Are you ready for a salad that celebrates the glory of ripe strawberries? Spring mix berry salad with strawberry balsamic vinaigrette and candied walnuts gives you strawberries two ways--sliced fresh and blended in a delicious sweet and savory strawberry balsamic vinaigrette! Basil adds a peppery bite, and feta brings a salty tang to balance the sweetness of the berries and candied nuts.
This colorful salad is perfect for a baby or wedding shower, or it could be a main dish dinner salad with London broil or grilled chicken tenders. Making your own salad dressing from scratch is really easy and allows you to customize the flavor to your preference, and the strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is super colorful with zero food dyes or preservatives.
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Ingredients for Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
The ingredient list for the strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is short and sweet.
- strawberries
- balsamic vinegar
- light olive oil - Extra-virgin olive oil will overpower the flavor of this dressing, so be sure to use one that is not marked extra-virgin.
- maple syrup
- basil
- garlic powder
- salt
- pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Ingredients for Spring Mix Berry Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette and Candied Walnuts
- strawberry balsamic vinaigrette (see recipe below)
- spring mix salad (baby spinach and lettuce)
- strawberries
- blueberries
- basil
- feta cheese
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Candied Walnuts
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This strawberry balsamic vinaigrette is really easy and takes just a few minutes to make.
Remove green leaves and tops from strawberries and roughly chop.
Place all ingredients into blender or food processor.
Blend or process until dressing is combined and uniform, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
To make the spring mix berry salad, gather your ingredients and assemble the salad per the instructions below.
Chop the basil into small pieces.
Slice off leaves and strawberry tops. Cut strawberries crosswise into thin slices.
Toss together all salad ingredients (spring mix lettuce, strawberries, blueberries, feta cheese, and candied walnuts) and top with strawberry balsamic vinaigrette.
Substitutions
- Berries - Raspberries or blackberries would be great in this salad. Frozen strawberries can be substituted for fresh in making the vinaigrette; just make sure they are thawed first.
- Olive oil - A different neutral oil can be substituted if needed.
- Balsamic vinegar - Balsamic pairs well with strawberries, but another vinegar such as apple cider, red wine, or rice vinegar can be used.
- Maple syrup - Honey makes a good substitute.
- Spring mix salad - Try baby spinach or butter lettuce in place of spring mix.
- Feta - Chevre or goat cheese makes a great substitute for feta.
Equipment
I love having a salad spinner to get my salad greens really clean and remove excess moisture after washing. Greens stay fresh much longer in the fridge without extra water on the leaves.
How to Store Salad Dressing
Store the dressing in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If the dressing separates in the fridge, give it a good shake or stir.
FAQ
Vinaigrette is one type of salad dressing made with oil and acid, typically vinegar or citrus juice. This recipe uses balsamic vinegar, but apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, and rice vinegar are also common ingredients for vinaigrette.
Spring mix salad greens typically include tender baby lettuce, spinach, romaine, oak leaf, chard, arugula, endive, and/or radicchio.
Spring mix greens are usually tender and pair well with a vinaigrette type of salad dressing.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with spring mix berry salad with strawberry balsamic vinaigrette:
Spring Mix Berry Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette, Feta, and Candied Walnuts
Ingredients
STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
- 1 cup strawberries fresh or frozen
- ½ cup light olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 leaves basil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
SPRING MIX BERRY SALAD
- 24 ounces spring mix salad greens (about 16 cups)
- 1 cup strawberries sliced
- ½ cup blueberries
- ¼ cup basil leaves chopped
- ½ cup feta crumbled
- 1 cup candied walnuts
- 1-¾ cups strawberry balsamic vinaigrette
Instructions
STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
- Cut off the green tops of strawberries and roughly chop, or allow frozen strawberries to thaw.
- Add strawberries, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a blender or food processor.
- Blend or process until combined and uniform, about 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Shake or stir vigorously before using.
SPRING MIX BERRY SALAD
- Wash and dry spring mix greens well.
- Cut off green tops of strawberries and slice crosswise. Finely chop basil leaves.
- Toss together spring mix greens, strawberries, blueberries, basil, feta, and candied walnuts. Add salad dressing and toss when ready to serve.
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