Fresh Spring Salad Recipe with Easy Sweet Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing
A light and refreshing spring salad featuring a sweet, tangy strawberry vinaigrette that combines fresh strawberries, spring greens, feta cheese, and toasted pecans for a flavorful and healthy meal.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 cups (150g) spring greens mix (baby spinach, arugula, butter lettuce)
- 1 cup (150g) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- ½ cup (75g) feta cheese, crumbled (or goat cheese as alternative)
- ½ cup (60g) toasted pecans
- ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- For the Sweet Strawberry Vinaigrette:
- ½ cup (75g) fresh strawberries, mashed or pureed
- ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon (5g) Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Toast the pecans: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add pecans and toast, stirring frequently, until fragrant and slightly darker (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool.
- Prepare the strawberry vinaigrette: In a blender or food processor, combine ½ cup sliced strawberries, ¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If too thick, add a teaspoon of water and blend again.
- Prep the salad base: Rinse and dry the spring greens thoroughly. Slice the remaining strawberries and thinly slice the red onion if using.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the greens, sliced strawberries, red onion, and toasted pecans. Crumble feta cheese over the top.
- Toss and serve: Drizzle the strawberry vinaigrette over the salad. Toss gently to coat evenly. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use ripe but firm strawberries to avoid mushy dressing. Toast pecans carefully to avoid burning. Dress salad just before serving to keep greens crisp. Dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in fridge. For vegan version, substitute feta with tofu or omit and use maple syrup instead of honey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approxima
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 320
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 6
Keywords: spring salad, strawberry vinaigrette, fresh salad, healthy salad, easy salad recipe, vegetarian salad, gluten-free salad