This strawberry salad recipe has quickly become one of my go-to recipes when hosting friends at our house during the spring and summer months. So many of my friends have said this is their favorite salad in the summer. The sweet strawberries scattered throughout the salad topped with a creamy strawberry salad dressing make this salad such a crowd-pleaser when strawberries are in season.

Serving Suggestions

Featuring a variety of fresh berries, this is one of my top green salads and is always a favorite summer salad amongst family and friends. This salad is ideal for summer barbecues and is the perfect side dish for your next barbecue. Or you can top it with your protein of choice to make this more of a complete meal. Whether you’re looking for a light lunch, a refreshing side dish, or a crowd-pleasing addition to your summer gatherings, this strawberry salad is sure to impress. One taste of this perfect dressing, and you’ll be hooked!

Salad Dressing

What makes this salad so delicious is the homemade strawberry vinaigrette salad dressing. The strawberry vinaigrette perfectly complements the juicy strawberries scattered throughout the tender greens topped with crunchy nuts or seeds. After creating many salad recipes, I can share that this strawberry salad is one of the most delicious ways to enjoy the season’s best produce! Just a couple of easy steps transform a few of these fresh ingredients to the creamy strawberry dressing your friends and family will love.

Sweet Strawberries

Because strawberries are the star of the show, you want to be sure that you are using ripe strawberries. If possible, I try to buy organic strawberries for this recipe. The good news is that organic strawberries are usually reasonably priced when purchased in strawberry season. If time allows, I will even suggest going to your local farmers market to pick out some perfectly juicy strawberries for this recipe. The natural ripeness of the strawberries is really what sets this salad apart. By working with just a few simple ingredients, you can create a large salad that’s bursting with flavor and freshness.

Dressing Ingredients

Strawberries – You can use fresh strawberries or frozen for the salad dressing. Raspberries also taste delicious if you want to mix up the flavor profile.
Avocado Oil – I like to use avocado oil in this recipe due to its neutral flavor. This helps the sweetness of the strawberries shine. I do not recommend using olive oil as this will change the flavor profile of the dressing. You could use vegetable oil, due to its neutral flavor. However, for health reasons, I recommend sticking with avocado oil.
Apple Cider Vinegar – Fresh lemon juice is a delicious alternative.
Honey – So many similar recipes call for brown sugar, but I prefer using honey or maple syrup to keep the ingredients clean.
Salt – Just a little bit of salt is all you need to highlight the simple ingredients in this salad dressing. I intentionally omitted black pepper, but you are welcome to add 1/2 teaspoon for that peppery kick.

Salad Ingredients

Mixed greens – I prefer mixed greens for this salad, but you can use any type of leafy greens that you like. Romaine lettuce and arugula also go well with this salad. If you are going for a traditional spinach strawberry salad, use spinach leaves!
Berries – I would only suggest using fresh ingredients for this portion of the recipe. I love the bright pops of color that come from using four different types of berries, but you can use any combination of these sweet berries that you would like. You can even do just strawberries, for example. Red and green grapes or even cherry tomatoes also work well in this salad. Any fresh fruit you have on hand will taste great in this salad. I like a lot of berries in my salad, so this recipe calls for 4 cups of berries. But you can just eyeball the number of berries that you want to use based on your personal preference.
Slivered almonds – You can also use sunflower seeds, candied pecans, or any nut or seeds of your choice.
Chicken breasts – When I make this salad, I use the pre-made paleo-grilled chicken from the grocery store. You can add any protein that you would like to the salad plates. A dollop of chicken salad or grilled salmon would be great. If going meatless, try freshly sliced avocado on top.
Cheese – So many of you following my blog also follow a medically restrictive diet. I intentionally left off the dairy. However, if tolerated, feta cheese adds the perfect salty touch to counterbalance the sweetness of the berries. Creamy goat cheese is another solid option.
Herbs (Optional) – You can add any fresh herbs that you would like. Some fresh thyme or mint leaves scattered throughout the salad greens would be lovely.
Red Onions (Optional) – I like this recipe as written without the red onion. However, this an ingredient traditionally found in strawberry spinach salad. If going this route, slice the onions as thin as possible. Also, you can tame the bitter bite of the onions by soaking them in cold water 15 minutes before serving. Just be sure to drain well before adding to the salad.

Berry Tip

To keep berries fresh, pour into a bowl of water with 1-2 tsp of apple cider vinegar. Allow to soak for 5-10 minutes. Gently pour into a colander and rinse. Then, gently pour it onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until all of the moisture has evaporated. The berries are now prepped and ready to add to this salad! For longer-term storage, place a paper towel in the bottom of a glass container. Add washed and fully dried berries, top with a lid or food wrap and pop the refrigerator.

Salad Storage

To help prevent the salad from getting soggy, store the salad separately from the salad dressing. Place the prepared salad without any salad dressing in an airtight container and do same with the salad dressing. The salad should keep fresh for 1-2 days. For a longer-term storage option, you can place each prepared ingredient in its own container and add a paper towel for produce. The mixed greens can be kept in their container with a paper towel on top. The washed and dried berries should each go in their container with a paper towel on top. The nuts should go in a container and the protein and/or cheese should also go in a separate container. Same for the salad dressing. When ready to serve, assemble the salad. Be sure to serve the salad dressing on the side so you can eat up any leftovers the following day!