Fresh & Easy Strawberry Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette: Your Ultimate Healthy Summer Recipe

Discover the ultimate refreshing dish for any season with this vibrant **Strawberry Salad** recipe. Bursting with fresh flavors and textures, this salad combines sweet **strawberries**, tender **baby spinach**, peppery **arugula**, crunchy chopped **pecans**, and savory **feta cheese**. It’s all brought together with a light, zesty lemon **vinaigrette dressing**, then beautifully garnished with juicy **blueberries**, creamy sliced ripe **avocado**, and an optional addition of grilled **chicken** for a complete meal. While it’s the quintessential summer salad, its delightful ingredients make it a perfect choice year-round.

Hi everyone! If you’re searching for a versatile, delicious salad that can serve as both a refreshing side or a satisfying main course, look no further. This Strawberry Salad is designed to captivate your taste buds with its dynamic blend of fresh strawberries, tangy feta cheese crumbles, rich avocado, and the bright kick of a homemade lemon vinaigrette. Topped with a handful of sweet blueberries, it’s a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Why This Strawberry Salad Will Become Your Go-To Recipe

This isn’t just any salad; it’s a celebration of fresh, wholesome ingredients that come together in perfect harmony. Whether you’re hosting a casual backyard barbecue, preparing a quick weeknight dinner, or bringing a dish to a potluck, this strawberry salad is guaranteed to impress. Its vibrant colors make it a stunning centerpiece, and its balanced flavors appeal to a wide range of tastes. Plus, it’s incredibly easy to customize to your dietary preferences or what you have on hand.

A Perfectly Balanced Meal for Any Season

Don’t let the “summer salad” label limit you! While it shines in the warmer months, fresh strawberries and blueberries are readily available in most grocery stores year-round, making this a fantastic option for a lighter meal even in winter. For added protein, you can easily incorporate a rotisserie chicken, leftover grilled chicken from your summer BBQ, or even freshly pan-seared chicken. This flexibility ensures you can enjoy a healthy, flavorful meal whenever the craving strikes.

RELATED: You might also enjoy another refreshing and easy meal like this Tuna Pasta Salad, perfect for a quick lunch or dinner.

Key Ingredients That Make This Strawberry Salad Shine

Each component of this salad is carefully chosen to contribute to its overall deliciousness, offering a delightful interplay of sweet, savory, tangy, and crunchy elements. Let’s delve into what makes each ingredient essential:

• Fresh Strawberries: The star of the show, strawberries bring natural sweetness and a beautiful ruby red hue. They’re packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants, making this salad as nutritious as it is delicious. Choose firm, brightly colored berries for the best flavor.
• Baby Spinach & Arugula: This vibrant green base offers a wonderful contrast. Baby spinach provides a mild, tender texture and a wealth of vitamins, while arugula adds a distinct peppery, slightly bitter note that elevates the salad’s flavor profile. Together, they create a robust and healthy foundation.
• Chopped Pecans: Roughly chopped **pecans** introduce a delightful crunch and nutty flavor, adding a welcome textural contrast to the soft fruits and greens. Pecans are also a good source of healthy fats and fiber. If pecans aren’t your favorite, feel free to substitute with other nuts like slivered almonds, walnuts, or even candied pecans for an extra treat.
• Crumbled Feta Cheese: The tangy, salty creaminess of feta cheese provides a fantastic counterpoint to the sweetness of the strawberries and blueberries. Its crumbly texture disperses throughout the salad, ensuring every bite is flavorful.
• Sliced Ripe Avocado: Creamy, rich avocado adds a luxurious texture and healthy monounsaturated fats. Its mild flavor complements the other ingredients beautifully and helps make the salad more filling. Look for avocados that yield slightly to gentle pressure when ripe.
• Fresh Blueberries: Garnishing with fresh blueberries adds another layer of sweetness and a burst of juicy flavor. Like strawberries, blueberries are powerhouse antioxidants and contribute to the salad’s stunning visual appeal.
• Red Onion: Just a touch of thinly sliced red onion provides a mild sharpness that cuts through the richness of the other ingredients, adding a subtle zest without overpowering the delicate flavors.
• Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing: A homemade light lemon vinaigrette is key to this salad. Its bright, citrusy notes enhance the natural flavors of the fruits and greens without weighing them down. This simple dressing allows the freshness of the ingredients to truly shine.

Crafting the Perfect Lemon Vinaigrette

The dressing for this Strawberry Salad is intentionally kept light to ensure that the exquisite flavors of the fresh ingredients take center stage. Our simple lemon vinaigrette, made with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, white wine vinegar, and a touch of salt and pepper, is the ideal complement. It provides a bright, acidic lift that harmonizes beautifully with the sweet berries and savory cheese.

If you prefer a different kind of dressing, or something with a creamier consistency, feel free to experiment! You could whisk in a little mayonnaise or Dijon mustard to our basic recipe for a creamier texture, or swap it out entirely for a poppy seed dressing or a balsamic glaze. The beauty of this salad lies in its adaptability.

Customizing Your Strawberry Salad: Endless Possibilities

One of the best aspects of this strawberry salad is how easily it can be adapted to suit your personal taste or what ingredients you have on hand. Don’t be afraid to get creative!

