven baked chicken breasts or lemon pepper chicken sandwiches.
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Spinach Salad
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 vinegar
- 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.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Servings: Recipe makes 8 side salads or 4 large lunch salads. Optionally, add shredded chicken for a complete meal.
- Leftovers: Leftover salad (without dressing) will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container.
- Plan for leftovers: If you plan to have leftover salad, I recommend serving dressing to the side. Spinach wilts quickly once dressed.
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