Strawberry Avocado Salad
User Reviews
5
Strawberry Avocado Salad
Description
Strawberry Avocado Salad uses baby spinach as a fresh green base topped with thinly sliced red onion, ripe strawberries, sliced avocado, and crumbled feta. The salad gets added texture and sweetness from candied pecans, prepared by melting butter and sugar with chopped pecans to create a caramel coating. A creamy poppyseed dressing made from shallots, white wine vinegar, olive oil, mayonnaise, sugar, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper adds a tangy and lightly sweet counterpoint to the ingredients.
The salad is assembled by layering spinach, fruit, cheese, pecans, and dressing in thirds to distribute flavors evenly and keep ingredients crisp. It is best served immediately after assembly to prevent wilting. The combination offers a balance of creamy, sweet, crunchy, and tangy components making it suitable as a refreshing side or a light meal. The dressing can be prepared in advance and lasts about one week.
Avocado preparation tips include cutting and slicing the flesh in its skin while adding lemon juice, seed, and onion in an airtight container, which preserves the green color for days. The components can be stored separately and combined before serving for optimal freshness.
Ingredients
Salad:
- 180g / 6 oz baby spinach
- 1 red onion (small), halved and finely sliced
- 375g / 12 oz strawberries sliced (Note 1, ripe
- 2 avocado quartered and sliced (Note 2
- 120g / 4oz feta cheese crumbled
Candied Pecans (Note 3):
- 1 tbsp (15g) butter unsalted
- 3 tbsp white sugar
- 1 cup pecans , roughly chopped
Poppyseed Dressing:
- 1 tbsp shallots French onion), very finely chopped
- 2.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp poppy seeds
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Place Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Set aside for 10 minutes+ (keeps for a week).
Candied Pecans:
- Place butter and sugar in a non stick skillet over medium high. When butter is melted, add nuts.
- Stir 5 minutes - sugar will go sandy, then eventually melt into a caramel.
- Once sugar melts, cook for 2 minutes then spread pecans out on tray.
- Cool then break to separate.
Assemble Salad:
- Place spinach and onion in a bowl, drizzle with about 3 tbsp Dressing, toss.
- Transfer 1/3 spinach in a bowl. Scatter over 1/3 of each strawberries, avocado, feta, pecans. Drizzle with a bit of dressing.
- Top with another 1/3 spinach, strawberries, avocado, feta, pecans, then a bit more Dressing. Repeat once more.
- Serve immediately!
Notes
- Prepare the poppyseed dressing ahead of time and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes to develop flavor; it will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
- Candied pecans add special sweetness and crunch, but for everyday use, plain pecans or other nuts like almonds work well.
- For nut allergies, candied sunflower seeds can be a suitable and tasty substitute.
- For best freshness, keep salad ingredients and dressing separate until just before serving; dressed spinach tends to wilt after about 30 minutes.
- To keep avocado green longer, store cut halves with the seed and lemon juice in an airtight container along with a piece of freshly cut brown onion.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8- 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories 370 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 370cal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 32g | 49% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 18mg | 6% |
| Sodium | 438mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 529mg | 11% |
| Fiber | 6g | 24% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Vitamin A | 2300IU | 46% |
| Vitamin C | 40.1mg | 45% |
| Calcium | 137mg | 14% |
| Iron | 1.7mg | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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