Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

This strawberry spinach salad is one of my go-to recipes as soon as strawberries are in season. Fresh spinach, juicy strawberries, creamy avocado, slivered almonds, dried blueberries, and sliced red onion, all tossed with my strawberry balsamic vinaigrette .

I serve this as a side all summer long, but add some grilled chicken or salmon on top and it’s a full meal.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The dressing makes it. Sweet strawberries, tangy balsamic, and a little stone ground mustard for depth. It takes about 2 minutes in a food processor and you’ll have more than enough for leftovers.
• It’s all about the contrast. Creamy avocado, crunchy almonds, sharp red onion, sweet berries. Every bite has something different going on, which is what keeps a simple salad from feeling boring.
• No cooking required. Everything is fresh and raw, including the dressing. From cutting board to table in about 10 minutes.

Ingredient Notes

• Spinach – Use fresh baby spinach, not mature spinach. Baby spinach is more tender and doesn’t need to be chopped. Give it a good wash and dry it well so the dressing doesn’t get watered down.
• Strawberries – You want ripe, firm strawberries. Hull them and slice into quarters so you get a piece of strawberry in every bite. If they’re soft or mushy, the salad will look tired fast.
• Red onion – Slice it thin. The sharp bite against the sweet strawberries is what makes this salad work. If raw onion is too strong for you, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes before adding.
• Dried blueberries – Dried cranberries work too if that’s what you have.
• Strawberry balsamic dressing – The full recipe is in the card below, but I also have a standalone strawberry balsamic vinaigrette post with more detail if you want to make a bigger batch or use it on other salads.

Use dried blueberries instead of cranberries

Most spinach salads use dried cranberries, but I swap them for dried blueberries to lean into the berry theme. They’re a little less tart than cranberries, which works better with the sweetness of the strawberries and the balsamic dressing. You can find them in the same aisle as dried cranberries at most grocery stores.

Recipe FAQs

You can prep all the components ahead, but don’t toss with the dressing until you’re ready to serve. The spinach wilts and the strawberries break down quickly once dressed. Store the salad and dressing separately in the fridge for up to a day.

Expert Tips

• Dress right before serving. The spinach will wilt and the strawberries will start to break down once the vinaigrette hits them. If you’re bringing this somewhere, keep the dressing separate and toss at the table.
• Slice the onion thin. Thick slices of raw red onion will overpower everything. You want paper-thin slices so the bite is there but balanced. If raw onion is still too strong for you, soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes first.

Storage

Undressed salad: Store the salad components (without dressing) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Add the avocado right before serving so it doesn’t brown.

Dressing: Store leftover strawberry balsamic dressing in a jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Give it a shake or stir before using since it may separate.

Serving Suggestions

For a light summer dinner, pair this salad with my honey glazed salmon with avocado mango salsa . The sweet honey glaze on the salmon complements the berry dressing perfectly. If you’re serving a crowd, add my gluten-free pasta salad and quinoa chickpea salad to the table for a full spread that can all be made ahead. To turn this into a main course, top the salad with sliced grilled chicken or salmon and serve with a side of my gluten-free garlic bread .