Spinach and strawberry salad

This spinach and strawberry salad is a relatively simple combination of ingredients, but it's full of flavor, texture and color. Easy to make, and easy to adapt, it's perfect as an appetizer, side or light meal.

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This might sound like a bit of a bold statement, but I grew up eating some of the best strawberries you can get. Scotland may not be known for having particularly great weather, but it IS good weather for growing strawberries. Plenty of rain, never too hot, it's perfect for allowing them to reach peak flavor and juiciness.

Not too far form where I grew up there was (and still is) a pick your own farm that we went to pretty much every year. We'd load up on strawberries, raspberries and often some other fruits, too. They were so fresh and flavorful, it was worth enjoying as many as possible.

Along with eating many fresh, my mum froze large batches of berries, added some into desserts and made plenty of jam. While she tended to go for single fruit versions, you might see where I got into making jams like the strawberry raspberry jam and strawberry rhubarb jam that are now family favorites.

While I know not everyone likes fruit added to a salad, and it wasn't part of the fruit-fest I grew up with, I do definitely feel they can have a place. And strawberries are a great choice as they have that firmer texture and are sweet but not overly so. Plus, they add such a vibrant color to your plate.

This spinach strawberry salad is a deliciously simple way to make them shine in a salad, and well worth giving a try.

Salad ingredients and variations

This salad is made up of a few key elements, and many of them can be adapted to what you have and to taste:

• Spinach - fresh spinach is great here as it's mild and a great neutral base. You could also use other greens, such as arugula (rocket), or a milder lettuce mix like spring mix. I'd suggest sticking with milder and if anything peppery greens rather than bitter greens.
• Strawberries - color, a touch of sweet juiciness, it's one of the stars of the salad.
• Cheese - here I use feta which adds a nice contrasting slight saltiness (as well as color). Goat cheese would also work well, or you could use a mild blue cheese.
• Candied pecans - these really easy homemade, lightly candied pecans are so good. You'll be surprised by how just a little maple syrup adds a great crunch and gentle sweetness, while still pretty healthy (unlike some other versions). You could use the same method with other nuts, if you prefer, like almonds, or simple gently toast nuts such as pine nuts or walnuts.
• Vinaigrette - here I add an easy balsamic strawberry vinaigrette which pairs really well, adds more bright color and a nice sweet-tart flavor. If you prefer, you could instead use a simple balsamic dressing or creamy poppy seed dressing.

Everything is easy to prepare, and you can make both the vinaigrette and the candied pecans ahead of time, if that suits your schedule better. Store the dressing in the refrigerator and the candied pecans at room temperature, each in a sealed container. They'll keep for at least a couple days, if you let them.

Making this salad into a fuller meal

While this is delicious just as it is, you could easily add to elements to make it a fuller meal as well. For example, add some grilled or roasted chicken or salmon, or add in additional vegetables, such as avocado or thinly sliced fennel.

You could also mix in some cooked, chilled grains or pasta such as some quinoa, orzo, wheat-berries or farro. They'd all work well with the other ingredients, and soak up the tasty dressing, though I'd probably particularly like the pairing of slightly nutty farro.

If this salad converts you to adding fruit (or you're already a fan of fruity salads), why not also try a tasty strawberry asparagus salad, blackberry peach salad or fennel orange salad.

Whether as it is or with some additions, this simple spinach and strawberry salad is a delicious combination that's bright, flavorful and a fantastic mix of textures. It has crunch and juiciness as well as sweet, tart and savory. So much to enjoy, it's well worth making soon.

Try these other easy salads:

• Spinach pomegranate salad
• Beet apple salad with maple vinaigrette
• Easy white bean salad
• Plus get more lunch recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

This post was originally shared in January 2018 and has been updated, primarily with new photos and additional information.

More Recipes Using Strawberries

Appetizers & Salads

• Strawberry Avocado Pinwheels by Helpful Homemade
• Strawberry Shrimp Ceviche Cocktail by Soulfully Made
• Chicken and Strawberry Caprese Wonton Cups by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Strawberry Chicken Spinach Salad by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Strawberry Pasta Salad by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Main Dishes

• Chicken with Strawberry Satay Sauce by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Rotisserie Chicken Strawberry Pizza by Go Epicurista
• Strawberry Balsamic Chicken by Flour On My Face
• Strawberry Glazed Salmon by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Desserts

• Frozen Strawberry Chocolate Yogurt Bark by Renee’s Kitchen Adventures
• Paleo Strawberry Cobbler by Pies and Plots
• Strawberry Oatmeal Bars by Desserts Required
• Strawberry Pavlova with Coconut Cream by Recipes Food and Cooking

Remember to pin for later!

This post was originally sponsored by Florida Strawberry in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.