Strawberry Spinach Salad

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Strawberry spinach salad is a wonderful salad to showcase in season strawberries. Spinach, berries, goat cheese, almonds, and red onion are tossed together for an easy, flavorful side.

I think I get more excited for strawberry season than any other time of year. We’ve gone strawberry picking for years so we can load up, because we can’t get enough! 

As soon as a fresh pint makes it to the house, the berries only have enough time to be washed before we gobble them up. I’d say it was a problem, if you can consider the voracious eating of berries to be an issue.

Of course, now I’ve caught on and buy at least twice as many berries as we need, just to ensure we have enough for more than one day. 

This means I get to make one of my favorite salads, a spinach salad with fresh strawberries, creamy goat cheese, and a light dressing made with more lemon and orange juices.

Adding strawberries to salads adds a layer of sweetness that stands up well against the bitter flavors of many greens.

You’ll love how quick and easy it is to put together!

Ingredients for strawberry spinach salad

You’ll need:

Spinach – This recipe calls for fresh baby spinach, which is what you’ll usually find at the store. You can also use larger spinach leaves, simply cut into smaller pieces. 

There’s no need to remove the stems from baby spinach, as they are tender enough to eat. You may want to remove stems from larger spinach leaves.

Strawberries – You’ll need about 8 ounces of strawberries. Make sure to taste your strawberries first to make sure they are perfectly sweet.

Red onion – Thinly sliced red onion adds a bit of sharp bite that pairs up with the sweet strawberries. You can leave it out if you don’t like the flavor.

Goat cheese – Use crumbled goat cheese, rather than soft spreadable goat cheese (chevre). I use plain goat cheese, but you could try a flavored variety as well!

For a vegan option try vegan feta cheese!

Almonds – Sliced or slivered almonds are both great options.

Citrus dressing – The incredibly simple citrus dressing is light and doesn’t overpower the salad flavors. It features lemon and orange juice, taking the place of the usual vinegar in vinaigrette-style dressings.

You’ll also need dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper for the dressing.

You can make it in advance and store in the fridge. All it needs is a quick shake to mix the ingredients again and you’re good to go.

How to make this recipe

Wash and pat dry the spinach and add to a large bowl or serving dish.

Wash, dry, and slice the strawberries into 3 or 4 pieces, depending on the size. Add to the spinach along with the sliced red onion, goat cheese, and almonds.

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, orange juice, dijon, and garlic. Slowly pour in the olive oil while whisking, and continue to whisk until the dressing is blended and slightly thickened. 

Whisk in half the salt and pepper, taste, and add more seasoning as desired.

Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss the ingredients with tongs or salad servers to mix.

Serve and enjoy!

FAQ

What can I add to strawberry spinach salad?

Depending on what else we have in the house, I add various other toppings. Fresh ataulfo mango chunks add a lovely creamy sweetness that compliments the strawberries.

Cherry tomatoes, feta cheese crumbles, bell pepper strips, sliced cucumber, broccoli florets, or steamed asparagus are all good choices as well.

Broccoli and asparagus, if you have the thinner asparagus stalks, don’t actually need to be cooked before being added to a salad. 

You can also add cooked diced chicken or crispy roasted tofu.

If you don’t like almonds, any other nut will go well in this salad. I’m partial to pecans, but crunchy walnuts or pistachios are always a nice addition.

Can this salad be made ahead of time?

While dressed spinach holds up better than iceberg or romaine lettuce, if you need to make this salad ahead of time I recommend waiting until serving to add the dressing.

All of the salad components can be portioned for layering onto the salad just before dressing, or you can arrange the components on top of the spinach layer. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve, but not longer than 2 days.

Store the dressing in a salad cruet or mason jar with reusable lid, and give it a good whisk or shake before pouring over the salad. It also helps to let the dressing come to room temperature before mixing.

Can I use something besides spinach?

Try this salad with your favorite spring green mix or baby arugula.

It’s also good with crisp romaine hearts.

For a heartier salad, try chopped kale. Add half the dressing to the kale and mix well, letting the kale soften somewhat before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Can I use a different dressing?

If you want to go even further with strawberry flavor, try my strawberry poppy seed dressing on this salad instead!

Balsamic vinaigrette is also delicious with strawberries and goat cheese.

Or, choose your favorite store bought dressing.

More delicious summer salads

Looking for other salads to enjoy this summer?

Try grilled chicken Caesar salad or roasted corn salad for a cookout hit. I also love the flavors in Thai chicken salad, delicious with both hot or cold chicken!

Highlight fresh, juicy tomatoes with panzanella salad.

Go for a pasta option with creamy balsamic chicken pasta salad, or tortellini pasta salad.

This is the best time of year to enjoy salads, so grab those fresh ingredients and go for it!