Strawberry Crunch Salad (Printable Version)
Sweet strawberries meet crisp greens and crunchy nuts in this vibrant summer dish.
# What You Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (baby spinach, arugula, and romaine)
02 - 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - ½ cup cucumber, thinly sliced
04 - ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
05 - ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Crunch Topping
06 - ½ cup pecans or almonds, roughly chopped
07 - ½ cup crispy fried onions or crumbled pretzels
→ Balsamic Dressing
08 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon honey
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How-To:
01 - Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped pecans or almonds and toast for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until emulsified and smooth.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, sliced strawberries, cucumber, red onion, and crumbled feta cheese. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
04 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad just before serving. Gently toss to coat all ingredients. Top with the toasted nuts and crispy fried onions or pretzels. Serve immediately while crisp.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The sweet and salty crunch keeps people coming back for seconds
- It comes together in under twenty minutes but looks restaurant fancy
02 -
- The dressing can be made up to three days ahead and stored in a jar
- Never dress the entire salad if you plan to have leftovers or it will be wilted by tomorrow
03 -
- Dry your strawberries thoroughly after washing so the dressing sticks better
- Let the dressing sit for at least thirty minutes for the flavors to meld