This strawberry spinach salad with strawberry balsamic dressing is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan and so perfect for summer entertaining! So easy to prepare and so full of flavor, you will be making this summer salad all season long!
It’s that time of year!!! Berry season! As soon as May starts, I’m about ready to throw strawberries in anything and everything. From my morning breakfast parfait to my smoothies to my strawberry spinach salad with strawberry balsamic dressing. YES!!
This strawberry spinach salad with strawberry balsamic dressing is the epitome of summer! We’re using strawberries in two ways here, in the salad itself and in this tasty strawberry balsamic dressing. I won’t lie to you guys… the strawberry balsamic dressing kind of makes the salad. But let’s talk about the salad itself first. We’re talking fresh spinach, juicy strawberries, slivered almonds, creamy avocado, sliced red onion, and sweet dried blueberries.
I never though I’d be a raw onion in a salad kind of girl… but it’s totally perfect in this salad. The bite from the red onion just works so well with the sweetness from the strawberries. If you’re not a raw onion in salad kind of person, I get it – but really give it a try! You might surprise yourself!
I’m also loving the dried blueberries in this salad. Typically, dried cranberries are common in salads, but since it’s summer I wanted to use another type of dried berry in this salad. The dried blueberry definitely drives this strawberry salad into summer mode! If you can’t find dried blueberries, feel free to use dried cranberries instead!
A salad isn’t a salad without avocado if you ask me. Super creamy and delicious and takes the salad to the next level. Especially since this is a dairy-free and vegan salad without creamy cheese, the avocado really brings that velvety texture that is missing without cheese. You can dice it, cube, it, roll it into avocado roses. Whatever makes you feel fanciest, friends!
Okay, okay. Let’s get into this strawberry balsamic salad dressing I can’t stop thinking about! It’s sweet, tart, savory, sour, bright, fresh. All the good stuff! You would think with strawberries being the base of the salad dressing that it would just be cloyingly sweet, but oh no. The exact opposite. The sweetness of the berries is balanced so well with the balsamic vinegar. And my secret ingredient for making a majority of my salad dressings just makes all the difference in the flavor department…. stone ground mustard! I’m not talking about mustard powder, but instead the wet stuff. You can use dijon mustard if that’s what you have on hand, it will still provide a great flavor that compliments the strawberries and balsamic very nicely.
Tips for Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
- If you’re preparing this salad for a potluck or gathering, slice the avocado just before serving so it doesn’t begin to brown.
- Other salad dressings that would go well with this salad are champagne vinaigrette, balsamic vinaigrette, poppyseed dressing or even a green goddess dressing.
- We used slivered almonds in this recipe, but other nuts would be equally as delicious. I love the texture from the slivered almonds because they are so crunchy and light when slivered.
- Make this a mixed berry salad by adding blackberries or blueberries – so much summer flavor!
This salad is delicious as is and makes a beautiful first course to your main meal. However, if you would like to serve this salad as your entree, I recommend adding some protein to fill you up! Grilled salmon or chicken would be a great addition, as would tofu for my vegan friends.
You May Also Like…
- Farmer’s Market Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette
- Rainbow Power Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette
- Raspberry Salad with Brie and Avocado Dressing
- Rainbow Buckwheat Salad
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
You’ll love how simple this strawberry spinach salad with strawberry balsamic dressing is to make. It’s ready in under 20 minutes and is full of flavor. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free and has a vegan friendly option for the salad dressing, making it a great option for a potluck or summer gathering. Summer salads never tasted so good!
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
This strawberry spinach salad with strawberry balsamic dressing is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan and so perfect for summer entertaining! So easy to prepare and so full of flavor, you will be making this summer salad all season long!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 264 kcal
Ingredients
Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
- 1 cup strawberries hulled and quartered
- 1/3 cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup if vegan
- 1 tbsp stone ground mustard or dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Salad
- 10 oz spinach
- 1 cup strawberries hulled and quartered
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1/2 red onion sliced
- 1/4 cup dried blueberries
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
Instructions
Add strawberries, avocado oil, balsamic vinegar, honey (or maple syrup), mustard, salt and pepper to a food processor. Process for 1-2 minutes, until smooth. Set aside.
Add spinach, strawberries, avocado, onion, dried blueberries and slivered almonds to a bowl. Toss together. Either toss with salad dressing or serve the dressing on the side.
Nutrition Facts
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing
Amount Per Serving
Calories 264
Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g
29%
Saturated Fat 2g
10%
Sodium 267mg
11%
Potassium 610mg
17%
Total Carbohydrates 20g
7%
Dietary Fiber 5g
20%
Sugars 11g
Protein 3g
6%
Vitamin A
89.6%
Vitamin C
55.2%
Calcium
8%
Iron
11.6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
[…] Strawberry spinach salad […]