The Perfect Spinach Strawberry Salad

Blend sweet and savory flavors in this incredible strawberry spinach salad, perfect for BBQs, summer dinners and so much more. This salad recipe is so simple, yet packed with healthful ingredients to be a nutritional powerhouse.

Don’t be put off by the blend of fruits and veggies in this recipe – they’re surprisingly complimentary! Using the best produce of the season, I’m bringing a little bit of sunshine to your plate with fresh strawberries, spinach, and crumbly feta cheese.

This spinach strawberry salad recipe is packed full of great seasonal flavors. It is the perfect thing to bring to your next BBQ, potluck, or backyard party. I’m sure everyone will love it and will be asking for more.

So, let’s learn how to make it.

What to Put in Spinach Strawberry Salad

The strawberry spinach salad ingredients are simple and you might already have them in your pantry or fridge.

• Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are best. Strawberries are in season during the summer, so you can pick them up at your local farmer’s market or grocery store.
• Spinach: Baby spinach works best here because the leaves are more manageable. Go for fresh spinach over frozen so you’re not dealing with soggy spinach.
• Walnuts: Nuts give texture and crunch to salads. If you’re not a fan of walnuts, swap them out for candied pecans or completely omit them. Or you can replace them with toasted sunflower seeds or almonds.
• Feta cheese: Feta is super crumbly and full of flavor, making it the perfect complement to this salad. Great alternatives are goat cheese and blue cheese if you don’t have feta to hand.
• Dressing: You’ll need poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt, extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, and sugar. You can also make a balsamic dressing with strawberry jam or use this strawberry vinaigrette.

How to Make the Poppy Seed Dressing

Making the best salad dressing is simple.

Mix all of the dressing ingredients and whisk well in a small bowl. Alternatively, place them in a small jar – or a cocktail shaker if you’ve got one! – and shake vigorously until combined.

Chef’s Tip: Any extras of the salad dressing can be kept in the refrigerator in a clean air-tight jar. Use within a few weeks of making.

How to Make Spinach Strawberry Salad

For this salad recipe, first wash and pat dry the strawberries. Then remove their green stems and slice them in half or quarters, depending on the size of the fruit.

Wash and pat dry the spinach. Cut the stems if they are thick. If they’re thin or you are using baby spinach, you can leave them be.

If needed, crumble the feta cheese or cut it into small cubes.

Finally, place the strawberries and spinach in a large bowl, then add the cheese crumbles and the rest of the ingredients. Pour over the dressing and toss to combine.

If making ahead, keep the dressing on the side and add when ready to serve. This will stop the spinach salad from wilting before it’s ready to eat. 

The dressed strawberry spinach salad recipe is best consumed immediately or within a day. However, you can keep undressed salad in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Add the vinaigrette shortly before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Spinach strawberry salad is best served with other amazing summer recipes: 

• Grains – you can serve it along (or mixed in with) some cooked quinoa, pasta, etc.
• It’s a great side dish to your favorite protein like grilled chicken, or roasted salmon or shrimp.
• Serve alongside other simple side dishes like rosemary baby potatoes or roasted onions (especially if you use red onions).
• Or, add it to my staple avocado toast – especially if you’re serving with balsamic vinegar. Strawberries and balsamic vinaigrette work surprisingly well together.
• Enjoy with some dinner rolls with an extra drizzle of honey.

More Summer Salads

• Peach Caprese Salad
• Watermelon Feta Salad
• Pineapple Cucumber Salad

Looking for more summer salad inspiration? Then check my collection of The Best Summer Salads!

If you try this strawberry and spinach salad recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!