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    Home » Salads

    Spinach salad with strawberries & vegan feta

    Published: Jun 23, 2020 · Modified: Jun 23, 2023 by Cadry Nelson
    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Text overlay: Spinach salad with vegan feta & strawberries. Hand pouring dressing onto salad.

    Summery spinach salad with strawberries includes spring onions, vegan feta cheese, celery & pistachios.

    It’s finished with balsamic vinaigrette for a delightful light lunch.

    Serve it with grilled tofu or marinated lentils for a full meal. Vegan & gluten-free.

    Bowl of salad with cucumbers, strawberries, and almond feta.

    Because of their growing season, I associate strawberries with the best times of the year.

    Strawberries are the domain of long sunny days, warm walks, picnics, fireflies, and farmers markets.

    Even aside from their inherent juicy sweetness, strawberries have some very positive associations.

    This summery spinach salad with strawberries highlights some of the best of the season.

    It includes spring onions, celery, non-dairy feta, and pistachios for a little nutty crunch.

    It’s bright and light in all of the ways that you want when the temperatures are warm and the humidity is on the rise.

    Since strawberries are the star of the show here, make sure to use the brightest, juiciest ones you can find!

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • Balsamic vinaigrette
    • Vegan feta cheese
    • Pistachios for crunch
    • What to serve with it
    • Can I make this ahead of time?
    • 📖 Recipe

    Balsamic vinaigrette

    Hand pouring balsamic vinaigrette onto salad.

    The salad is topped with a drizzling of homemade balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

    The pungent tartness of the vinegar pairs particularly nicely with the ripeness of the berries.

    It’s easy to make.

    Just pour a few simple ingredients in a bowl, give it a whisk, and you’re good to go.

    You’ll likely have twice as much vinaigrette as you’ll need. However, it’s better to have too much than not enough.

    You can save the leftovers in the refrigerator for future salad endeavors.

    Vegan feta cheese

    Crumbled almond feta in bowl by mezze platter.

    This tangy vegan feta cheese is made with blanched almonds.

    You can buy them already skinned. Or you can skin the almonds yourself at home.

    (Need some guidance? Check out this post on how to blanch almonds.)

    The bright, briny flavors of the cheese work beautifully with the sweetness of the sliced strawberries.

    If you don’t feel like making the cheese from scratch, you can either omit it, replace it with sliced avocado, or use store-bought vegan feta.

    My favorite brands are Herbivorous Butcher and Violife.

    Pistachios for crunch

    Overhead bowl of salad on table with balsamic vinaigrette.

    Finally, finish out the salad with a sprinkling of pistachios for crunch.

    Other delicious alternatives include candied pecans, walnuts, or roasted cashews.

    What to serve with it

    To make a meal of this salad, pair it with roasted gnocchi with almond pesto, a vegan chicken salad sandwich, marinated lentils, or easy baked tofu as a protein-packed addition.

    It’s also a nice light weeknight meal with lemony potatoes and air fryer asparagus.

    Oh, and don’t forget a little bowl of warmed Castelvetrano olives with lemon & garlic on the side.

    Can I make this ahead of time?

    Yes!

    You can make the salad a day or two ahead of time.

    However, be sure to store the dressing separately.

    Wet spinach gets wilty. So toss the salad with dressing just before serving.

    Spinach salad with strawberries and vegan feta.

    📖 Recipe

    Bowl of salad with strawberries and vegan feta.

    Spinach salad with strawberries & vegan feta

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 3 votes
    Strawberries aren’t just for sundaes and smoothies. They make salads infinitely more exciting. With a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette, this is a salad you’ll be returning to all summer long.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American, Vegan
    Keyword: balsamic vinaigrette, salad with fruit, summer salad
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups spinach Roughly 2 ounces of spinach. If the spinach is extra large, feel free to chop.
    • 1 celery stalk sliced
    • 1 green onion sliced
    • ½ cucumber quartered and sliced
    • ½ heaping cup sliced strawberries
    • ½ cup vegan feta cheese or sliced avocado
    • 2 Tablespoons pistachios
    • 1 batch balsamic vinaigrette dressing

    Instructions

    • Toss all of the ingredients in a large salad bowl.
    • Serve with balsamic vinaigrette on the side, so that guests can top their own salads just before eating.

