Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing Recipe

Summer in Texas means one thing; heat. That heat also means I do whatever I can to avoid turning on my stove or oven a lot of the time. Yes, we have central air but more heat means my a/c works harder and I pay more. That’s where this strawberry spinach salad comes into the room. It’s the perfect lunch recipe or quick dinner recipe on its own, but add the balsamic vinegar dressing and it becomes amazing!

 

I love a good salad recipe, but this strawberry salad one is one of my favorites. We grow the strawberries right in our own garden each year which only makes it taste better to me. The addition of Gorgonzola, onions, walnuts and balsamic vinegar dressing  really put this strawberry salad recipe over the top!

 

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing Recipe

If you eat gluten free, this will become one of your favorite gluten free recipes as well. Balsamic vinegar is usually considered safe for gluten free diets since it starts out as grapes and is aged in wooden casks. If you’re unsure whether the balsamic vinegar you have is gluten free, reach out to the manufacturer to find out.

 

How to Make a Strawberry Salad Recipe

 

I wrote this strawberry salad recipe up using pre-cut salad mix. Personally, I usually use fresh vegetables since I get them from my own garden, but I realize not everyone has that option. If you have to use bagged salad, that’s perfectly okay. Salad is salad even if it comes from a bag or container. 🙂

If you want a strawberry spinach salad, you’ll want to use a 50/50 mix. Those mixes are 50% lettuce and other greens and 50% baby spinach. If you’d prefer to skip the spinach, you can use a baby spring mix.

 

You Will Need:

• 1 bag or container 50/50 salad mix
• 1 c. fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1/2 c. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 c. red onion, chopped
• 1/2 c. walnut halves or pecan halves

 

Making the strawberry salad is super simple. You’ll need to chop the onion into small, thin slices. Then, use a strawberry huller to remove the core from the berries. Slice them into chunks of whatever size you prefer.

Next, add the 50/50 salad mix to a large mixing bowl. Top with the onions, berries and nuts then add the crumbled Gorgonzola cheese.

Toss with kitchen tongs if you wish. Refrigerate until you’re ready to eat it and serve chilled.

 

Balsamic Vinegar Salad Dressing Recipe

 

The salad isn’t complete without an amazing salad dressing recipe to go with it. This balsamic vinegar salad dressing recipe pairs perfectly with the strawberry salad! It even has poppy seeds to give it a bit of a crunch.

 

 

You Will Need:

• 1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. raw honey
• 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp.  poppy seeds
• Sea Salt, to taste
• Black Pepper, to taste

 

In a medium mixing bowl, stir the balsamic vinegar and raw honey together.   Next, slowly stream the olive oil into the mixture while mixing with a stick blender on low. Once your mixture has thickened, stir in the poppy seeds, salt and pepper.

Serve chilled.