The Ultimate Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta and Maple Vinaigrette: A Fresh & Flavorful Delight
Prepare to elevate your salad game with this incredible Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta, perfectly complemented by a luscious Maple Vinaigrette. This recipe made an unforgettable debut at a recent gathering with close friends, and the immediate request, “Is this on your blog?” confirmed its status as a must-share culinary gem. It’s a dish so delightful, it will undoubtedly become a staple in your recipe collection.
Boasting a vibrant medley of fresh spinach, sweet sliced strawberries, tangy feta cheese, crunchy pecans, chewy dried cranberries, and crisp Pink Lady apples, this salad is a symphony of textures and flavors. Each bite offers a harmonious balance of sweet, savory, and tart, making it an irresistible addition to any meal, especially during the warmer months when fresh produce shines brightest.
Why This Strawberry Spinach Salad Will Be Your New Favorite
There are countless reasons why this particular strawberry spinach salad stands out. Its unique combination of ingredients and ease of preparation make it a standout choice for both everyday meals and special occasions. Here’s why you’ll fall in love with it:
- Unanimously Loved: This salad earned rave reviews from everyone who tried it. Its balanced flavors appeal to a wide range of palates, ensuring it’s a crowd-pleaser every time.
- Perfect for Summer Dining: When fresh strawberries are at their peak sweetness and flavor, this salad truly shines. It’s light, refreshing, and perfectly suited for warm weather gatherings, picnics, or a simple backyard lunch.
- Highly Customizable: While the recipe is fantastic as is, it’s also incredibly versatile. You can easily adapt it with different berries, cheeses, nuts, or even a variety of seasonal fruits, allowing you to tailor it to your personal taste and whatever fresh ingredients you have on hand.
- Healthy and Nutritious: Packed with nutrient-rich spinach, fresh fruit, and healthy fats from nuts and olive oil, this salad is not just delicious but also a powerhouse of vitamins and antioxidants. It’s a fantastic way to incorporate more wholesome ingredients into your diet.
- Effortless Preparation: Despite its gourmet appeal, this salad is remarkably simple to assemble. With a little pre-planning, you can have a stunning and delicious dish ready in minutes, making it ideal for busy weeknights or impromptu entertaining.
Essential Ingredients for a Perfect Strawberry Spinach Salad
The success of this salad lies in the quality and freshness of its components. Let’s delve into each ingredient to ensure you get the best possible result.
- Baby Spinach: Opt for pre-washed baby spinach to save time and effort. Baby spinach leaves are tender and have a milder flavor compared to mature spinach, making them perfect for salads. For a slight variation, consider using a mix of baby arugula for a peppery kick or a blend of tender baby greens.
- Apples: While the original recipe might suggest Granny Smith, I find that sweet-tart varieties like Pink Lady or Honeycrisp offer a more delightful balance of sweetness and crispness. You can peel your apples for a smoother texture or leave the skin on for added fiber and a touch of rustic charm. Make sure to slice them just before assembling the salad to prevent browning.
- Feta Cheese: For ease of preparation, look for feta sold in blocks rather than crumbles, as it’s often easier to cut into uniform cubes. However, crumbling it directly into the salad works just as well and adds a different textural element. Its salty, tangy notes provide a fantastic counterpoint to the sweetness of the fruit.
- Pecans: Pecan halves add a wonderful crunch and rich, buttery flavor. To truly unlock their full potential, toast them lightly before adding them to the salad. This simple step brings out their essential oils, intensifying their nutty aroma and taste. Walnuts, slivered almonds, or even candied pecans are also excellent choices.
- Dried Cranberries (Craisins): These chewy, tart gems add a burst of concentrated fruit flavor and a delightful texture contrast. They pair beautifully with the fresh strawberries and creamy feta. If you don’t have cranberries, dried cherries or even golden raisins can be a suitable substitute.