    Notes

    If you don’t want to make vegan feta cheese from scratch, you can replace it with sliced avocado or store-bought vegan feta. My favorite brands are Herbivorous Butcher and Violife.
    Most likely, you’ll have balsamic vinaigrette dressing left over. It will probably be about double what you need, but it’s better to have more than you need than not enough. Save it for future salads. If you don’t want to make your own, use store-bought.
    This salad & dressing can be made ahead of time. However, store them separately, and toss the salad with the dressing just before serving. Otherwise, the spinach will get wilty.
    The salad can be made a couple days ahead of time, and the dressing will last up to five days in the refrigerator. If the oil hardens in the refrigerator, set it on the counter for about a half an hour. Then give it a good shake.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 166mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2182IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

    Updated October 6, 2021. Originally posted June 2017.

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    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Kolaylezzet

      June 25, 2020 at 4:06 pm

      5 stars
      Your salad looks colorful… Vegetable and fruit together… Thanks…

      Reply
    2. Kathryn Grace

      June 11, 2017 at 10:36 pm

      I can just taste your dressing drizzled over that salad. Love the addition of mustard! I’ve never thought of marrying strawberries and cucumbers. They might be rather wonderful together. Looking forward to trying this. Sharing.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 12, 2017 at 10:16 am

        Thanks, Kathryn! Mustard is great in dressings, because it helps to create a thicker viscosity. The flavor isn’t super prominent, but it adds some nice undertones. I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
    3. Sarah

      June 09, 2017 at 4:47 pm

      I agree—strawberries scream that the start of summer is here! And they pair so well with everything, from sweet to savoury!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 11, 2017 at 5:04 pm

        Absolutely! I’m so glad to make the most of them while they’re here.

        Reply
    4. Jenn

      June 07, 2017 at 7:20 pm

      I just got an e-mail from our local farm that U-Pick strawberries starts next week!! Yay! Can’t wait. This salad looks divine!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 08, 2017 at 12:14 pm

        How exciting! You’ve got to love the amazing fruit this time of year – especially when it comes from local growers.

        Reply
    5. Shell

      June 07, 2017 at 4:07 pm

      5 stars
      Cad, I can attest to your life-long love of strawberries. I love the idea of pairing them with spinach and a homemade balsamic dressing. I also love that you are going to have weekly videos!!! Yay!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 08, 2017 at 12:13 pm

        You of all people would know that my love of strawberries isn’t a passing phase! I’m glad you’re excited about the weekly videos. I just added one for air fryer baked potatoes on Tuesday.

        Reply
    6. Ginny McMeans

      June 05, 2017 at 11:08 pm

      Just looking at your picture made my taste =buds stand to attention. Add that balsamic dressing and I’m in heaven.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 08, 2017 at 12:11 pm

        Thanks, Ginny! Strawberries and balsamic are a perfect match.

        Reply
    7. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day

      June 05, 2017 at 7:27 pm

      This is totally my kind of salad! I need to pick up some more strawberries from the farm stand and give it a try ASAP.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 08, 2017 at 12:10 pm

        Definitely! Nothing beats June & July when it comes to fruit. I hope you enjoy the salad!

        Reply
    8. Dianne

      June 05, 2017 at 3:19 pm

      This is the time of the year when I want to eat nothing but salads, but I quickly get sick of my usual recipes. This one is going to go into my summer recipe rotation!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 06, 2017 at 9:24 am

        I feel the same way about warm weather and salads. Something hydrating and light sounds best. I’m glad to hear this one is going on your summer rotation!

        Reply
    9. Sarah McMinn

      June 05, 2017 at 1:33 pm

      I love a good spinach strawberry salad and this one looks incredible! Nice photos, too!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 06, 2017 at 9:23 am

        Thanks, Sarah! It feels like spring when strawberry spinach salad is on the menu.

        Reply
    10. Becky Striepe

      June 05, 2017 at 9:46 am

      I’m pretty sure that I could make a meal out of this salad. That dressing sounds so perfect!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        June 06, 2017 at 9:22 am

        Thanks, Becky! It’s definitely a meal worthy salad. We’ve had it for dinner multiple times with some crusty bread or cashew cheese & crackers. It’s great for this balmy weather!

        Reply

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