Strawberry Spinach with Pecans (Printable)

Bright spinach and strawberries paired with toasted pecans and a tangy balsamic dressing for a refreshing dish.

# What You Need:

→ Salad Base

01 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced

→ Toppings

04 - ¾ cup pecan halves
05 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)

→ Balsamic Vinaigrette

06 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How-To:

01 - In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast pecan halves for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, sliced strawberries, and red onion.
04 - Drizzle half the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to combine.
05 - Add toasted pecans and crumbled feta cheese (if using). Drizzle remaining vinaigrette. Toss lightly just before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sweet strawberries cut through sharp red onion like they were meant to be together
  • Toasted pecans add this incredible buttery crunch that turns an ordinary salad into something people remember
02 -
  • Do not dress this salad more than 15 minutes before serving or it will wilt into sadness
  • The pecans can be toasted a day ahead and stored in an airtight container
03 -
  • Dry your spinach thoroughly after washing or the dressing will slide right off
  • A mandoline makes those onion slices impossibly thin and uniform

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