STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD
I’ve tried various recipes for Strawberry Spinach Salad over many years; however, this is my absolute favorite! It is made with fresh strawberries, feta cheese that is salty candied pecans, and an easy balsamic vinaigrette recipe you can make at home. The flavors and textures are delicious and complement each other beautifully! It’s like an elegant salad you can find at an establishment. However, you can make it at home at less than the price. The salad is among the “summer” salads I can always eat all season!
WHAT’S IN STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD
Strawberry Spinach Salad includes many fantastic flavors and textures that complement each other beautifully. The ingredients you’ll need are:
Baby Spinach – A simple bed of spinach greens forms the basis for this salad.
Strawberries Fresh, sweet strawberries provide an easy and delicious sweetness.
A red onion is A little sharp and offers a pleasant contrast with the sweetness of pecans and strawberries.
Feta cheese: Soft, creamy, and salty feta cheese matches the fresh strawberries in the salad. For those who aren’t a big fan of goat cheese, feta blue or goat cheese could also be a good choice.
Candied Pecans Candied pecans, in my opinion, are among the most delicious elements in the salad. It gives the salad a crunchy and sweet taste and can be swapped with pecans for toasty walnuts or sliced almonds that taste delicious!
Balsamic vinaigrette: Easy homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing that tops the whole thing off.
INGREDIENTS
Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/3 cup olive oil ($1.10)
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar ($0.45)
2 Tbsp honey ($0.50)
1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard ($0.09)
One clove of garlic, chopped ($0.08)
1/2 tsp dried, chopped basil ($0.05)
1/4 tsp salt ($0.01)
14 tsp freshly-cracked black pepper ($0.02)
Candied Pecans
1 Tbsp of butter ($0.07)
Two tablespoons brown sugar ($0.08)
One pinch of salt ($0.01)
1/2 cup chopped pecans ($1.15)
Salad
8 oz baby spinach ($1.83)
1/2 lb strawberry, sliced ($1.25)
One quarter of a red onion finely cut ($0.21)
2 oz of crumbled Feta cheese ($1.82)
INSTRUCTIONS
Begin by making your balsamic vinegar dressing. Add balsamic vinegar, olive oil honey, Dijon mustard, chopped garlic cloves, dry basil salt, and freshly cracked black pepper into an ajar bowl or blender. Close the jar and shake all the ingredients, then whisk in the bowl and blend till the dressing has been evenly mixed. Put the sauce aside.
Then, prepare your candied pecans. Combine the brown sugar, butter, and salt in a small, non-stick skillet. Then, heat on medium while stirring.
When the brown sugar and butter start to melt, Add the chopped pecans into the skillet and mix with the mixture of brown sugar. Continue to cook at medium temperature, stirring every 10 to 15 seconds until the brown sugar completely melts (looks shiny instead of gritty) and completely covers the pecans.
The skillet should be removed from heat prompt y, then transfer the glazed pecans onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Distribute the pecans evenly on a flat sheet and let them cool for a0 minutes before the candied coating is fully set.
Then, prepare the red onion, strawberries, and feta cheese. Cut off the stems, then slice the strawberries. Thinly slice the red onion, and then crumble the feta. Put these ingredients to the side.
Divide the spinach into four plates. Sprinkle two tablespoons of balsamic vinaigrette over the top of each bed of spinach.
Serve chopped red onions, strawberries, a tablespoon of candied pecans, and a teaspoon of cheese feta to the salad. You can drizzle a small amount of balsamic vinaigrette onto the top of each salad and then take a bite!
