Description
This easy strawberry salad recipe features a creamy homemade balsamic dressing and sweet ripe berries. It’s the perfect side dish!
Ingredients
For the salad
- 2 cups ripe strawberries
- 8 cups mixed salad greens (mix of spinach and lettuce)
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/3 cup pecan pieces, chopped walnuts, or sliced almonds*
- 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles**
- Fresh ground black pepper
- Optional: make it a main dish with a protein adder***
For the balsamic vinaigrette
- 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Clean the strawberries and slice them. Wash and dry the salad greens. Thinly slice the red onion. To mellow the flavor, soak the onion slices in cold water for about 20 minutes prior to serving, then drain.
- Optional: In a small saucepan over medium heat, toast the nuts for a few minutes until they are golden brown, stirring frequently and watching carefully so that they don’t burn.
- Make the balsamic vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and kosher salt. Then gradually whisk in the olive oil 1 tablespoon at a time until fully emulsified and creamy.
- To serve, spread the greens on a plate and top with strawberries, red onion, nuts, feta cheese crumbles, vinaigrette, and several grinds of black pepper.
Notes
*If you have time, toasting the nuts is a great way to step up the flavors! Add the nuts to a dry skillet and toast for 3 to 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently. Immediately remove to a plate. See How to Toast Pecans, How to Toast Almonds, or How to Toast Walnuts. Other variations on the nuts include hazelnuts, chopped pistachios, candied pecans, or candied walnuts.
**Cheese is optional but adds a welcome savory contrast. We like feta cheese or goat cheese crumbles. Gorgonzola or Parmesan cheese also work. Omit cheese for a vegan salad and use maple syrup in the dressing.
***Consider adding protein to make it a main dish! Try chicken like Parmesan crusted chicken, grilled chicken, or blackened chicken, salmon like baked salmon, pan seared salmon, or grilled salmon, or tofu like baked tofu, crispy tofu, or grilled tofu.
Leftover and make ahead tips: Salads are notoriously suboptimal as leftovers, as they get soggy over time. We like to plate individual salads when serving and simply drizzle the dressing over each plate or bowl. If making in advance, chop the components and store them refrigerated in separate individual containers. Directly before serving, allow the dressing to come to room temperature, then plate each salad.
Other salad dressing options include Poppy Seed Dressing, Strawberry Vinaigrette, or Citrus Salad Dressing.
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Italian
