Strawberry Spinach Salad With Almonds

This Strawberry Spinach Salad With Almonds is a delicious, summer salad recipe that you will want to make again and again throughout strawberry season. Made with spinach, toasted almonds and topped with a strawberry basil vinaigrette dressing.

Possibly the best part about this salad is the Strawberry Basil Vinaigrette which is made with fresh strawberries and basil leaves. 

The slight vinaigrette tang goes so well with the fresh strawberries, goat cheese and toasted almonds. 

This is a light salad recipe that works well as a quick lunch or a side dish for a summer dinner outside on the patio.

Jump to:

• Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Spinach Strawberry Almond Salad
• Expert Tips
• Recipe FAQs
• 📖 Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Summer Salad — This is the perfect summer salad to make when strawberries are in season. It doesn’t really work with frozen strawberries, so make this one now while you have ripe, juicy strawberries at a low cost.
• Simple — There are just four ingredients in this salad which make it quick and easy to assemble. If you make the dressing ahead of time, it’s a great side dish that just takes a few minutes to whip up. 
• Strawberry Basil Dressing — The dressing for this salad is made with strawberries, basil leaves, avocado oil and white wine vinegar. It is just the right balance of sweet & tang.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Strawberries: You will need strawberries for the dressing as well as for the salad itself. You’ll want ripe strawberries for the salad, but if you have strawberries that are overly ripe or mushy, you can use those in the dressing since they will be blended anyway. 
• Almonds: I like to use sliced almonds, but you can use whole almonds if you prefer. You don’t have to toast your almonds, but they do add a nice flavor that enhances this salad. 
• Spinach: You can use baby spinach or fresh spinach leaves for this salad. This recipe also works well with a mix of greens. I like to use a spring mix that also contains some arugula. 
• Goat Cheese: The strawberry vinaigrette and goat cheese tang go SO well! However, not everyone loves goat cheese in their salads. If this is the case, use feta cheese as a substitute.
• Basil Leaves: You will need fresh basil leaves for this dressing. Dried basil will not work as a substitute. If you have other fresh herbs, such as thyme or mint, you can use them instead of, or in addition to, the basil.  
• Avocado Oil: I find avocado oil works really nicely in this vinaigrette, but if you don’t have avocado oil, you can use olive oil or sunflower oil as a substitute. If you are using olive oil, use light olive oil rather than extra virgin olive oil as extra virgin olive oil has a particularly strong taste that will overpower the strawberry flavor.
• White Wine Vinegar: Use your favorite type of white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar. You can use regular balsamic vinegar for a stronger flavor or red wine vinegar if you prefer.
• Maple Syrup: A dash of maple syrup adds a hint of sweetness to balance the tart vinegar flavor. Use real maple syrup, not the fake stuff. As a substitute, you can use honey.

How To Make Spinach Strawberry Almond Salad

Step 1: First, make the strawberry dressing by adding the strawberries, avocado oil, basil leaves, white wine vinegar and maple syrup to a food processor.

Step 2: Pulse the food processor and then blend for 20 to 30 seconds until everything is smooth. Pass the dressing through a fine mesh strainer to remove fine chunks of strawberry and basil.

Step 3: You should be left with a smooth and creamy strawberry dressing.

Step 4: Assemble the salad and pour the dressing on top. Serve immediately.

Expert Tips

• Add the dressing right before serving. For any salad that has leafy greens, it is best to add the salad dressing right before serving to prevent the salad from getting soggy. 
• Add a dash of water to the dressing. If you find the strawberry salad dressing is a bit too thick, add in a bit of water, one tablespoon at a time, until you get the consistency you like. 
• Replace the strawberries with other berries. If you like this salad and want to try another version of it, try replacing the strawberries with another type of berry, such as raspberries, blueberries or blackberries.

Recipe FAQs

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