Strawberry Spinach Spring Salad (Printable Version)

Strawberries, baby spinach, goat cheese and toasted nuts tossed in a bright balsamic dressing.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese (or feta)
04 - 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 1/3 cup toasted pecans or sliced almonds

→ Balsamic Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey (or maple syrup), Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
02 - In a large salad bowl, add baby spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, and toasted nuts.
03 - Drizzle with the prepared balsamic dressing. Toss gently to combine.
04 - Top with crumbled goat cheese just before serving.
05 - Serve immediately for best freshness.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It delivers the kind of sweet–savory balance that makes you sneak just one more forkful.
  • You can throw it together in 15 minutes—no oven or fancy tricks required.
02 -
  • Once I tried to prep the salad hours in advance, but the spinach wilted—always dress it just before serving.
  • Swapping honey for maple syrup made the dressing smoothly vegan, and honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference in taste.
03 -
  • Let the goat cheese sit at room temperature for five minutes before crumbling for the creamiest texture.
  • Always toast the nuts—it’s the simplest upgrade and makes the salad extra addictive.
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