- Fresh Strawberries: The star of the show! Choose ripe, firm, and vibrant red strawberries for the best flavor. Summer is prime strawberry season, offering the sweetest and most aromatic berries. Feel free to experiment with other seasonal berries like raspberries or blueberries, or even a mix of several kinds for a colorful medley. Drained mandarin orange segments can also add a lovely citrusy twist.
Crafting the Maple Vinaigrette
The dressing is a crucial component that ties all the flavors together. Our Maple Vinaigrette is simple yet sophisticated, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and acidity.
- Balsamic Vinegar: The quality of your balsamic vinegar significantly impacts the dressing. I recommend using an aged, traditional balsamic vinegar, typically aged 18 years or more. Its sweet, syrupy consistency and complex flavor profile make a world of difference. You can often find high-quality balsamic vinegar at specialty food stores or olive oil and spice shops.
- Maple Syrup: Insist on real maple syrup. Its natural sweetness and distinct flavor are irreplaceable. Avoid artificial or “pancake” syrups, which contain high-fructose corn syrup and lack the nuanced taste of genuine maple. Honey can be used as an alternative sweetener if desired.
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: A good quality extra-virgin olive oil is essential for a delicious vinaigrette. It provides a smooth base and contributes healthy fats. Choose a brand you trust for its flavor and purity.
Expert Tips for Salad Perfection
Achieving a truly exceptional salad involves a few key techniques and considerations. Follow these expert tips to ensure your Strawberry Spinach Salad is always a hit:
- Make-Ahead Preparation: To simplify serving, many components of this salad can be prepared in advance. Cube your feta, toast your pecans, measure out the dried cranberries, and mix the vinaigrette. Store each component separately until just before serving.
- Preventing Apple Browning: Apples oxidize and turn brown quickly when exposed to air. To minimize this, peel and slice your apples as close to serving time as possible. Tossing them immediately with a little of the salad dressing (specifically the acidic vinaigrette) can also help coat and protect them, slowing down the browning process.
- Nut Flavor Enhancement: Toasting nuts significantly enhances their flavor and aroma. You can do this by spreading them in a single layer on a baking sheet and roasting in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 5-7 minutes, or by heating them in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, shaking frequently until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them!
- Choosing Your Cheese: If feta isn’t your preference, this salad is wonderfully versatile. Consider substituting with creamy goat cheese, mild Brie, sharp blue cheese, or fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini) for different flavor profiles.
- Timing is Key for Dressing: Greens will begin to wilt as soon as they are tossed with dressing. For the freshest, crispest salad, always wait to dress the salad until just before you plan to serve it. If you’re serving a large group, consider offering the dressing on the side so guests can add it themselves.
- Berry Variations: Don’t limit yourself to just strawberries! Fresh raspberries, blueberries, or a combination of all three can create a beautiful and delicious berry medley, adapting the salad to whatever fresh produce is available and in season.
- Adding a Chewy Element: The dried cranberries contribute a lovely chewy texture. If you prefer, dried cherries can be substituted for a slightly different sweet-tart note.
Serving Suggestions: What to Pair with Your Salad
This versatile Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta is an excellent accompaniment to a variety of dishes, making it perfect for anything from a casual lunch to a more elaborate dinner. Here are some delicious ideas:
- Light Lunch: It pairs beautifully with a Chicken Salad sandwich on mini croissants or a hearty BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato). The freshness of the salad perfectly complements rich sandwiches.
- Dinner Entree Companion: Serve it alongside grilled proteins such as Grilled Chicken Breasts, savory Flank Steak, or even pan-seared salmon. The bright flavors of the salad cut through the richness of the main course.
- Perfect Sides: Enhance your meal with a side of warm Garlic Bread or sweet Corn Muffins. These starchy sides offer a satisfying contrast to the crisp salad.
- Potlucks and Picnics: This salad travels well (if the dressing is kept separate until serving) and makes an impressive contribution to any potluck, barbecue, or picnic spread.
