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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans Feta and Balsamic Vinaigrette
4.8 from 69 votes

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Candied Pecans Feta and Balsamic Vinaigrette

This Strawberry Spinach Salad combines fresh baby spinach leaves with sliced strawberries, crumbled feta cheese, thinly sliced red onion, and homemade candied pecans. The salad is dressed in a bright balsamic vinaigrette featuring a reduction of balsamic vinegar balanced with olive oil, Dijon mustard, and honey. The contrast of sweet strawberries and pecans with the tangy cheese and vinaigrette creates a refreshing salad with varied textures that works well as a light meal or side dish.

Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Vinaigrette
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • salt freshly ground
  • black pepper freshly ground
Candied pecans
  • 3/4 cup pecan broken or roughly chopped
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp butter
Salad
  • 10 oz baby spinach
  • 1 lb strawberry hulled and sliced, fresh
  • 5 oz feta cheese crumbled
  • 1/3 red onion thinly sliced, small

Instructions

For the vinaigrette:
    Cup of Yum
  1. 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.
For the pecans:
  1. 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.
For the salad:
  1. In a salad bowl toss together spinach, strawberries, half of the feta, red onion and pecans. Drizzle about 1/3 of the dressing over salad then plate and drizzle remaining dressing over individual portions and top with remaining half of the feta. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Try substituting blueberries or other berries for strawberries to vary the salad’s flavor.
  • Apples or pears can be used instead of strawberries for a different sweetness and texture.
  • If feta cheese is unavailable, crumbly goat cheese makes a suitable alternative.