Savory Strawberry Salad With Strawberry Vinaigrette sweet and sour dressing, spinach, bacon and feta cheese, is the perfect way to launch spring!
Strawberry Season
When strawberry season finally arrives, after a long cold winter of zero fresh fruits, I want strawberries in everything I can possibly get them in!
Just up the street from me is a strawberry farm that lays quietly with black tarp over the sleeping strawberry fields during the winter months.
The day that tarp comes off, my kitchen is in full swing for my own little strawberry festival of flavors!
- Strawberry Ginger Ice Cream Bowls – the simplest best dessert to indulge in fresh strawberries.
- Homemade Thyme Strawberry Jam – perhaps you saw me make this on The Great American Recipe on PBS, to serve inside of my Button Cups.
- Strawberry Lemonade Popsicles – because summertime needs Vitamin C popsicles.
- Farm Fresh Strawberry Tarts – impressive yet easy to make tarts.
Savory Strawberry Salad
No, this is not a fruit salad.
This is the most amazing combination of nutritious sweet strawberries, salty feta, smoky bacon with a homemade strawberry vinaigrette tossed into a lovely dark bundle of spinach, and a zest of orange on top!
For a complete meal, serve strawberry salad with a homemade Stromboli.
A meal with lots of garden goodies!
Strawberry Vinaigrette
How about a fast salad dressing that is sure to elevate any salad you drizzle it over!
Fresh strawberries pureed with garlic, chili flakes, white balsamic vinegar, olive oil rosemary and sea salt.
Vinaigrette will last one week in the fridge, so don’t be shy, make a jar full for the entire week of fabulous salads!
How To Make Strawberry Salad
If you are like me, the last thing you want to do at the end of a beautiful day is be stuck in the kitchen for an hour to prepare a meal while the sun is still out.
I learned long ago to be smart about spring and summer cooking and do the prep early in the morning and then ‘fa-getta bout it’!
- Bacon gets popped in the oven for 20 minutes to bake, drain, then store in the fridge
- Spinach washed
- Feta chopped
- Strawberries sliced
- Strawberry vinaigrette pureed and put in the fridge until dinner
Come dinner, it’s all ready to toss together and maybe serve with a loaf of Stromboli or a crunchy baguette and maybe… just maybe a Strawberry Daiquiri!
How To Make Strawberry Vinaigrette
Strawberry Vinaigrette is so darn easy to make, all you need is a small blender or food processor.
- In the blender or food processor, toss a handful of washed and stemmed strawberries.
- White balsamic or even apple cider vinegar.
- Garlic, because garlic adds depth to acidic foods.
- Chili flakes, yes chili flakes to elevate this vinaigrette with a little heat.
- Salt and fresh herbs.
- While the machine is running, pour in a little olive oil to emulsify the mixture and you have a fabulous salad dressing!
Other Fabulous Strawberry Recipes At Whisk And Dine
If you are reading this in the springtime, you must be just as excited as I am when spring arrives with this luscious fruit!
For an amazing and easy dessert, try your hand at these Strawberry Tarts, using Mason Jar Lids as an easy tart pan.
For a little al Fresco dining, you might enjoy this luscious Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri Cocktail or Mocktail.
You know the little ones have been waiting for spring too, so make up a batch of frozen strawberry drinks and simply add your booze after!
Ingredients Needed
- Fresh Spinach
- Strawberries
- Feta cheese
- Bacon or Smoked Salmon
- Strawberry Vinaigrette
- Orange
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowl
- Cutting board
- Chopping knife
- Large spoon
- Sauté pan – to cook bacon
Savory Strawberry Salad And Vinaigrette
Equipment
- Small blender
- Large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb Raw Spinach washed and dried
- 1 1/2 cups Strawberries washed and quartered
- 8 oz Feta Cheese cubed
- 1 lb Bacon cooked, rough chopped
- 1 tbsp Orange zest
- 1/3 cup Strawberry Vinaigrette Homemade
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large hot skillet, lay out the strips of bacon and cook until crisp but not overcooked, about 15-minutes. Remove bacon to a wire rack and cool. Once cooled, cut into bite size pieces.
- Place the vinaigrette, which separates when it sits, in a small blender and whisk until blended.
- In a large bowl, place the washed/dried spinach and strawberry vinaigrette. Toss well. Transfer to individual plates or one family size platter and sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- Lay the strawberries, feta, bacon neatly across the top of the spinach. Grate a generous zest of orange across the top of the salad and serve.
Video
Notes
- A great swap-out for the smoked bacon is slices of smoked salmon!
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.