Strawberry Crunch Salad (Print)
Sweet strawberries meet crisp greens and crunchy toppings in this refreshing summer dish with honey balsamic dressing.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Salad Base
01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (baby spinach, arugula, and romaine)
02 - 1.5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 0.5 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
04 - 0.25 cup red onion, thinly sliced
05 - 0.25 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
→ Crunch Topping
06 - 0.5 cup pecans or almonds, roughly chopped
07 - 0.5 cup crispy fried onions or crumbled pretzels
→ 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 Make:
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 set aside to cool.
02 - In a small mixing bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until emulsified and smooth.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine mixed greens, sliced strawberries, cucumber, red onion, and crumbled feta cheese if using. Toss gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
04 - Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad mixture. Gently toss to coat all ingredients. Top with toasted nuts and crispy onions or pretzels immediately before serving to maintain crunch.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dressing comes together in seconds but tastes like something from a restaurant
- Its the kind of salad that makes people actually excited to eat vegetables
02 -
- Never dress this salad more than 15 minutes before serving or the greens will collapse and the crunch will soften
- The fried onions or pretzels must be added last or theyll become chewy instead of crispy
03 -
- Use a salad spinner to thoroughly dry the greens after washing because wet dressing slides right off damp leaves
- If your strawberries arent very sweet, add an extra teaspoon of honey to the dressing