• Greens: While baby spinach and arugula are fantastic, baby kale offers a slightly more robust texture and earthy flavor. A spring mix would also be a lovely, milder alternative to the arugula, providing a delicate blend of greens.
• Cheese: Feta is a classic pairing, but blue cheese crumbles would introduce a sharper, more pungent flavor. For a truly decadent twist, consider soft cheeses like crumbled Brie or Camembert. Goat cheese is another excellent choice, offering a creamy tang.
• Nuts: Beyond pecans, toasted walnuts or slivered almonds are excellent substitutes, each adding their own unique crunch and flavor. For a slightly different profile, try sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for an extra boost of nutrients and texture.
• Protein: As mentioned, grilled chicken (whether freshly cooked, rotisserie, or BBQ leftovers) is a popular addition, transforming the salad into a hearty main course. Other great protein options include grilled shrimp, flaked salmon, hard-boiled eggs, or for a vegetarian alternative, roasted chickpeas or grilled tofu.
• Other Fruits: While strawberries and blueberries are delightful, consider adding other berries like raspberries or blackberries for a richer berry medley. Sliced mandarin oranges can also add a bright, citrusy note.
• Additional Vegetables: Enhance the nutritional value and texture by incorporating thinly sliced cucumbers, colorful bell peppers, or halved cherry tomatoes. Each adds a refreshing element and visual appeal.

The addition of arugula to this strawberry salad isn’t just for show; it provides that wonderfully distinctive peppery bite that truly awakens the palate. It adds a sophisticated layer of fresh flavor that complements the sweetness of the berries. If you prefer a milder taste, a mix of spring greens with the baby spinach would work beautifully.

Because of its vibrant array of colors—the deep reds of strawberries and blueberries, the bright greens of spinach and arugula, the creamy white of feta, and the soft green of avocado—this strawberry salad is exceptionally pretty. It’s an ideal dish to bring to a BBQ, picnic, or any gathering where you want to serve something both healthy and visually appealing.

Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Salad

To ensure your strawberry salad is nothing short of perfect, keep these simple tips in mind:

• Freshness is Key: Always use the freshest strawberries, greens, and other produce you can find. This makes a huge difference in flavor and texture.
• Wash and Dry Thoroughly: Ensure your spinach and arugula are completely dry after washing. Excess water can dilute the dressing and make your greens soggy. A salad spinner is a great tool for this.
• Prep Ahead: You can wash and chop your greens, slice your strawberries (though add them closer to serving to prevent sogginess), chop pecans, and crumble feta in advance. Store each component separately.
• Dress Just Before Serving: To prevent the greens from wilting and the avocado from browning, add the dressing and avocado just before you plan to serve the salad. This keeps everything looking and tasting its best.
• Taste and Adjust: Always taste your lemon vinaigrette before adding it to the salad. Adjust the lemon juice, vinegar, salt, or pepper to your preference.
• Optimal Pecan Flavor: For an enhanced nutty flavor, lightly toast your pecans in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant, then let them cool before adding to the salad.

Ingredients for Strawberry Salad

• 1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) fresh strawberries, washed, tops cut and quartered
• 5 ounces (142 grams) baby spinach, washed and dry
• 2 cups arugula, washed and dry
• 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced and chopped
• 1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced, for topping
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, diced or crumbled, extra for topping
• 1 cup blueberries for topping (optional), washed and dry

Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 a lemon)
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, or more, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt, amount to taste

Helpful Kitchen Tools for Making Strawberry Salad

• Mixing bowl
• Measuring spoons and cups
• Wet measure
• Whisk
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Mason jar with lid (1 cup size) or small container for serving dressing

Frequently Asked Questions About Strawberry Salad

Can I make this Strawberry Salad ahead of time?

Yes, you can prep most of the ingredients ahead! Wash and dry your greens, chop the strawberries, slice the red onion, and prepare the dressing separately. Store everything in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Assemble and dress the salad just before serving to ensure the greens stay crisp and the avocado doesn’t brown.

How long does this salad last?

If the salad is not dressed, the prepared ingredients (greens, strawberries, pecans, feta) can last 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Once dressed, it’s best to consume the salad within a few hours, as the greens will begin to wilt. Avocado should always be added right before serving for optimal freshness.

Is this a healthy recipe?

Absolutely! This Strawberry Salad is packed with nutrient-dense ingredients. Strawberries and blueberries are rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C. Spinach and arugula provide essential vitamins and fiber. Avocado offers healthy fats, and pecans contribute beneficial nutrients. The light lemon vinaigrette keeps calorie count in check while boosting flavor.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

While fresh strawberries are highly recommended for their texture and vibrant appearance, you could use frozen strawberries in a pinch. However, be aware that frozen strawberries will release more water as they thaw, which could make your salad watery. If using frozen, thaw them completely and drain any excess liquid before adding to the salad.

Is this recipe vegetarian/vegan-friendly?

Yes, this recipe is inherently vegetarian! To make it vegan, simply omit the feta cheese or substitute it with a vegan feta alternative. All other ingredients are plant-based, making it a wonderful option for vegan diets.

I know you will absolutely adore this versatile and delicious **Strawberry Salad** recipe. It’s truly a delight! Please let me know in the comments below what occasion you make it for, and how you choose to customize it. Your feedback and creative twists are always welcome!

Have leftover strawberries? Don’t let them go to waste! Check out some of our other favorite strawberry recipes below for more sweet and delightful ideas!

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