Strawberry Spinach Pecans Salad (Printable)

A fresh, colorful blend of strawberries, spinach, pecans, and tangy balsamic dressing for a light, wholesome dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Salad Components

01 - 5 oz baby spinach, washed and thoroughly dried
02 - 8 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced into quarters
03 - 3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted until fragrant
04 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings

→ Balsamic Vinaigrette

06 - 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 tbsp honey or pure maple syrup
09 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey (or maple syrup), Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified. Set aside at room temperature.
02 - Place the dried baby spinach in a large salad bowl as the foundation. Add the sliced strawberries, toasted pecans, crumbled feta cheese, and red onion rings on top.
03 - Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette evenly over the salad just before serving. Toss gently with salad servers to coat all ingredients without crushing the spinach or berries.
04 - Transfer to individual plates or serve family-style from the bowl. Enjoy immediately while the pecans remain crunchy and the spinach is crisp.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sweet and savory combination hits every craving at once, making it feel like a restaurant quality salad without the restaurant price tag.
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes flat, which means you can throw it together even on the busiest weeknights.
02 -
  • The dressing should be added right before serving because the spinach will start to wilt once it hits the acidic vinaigrette, even though baby spinach holds up better than most greens.
  • Toast your pecans ahead of time and let them cool completely, otherwise they will actually soften the greens instead of staying delightfully crunchy.
03 -
  • Dry your spinach thoroughly after washing, because water clinging to the leaves will prevent the dressing from coating evenly and make the salad soggy.
  • Let the dressing sit for at least ten minutes before using it to allow the flavors to meld together and the mustard to mellow slightly.

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