This strawberry spinach salad with feta is a perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors that come together in just minutes! With juicy strawberries, crisp spinach, and creamy feta cheese, this salad is both refreshing and satisfying. My family can take down this entire salad in one sitting – it’s that good!
I first made this salad when I was looking for ways to use the abundance of strawberries we had after a weekend trip to the local farmers market. David and the kids were skeptical about fruit in a salad, but after one bite, they were completely won over!
Now it’s a regular in our spring and summer meal rotation. Check out my roasted vegetable salad for another family-friendly option!
Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta
Fresh and Vibrant: The combination of sweet strawberries, tangy feta, and crisp spinach creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Quick to Make: This salad comes together in just 15 minutes, making it perfect for busy weeknights or last-minute gatherings.
Kid-Friendly: My kids Sophia and James, who normally turn their noses up at salads, actually ask for seconds of this one! The sweet berries and crunchy nuts win them over every time.
Ingredients for Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta
For the Salad:
- Baby spinach: Fresh, tender leaves provide the perfect base for this salad. Make sure to use baby spinach for the best texture.
- Strawberries: Look for bright red, fragrant berries for the sweetest flavor.
- Blueberries: Add a pop of color and extra antioxidants.
- Pecans: Toasting them brings out their nutty flavor and adds wonderful crunch.
- Red onion: Just a touch adds complexity without overpowering the other flavors.
- Feta cheese: Creamy, tangy feta balances the sweet berries perfectly.
For the Balsamic Dressing:
- Extra virgin olive oil: Use a good quality oil for the best flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar: Adds a sweet tanginess that pairs beautifully with strawberries.
- Honey: Just enough sweetness to balance the acidity of the vinegar.
- Dijon mustard: Helps emulsify the dressing and adds depth.
- Salt and pepper: Season to taste.
How to Make the Best Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta
- Prep the onions: Soak red onion slices in cold water while preparing other ingredients to mellow their sharpness. This little trick makes such a difference!
- Toast the pecans: Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat and toast pecans for 2-3 minutes, shaking frequently. They should be fragrant and lightly browned on the edges. Be careful not to burn them!
- Make the dressing: Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until well combined. You can also shake everything together in a mason jar.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine baby spinach, sliced strawberries, blueberries, toasted pecans, crumbled feta, and drained red onions.
- Dress and serve: Drizzle about two-thirds of the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing if needed. For the prettiest presentation, reserve some berries, feta, and pecans to sprinkle on top after tossing.
Tips for the Perfect Spinach and Strawberry Salad
Baby spinach is best: I strongly prefer baby spinach for this salad, but you can try baby arugula or a spinach-arugula mix for a peppery twist.
Toast those nuts: Don’t skip toasting the pecans! It takes just a couple of minutes and makes a huge difference in flavor.
Presentation matters: For a picture-perfect salad, reserve some berries, feta and nuts to sprinkle on top after tossing with dressing.
Make it your own: Feel free to swap goat cheese for the feta or maple syrup for the honey in the dressing.
Variations for Strawberry Spinach Salad
Add protein: Turn this into a main dish by adding grilled chicken, salmon, or hard-boiled eggs.
Swap the nuts: Try walnuts, sliced almonds, or candied pecans for different flavor and texture.
Mix up the berries: Raspberries or blackberries work beautifully in place of or alongside the blueberries.
Go dairy-free: Replace the feta with avocado chunks for a creamy, dairy-free alternative.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
This spinach strawberry salad with balsamic dressing is best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep components ahead of time:
- Wash and dry spinach up to 2 days ahead; store in a sealed container with a paper towel.
- Slice strawberries and prepare other ingredients up to 1 day ahead; store separately.
- Make dressing up to 3 days ahead; shake well before using.
- Assemble just before serving to prevent the spinach from wilting.
What to Serve with Strawberry Spinach Salad
This vibrant salad pairs beautifully with:
FAQs
Prepare components separately and assemble just before serving. Store dressing separately and add right before eating to prevent soggy spinach. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes! This strawberry spinach salad with feta is naturally gluten-free, making it perfect for those with gluten sensitivities.
Just double-check your feta cheese packaging to ensure it’s processed in a gluten-free facility if you’re highly sensitive.
Absolutely! Try avocado chunks or a dairy-free feta alternative for a vegan version of this salad.
You’ll still get that creamy element that balances the sweet berries and tangy dressing.
This salad pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, salmon, or a light pasta dish for a complete and balanced meal.
It’s especially nice with dishes that have complementary flavors like balsamic or lemon.
Pick up some fresh strawberries this week and try this refreshing strawberry spinach salad with feta! It’s the perfect way to enjoy fresh berries and get some greens in your diet at the same time.
Let me know in the comments if you tried any of the variations!
Love this recipe? Pin it on Pinterest so you can find it easily next time
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This strawberry spinach salad with feta is a perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors that come together in just minutes! With juicy strawberries, crisp spinach, and creamy feta cheese, this salad is both refreshing and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 10 oz baby spinach
- 5 oz strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 3 oz blueberries (about ½ cup)
- 2 oz pecans, halved or chopped
- 1 ½ oz sliced red onion (about ¼ medium onion)
- ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled or diced small
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour some cold water into a small bowl or cup and soak the red onion slices while you’re preparing the salad. This step helps get rid of the harsh oniony taste.
- Toast the pecans in a dry skillet on medium-low heat for a couple minutes, shaking often. They should brown on the edges but make sure not to toast them too long or they will get bitter.
- Prepare the dressing. Whisk all dressing ingredients in a small bowl or add to a mason jar, close the lid and shake vigorously. Set aside.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl add baby spinach, strawberries, blueberries, toasted pecans, feta cheese and red onions (drained on a sieve).
- Give the dressing another whisk (or shake) and add ⅔ of the dressing and toss to coat. Depending on how much dressing you like on your salad, add more, if needed.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
I usually only use baby spinach for this salad but you can also try baby arugula or arugula-spinach mix. If you want your salad to look picture-perfect, don’t add all the berries, feta cheese and pecans right away. Save some aside, dress the salad to coat well and sprinkle them on top.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 325
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: strawberry spinach salad with feta, fresh salad, berry salad, spinach feta salad