"A delicious and easy Strawberry Spring Salad made with candied pecans, feta and a simple balsamic vinaigrette. This strawberry salad has so much flavor and is great for a summer lunch or dinner side salad."
I love salads! I have since I was a kid. Mom would make them in the summer for dinners if it was just a her and I night because Dad was working. I remember one night she came home from work during a heatwave and said "Want a nice salad tonight? We can put all kinds of things in it like a salad buffet!" So, apparently this was on her agenda the night before, because she put the cans of tuna, and beets in the fridge to get ice cold. She cranked up the AC and we started prepping all the veggies. There was iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber's, red onions, radishes, yellow and red peppers, beets, mushrooms, and she made her homemade tuna salad so we could add that to the middle for protein.
She said ok lets go eat in front of the TV... Back then... That was something special, it was. treat to get to eat anywhere other than the kitchen table. So we happily sat and watched a show while we ate our dinner. I remember the first bite of a little tuna, lettuce and a piec piece of a beet. The taste today instantly brings me back to that moment. I have loved them since!
Now as an adult, I play with my food just as much and love to mix different ingredients. I specially love a salad where there’s an abundance of fresh summer strawberries involved! And especially when it is National Salad Month! (It's gonnnnaaaa be ME... Ok ok enough with the Justin Timberlake puns... You know I had to given the chance... ) But on a serious note, it is the month of May incase inquiring minds wanted to know.)
Better yet, this strawberry salad also a rich balsamic vinaigrette, salty, tangy feta and crunchy, sweet candied pecans with a sprinkle of coconut flakes involved as well.
In other words, this is one of the best summer salads! It just has the perfect blend of flavors and textures going on and is a perfect way to celebrate National Salad Month.
I was loving every last bite all while heading back for seconds.
Strawberry Pecan Salad
Servings – 6 Prep Time – 20 Minutes
Ingredients:
Vinaigrette
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Candied pecans
3/4 cup whole or roughly broken pecans
1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp butter
Salad
10 oz baby spinach
5 oz mesclun mix or spring salad mix
1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
5 oz . feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Directions:
Vinaigrette:
Add vinegar to a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat and allow to boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Pour into a jar or bowl, add olive oil, dijon mustard, honey and whisk to blend while seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Thin with a little water if desired. Set aside.
Candied Pecans:
Add pecans, brown sugar and butter to a small non-stick skillet and cook over medium-heat, stirring constantly until sugar starts to melt and caramelize, about 2 - 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate in a single layer to cool.
Salad:
In a salad bowl toss together spinach and spring or mesclun mix, strawberries, half of the feta, red onion and pecans. Drizzle about 1/3 of the dressing over salad, toss to coat then plate and drizzle remaining dressing over individual portions and top with remaining half of the feta.
Serve immediately.
Notes:
Try different berries such as blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
Apples and pears are a great option instead of strawberries.
Don't have feta? Try a crumbly goat cheese instead.
Nutrition:
Calories 404 | Fat 34g | Saturated Fat 7g | Cholesterol 23mg | Sodium 345mg | Potassium 482mg | Carbohydrates 20g | Fiber 4g | Sugar 14g | Protein 6g | Vitamin C 58.3mg | Calcium 193mg | Iron 2.4mg
"I have tried this with reducing and not reducing the balsamic vinegar and it was still a great dressing! LOVE this salad especially when strawberries are in season. I have also used butter and hydroponic lettuce. So easy to prep everything the night before and toss together just before serving. Will definitely be making this for the office and sharing with others!"
CWT is not a certified dietician or nutritionist. Any nutritional information shared on this site is an estimate counted through measurements and package nutritional information used in each recipe. If calorie, macro counting and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through your choice of nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on national brands used per recipe.