Spinach Salad with Strawberries

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This easy strawberry spinach salad recipe features sweet strawberries, punchy red onion, salty pistachios, and tangy feta cheese. Serve on top of fresh baby spinach or in your favorite leafy greens mix. 

This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Bushel and Berry®.

This summer salad is no different. The combination of tangy, juicy strawberries with crunchy pistachios and creamy feta is absolute perfection. This is a salad you are going to truly enjoy eating and it is sure to be a go-to for summertime get-togethers and BBQs.

If you are a salad skeptic (or anyone in your family is), this is definitely the salad for you. It is sweet but not too sweet and loaded with different flavors and textures that make it enjoyable to eat.

For this strawberry salad, you will need:
• spinach or a spinach mix
• fresh strawberries
• red onion
• roasted salted pistachios
• feta crumble
• your favorite balsamic vinaigrette

To make a homemade balsamic vinaigrette: mix together 2 Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 clove of minced garlic, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup until combined. Proceed with dressing instructions per the recipe card below.

Drizzle 2 Tablespoons of the balsamic vinaigrette onto the salad, then toss to coat.

For best results, serve salad immediately, and store any leftovers covered tightly in the refrigerator. Salad will only last about 1 day before wilting significantly. See below for make-ahead instructions.

SPINACH: spinach and strawberries go together really well, but you can use any of your favorite leafy greens. I like the spinach mix our grocery stores carry. Half spinach and half arugula would be a great option, too.

PISTACHIOS: roasted and salted pistachios add a unique taste and crunchy texture, but you can substitute the pistachios for other nuts like slivered almonds, toasted pecans, or sunflower seeds. You can even consider making candied almonds if you’re feeling extra fancy (you can also replace the almonds in that recipe for crunchy pecans instead). You may also omit nuts completely or serve on the side to accommodate nut allergies or preferences.

FETA: not everyone is a fan of salty feta cheese, and that is totally ok. You can substitute the feta for any other cheese you prefer. If you like blue cheese, that would taste really great here, too, as would creamy goat cheese. If you don’t want a strong cheese, try shredded mozzarella, pearl mozzarella, or even freshly grated Parmesan.

RED ONION: the red onion here is a zingy, punchy addition that keeps this salad from getting too sweet. To cut the strong flavor, you can use pickled red onion or slice and soak onions in cold water prior to adding to the salad. If you don’t love red onion, try small slices of shallots or green onions instead.

DRESSING: this easy salad recipe is incredibly customizable, and if balsamic vinaigrette dressing isn’t for you, consider a poppyseed dressing or a dijon mustard dressing instead. 

HERBS: for extra flavor, try adding fresh herbs like basil or mint.

ADD PROTEIN: add your favorite protein to turn this into a heartier, more filling meal. Grilled chicken, tofu, hard boiled eggs, or a simple piece of salmon would go amazingly with this strawberry spinach salad. 

ADD GRAINS: for a vegetarian option, try tossing in some quinoa or even cooked pasta to turn it into a pasta salad.