Frequently Asked Questions About Strawberry Spinach Salad
The process of making a smooth, emulsified vinaigrette is quite simple, but it requires a specific technique. The key is to remember that the olive oil should always be the last ingredient added, and it must be drizzled in very slowly while whisking constantly. This gradual addition and continuous whisking allow the oil and vinegar to combine into a stable emulsion, creating a thick, uniform dressing that won’t separate. For this Maple Vinaigrette, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and salt first, then slowly incorporate the olive oil until the dressing is beautifully combined and slightly thickened.
A sweet vinaigrette truly complements the natural sweetness of strawberries and balances the slightly bitter notes of spinach. Dressings made with a touch of maple syrup, honey, or even a hint of sugar work wonderfully. The acidity from the vinegar provides a bright contrast to the sweetness of the fruit and the richness of the feta, creating a harmonious flavor profile that is both refreshing and satisfying.
Strawberry season varies depending on your geographic location, but generally, summer is prime time for these delicious berries. In many northern regions, local strawberries are ripe and at their sweetest in early June. However, in warmer climates like Florida, strawberries can be at their peak from December through March. Always look for locally grown strawberries during their peak season for the freshest flavor and best quality.
Absolutely! To make this salad vegan, simply omit the feta cheese. You can substitute it with a plant-based feta alternative, or add extra nuts or seeds for crunch, or even some thinly sliced avocado for creaminess. The maple vinaigrette is naturally vegan.
If you have leftover salad that has already been dressed, it’s best consumed immediately as the greens tend to wilt quickly. However, if you’ve kept the dressing separate, you can store the undressed salad components (spinach, fruit, nuts, feta) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 days. The dressing can also be stored separately in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reassemble and dress just before serving.
Explore More Delicious Salad Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed this delightful Strawberry Spinach Salad, you’re sure to love these other fresh and flavorful salad creations:
- Classic Greek Salad with Feta
- Spinach, Strawberry, Pomegranate, and Feta Salad
- Vibrant Marinated Vegetable Salad
- The Best Classic Cobb Salad Recipe
- Discover more of the Best Salad Recipes
Stay connected and share your culinary creations with me on social media! Find me @thatskinnychickcanbake on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! If you love the results, please consider leaving a 5-star rating in the recipe card below to help other home cooks discover this delicious recipe.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta Recipe
15 minutes
15 minutes
8 servings
A fresh and tasty spinach salad featuring sweet strawberries, tangy feta, crunchy pecans, crisp apples, and chewy dried cranberries, all tossed in a homemade Maple Vinaigrette.
Ingredients
For the Maple Vinaigrette:
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup real maple syrup
- A pinch of table salt
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
For the Salad:
- 1-2 (6-ounce) bags of baby spinach, pre-washed
- 1-2 Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apples, peeled (if desired), cored, and sliced
- 8 ounces Feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
- ½ cup pecan halves, lightly toasted
- ¼ cup dried cranberries (Craisins)
- ½ cup fresh strawberry slices
Instructions
- Prepare the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, real maple syrup, and a pinch of salt until well combined.
- Emulsify the Dressing: Slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil, whisking constantly and vigorously, until the mixture thickens and emulsifies into a smooth vinaigrette. Set aside.
- Assemble the Salad: In a large serving bowl, combine or artfully arrange the baby spinach, sliced apples, cubed or crumbled feta cheese, toasted pecan halves, dried cranberries, and fresh strawberry slices.
- Dress and Serve: Just before serving, drizzle the prepared Maple Vinaigrette over the salad. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- This delightful recipe was inspired by my friend, Laura.
- Feel free to customize with your favorite nuts, cheese, or seasonal berries.
- For a smaller serving (e.g., for 4 people), use one bag of baby spinach and one apple, but keep the full amounts for the other ingredients to maintain the flavor balance.
- The Maple Vinaigrette can be prepared a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Whisk again before using.
- To prevent apples from browning, slice them just before assembling and dressing the salad.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving (estimated):
Calories: 184Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 313mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 3gSugar: 12gProtein: 6g
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