Strawberry walnut salad with an irresistible strawberry shallot dressing and crunchy toasted walnuts is super quick and easy and so satisfying!!
Crunchy toasted walnuts, bold creamy blue cheese crumbles and juicy sweet strawberries over a bed of delicate baby spinach and smothered with that pretty pink dressing make one deliciously satisfying salad!
Strawberry shallot vinaigrette is best when made in advance!
I love adding fresh fruits to my salads. – Apples in my chicken salad!
And I love spinach and strawberries together! – Have you seen my strawberry spinach salad with grilled chicken and poppy seed dressing? To die for!!!
But today I wanted to share this beautiful salad for a reason:
- This strawberry shallot vinaigrette needs its own spotlight! Creamy, fresh vinaigrette with pureed strawberries and shallots! It’s a must-try!
How to make this salad:
- Make the vinaigrette.
- Toast the walnuts in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Toss the salad together right before serving.
Not a fan of blue cheese? Substitute salty feta cheese for blue cheese! It’ll be just as good!
How to make strawberry shallot vinaigrette:
- In a small food processor, marinade minced shallots in lemon juice for about 5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and process until nice and smooth.
Marinating minced shallots in lemon juice takes the zing out of the shallots. It gets milder, yet still retains its flavor with a hint of garlic! If you think the vinaigrette is too strong right after you make it, refrigerate it for an hour or so, or better yet overnight!
This dressing gets better and better with time, which makes it a perfect dressing to prep ahead. Hello, meal prepping!!
When are strawberries in season?
Strawberries are in season in June in majority of the U.S. However, Florida’s strawberry season is from December through April, and California’s all year round!
Can you eat the hull of strawberries?
Yep, you sure can eat the hull of strawberries, as long as they look nice and fresh. I would even toss in the salad, if you wish!
What nuts are healthy?
Nuts are one of the healthiest snacks. And different nuts have different vitamins and nutrients. For example,walnuts are rich in omega-3 fat, and almonds have higher fiber than any other nut.
Strawberry Walnut Salad
Ingredients
For strawberry shallot vinaigrette:
- ½ shallot finely minced
- Juice of 1 lemon 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup fresh strawberries
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For salad:
- 1 ½ cup sliced fresh strawberries
- 2 oz blue cheese Note 1
- 10 oz spinach
- ½ cup walnuts
Instructions
To prepare the dressing:
- In a small food processor, marinade minced shallots in lemon juice for about 5 minutes.
- Add strawberries and olive oil and process until nice and smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.
To toast walnuts:
- In a medium skillet, toast the walnuts over medium heat. Stand by the stove and stir frequently to toast the nuts evenly until they’re smell toasty and you see light browning, about 5 minutes.
To assemble:
- Right before serving, layer spinach on a plate, add strawberry slices, and crumble blue cheese and walnuts. Then drizzle the vinaigrette all over and enjoy!
Share your thoughts! If you make this please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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