Strawberry Spinach Salad – Eating Bird Food

This easy strawberry spinach salad is insanely delicious with fresh strawberries avocado, goat cheese, pecans and a creamy balsamic vinaigrette.

I tend to go through phases when it comes to salads, but spring and summer always have me craving more salads, especially ones that use seasonal produce like this strawberry salad.

This strawberry spinach salad is a staple recipe in my opinion. Need a salad to bring to a potluck? This will be a crowd pleaser. Need a side salad for dinner that satisfies your sweet tooth and is packed with nutrients? This is your recipe.

Why I Love This Salad

• Simple – This salad is so easy to make… you only need 5 main ingredients, plus the dressing and one bowl!
• Customizable – This is a great recipe to customize with different toppings. I also love adding grilled chicken or another protein to make it a meal-sized salad.
• Seasonal – It’s the perfect spring and summer salad that’s packed with fresh berries and produce!

Strawberry Spinach Salad Ingredients

You only need a handful of ingredients to whip up this delicious salad. Here’s what you need:

• baby spinach – the perfect mild green to use as the base of this salad. Of course you can switch it up and do another baby green like arugula or kale.
• strawberries – The star of the show here. I love the burst of flavor and sweetness fresh strawberries bring to this recipe!
• avocado – adds healthy fats and a delicious creaminess to the salad.
• goat cheese – a savory yet tangy flavor to compliment the others. Feel free to purchase goat cheese crumbles or a log of goat cheese that you crumble yourself. Either option works. If you’re not a goat cheese fan you can always swap in feta or your favorite cheese.
• pecans – add more healthy fats and a necessary crunch factor to the salad. You can keep this raw or toast them for extra flavor.
• creamy balsamic vinaigrette – this amazing dressing ties the salad together. It’s made with Greek yogurt for a creamy take on the classic.

How to Make Strawberry Spinach Salad

Step 1: If desired, toast your pecans by spreading them out on a baking sheet and toasting them in the oven at 350°F for about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Make creamy balsamic vinaigrette dressing if you haven’t already.

Step 2: Add spinach to a salad bowl and top with strawberries, avocado, goat cheese and pecans. Sprinkle on salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle dressing over salad and enjoy!

Customize Your Salad

One of the reasons I love this salad is how customizable it is! Here are some suggestions for variations and substitutions:

• To make this dairy-free and vegan, simply skip the goat cheese (or use a vegan option) and use this balsamic dressing, which is dairy-free.
• Different dressing – craving a different dressing? This creamy poppyseed dressing or raspberry vinaigrette is also delicious on this salad!
• Add grains – I love adding grains to my salad for some extra volume and nutrients. Toss in cooked quinoa, rice or farro to make this a heartier salad.
• Add protein – want to enjoy this as a meal-sized salad? Add a protein of your choice! I’ve served it up with grilled chicken, but it would be delicious with crispy tofu or roasted chickpeas.
• Add red onion – want a little added zip?! Add sliced or diced red onion to the salad.
• Switch up the fruit or add more fruit – I think this would be delicious with apples or blueberries as well!
• Use candied nuts – the ultimate treat. Try my rosemary candied pecans.
• Swap the nuts for seeds – if you have a nut allergy or if you just prefer seeds you can swap the pecans for sunflower seeds or pepitas.

How to Prep Strawberry Spinach Salad Ahead of Time

This salad is super simple to throw together, but you can also prep it in advance! Here’s what I recommend:

1. Add spinach to a large container with an airtight lid.
2. Slice strawberries and add to spinach.
3. Crumble goat cheese and add to spinach.
4. Toast nuts and/or chop and add to spinach mixture.
5. Mix creamy balsamic dressing and store in a separate container.
6. When you’re ready to serve, slice avocado, add to the salad and mix in the dressing.

You want to make sure you mix in the dressing as close to serving as possible. If you don’t plan to eat the full salad, only add dressing to the portion you plan to eat and store the rest in the fridge.

What to Serve with Strawberry Spinach Salad

Like I said, this is a great recipe to bring to a potluck or to serve as a meal. Here are some recipes that would be delicious with it:

More Salad Recipes to Try

Be sure to check out the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!