Description
Summer’s freshest berry spinach salad blends sweet and tangy flavors with creamy feta and crunchy pecans. Rich balsamic glaze drizzled over crisp spinach leaves creates a light, irresistible dish you’ll savor with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients:
- 6 cups fresh spinach leaves
- 1 cup fresh strawberries
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup red onion
Dressing Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Garnish Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
Instructions
- Gather fresh spinach leaves and arrange them as a vibrant base in a spacious mixing vessel.
- Gently scatter sliced strawberries and whole blueberries across the verdant green surface.
- Thinly slice red onion and distribute delicate rings throughout the salad for sharp, tangy undertones.
- Carefully toast pecans in a dry skillet at medium heat for 3-4 minutes, releasing their rich, nutty aroma, then roughly chop.
- Sprinkle toasted pecan fragments generously over the fruity landscape.
- Crumble feta cheese in uneven, creamy clusters across the salad’s expanse.
- Prepare balsamic glaze by simmering vinegar in a small pan over medium-low heat, reducing volume by approximately 50% for 8-10 minutes until syrupy consistency develops.
- Optional: Incorporate a drizzle of honey into the reduction for enhanced sweetness.
- Allow balsamic glaze to cool and slightly thicken for 2-3 minutes.
- Immediately before serving, artfully drizzle warm balsamic glaze over the salad, creating elegant zigzag patterns.
Notes
- Toast pecans carefully to enhance their nutty flavor without burning, watching them closely in a dry skillet or oven.
- Use fresh, crisp spinach leaves and wash thoroughly to remove any grit or dirt before assembling the salad.
- For a vegan version, replace feta cheese with crumbled plant-based cheese or nutritional yeast to maintain a tangy flavor profile.
- Prepare balsamic glaze in advance and store in the refrigerator for up to a week, allowing flavors to develop and making meal prep easier.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 243 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg