Strawberry Spinach Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette
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Perfect for a holiday table like Easter lunch or a weeknight meal, this colorful Strawberry Spinach Salad with our Lemon Honey Vinaigrette packs a flavor punch with every bite!
“This was so simple & amazing!” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ –Shawna
About This Salad
- Spinach, strawberries, bacon, feta, red onion, and more are topped with a mild, lemony, sweet dressing that’s sure to please all ages.
- We created this Strawberry Fields Salad to be the perfect spinach salad for your Easter lunch, but it’s versatile enough to work anytime!
- The vibrant colors of the salad ingredients plus the bright golden Lemon Honey Vinaigrette make it part of the lively table decorations.
- It would also be a delicious side to Lemon Garlic Chicken or Crispy Chicken Cutlets with Lemon Butter Sauce.
Ingredients Needed
Here is what you need to make this spinach salad:
For the Lemon Honey Vinaigrette:
- Fresh lemon juice – Fresh lemons are best.
- Lemon zest – Just zest the lemons before you juice them.
- Honey – local is always best
- Salt, pepper, and EVOO
For the Salad:
- Spinach – Organic is best. Spinach is one of the dirty dozen, meaning it has a lot of pesticides if not organic.
- Bacon – Did you know you can bake bacon in the oven? Here’s where we get our uncured bacon.
- Sliced Almonds – See tips on toasting almonds in the recipe notes.
- Sliced Red Onion – Or pickled red onions would be delicious, too.
- Fresh Strawberries – Again, organic is best.
- Goat cheese or feta cheese – I prefer goat cheese!
Tip: Bake Your Bacon
Here is an easy step-by-step guide on how to cook bacon in the oven. It makes less mess and makes better bacon!
Variations and Substitution Ideas
Consider this salad a starting point for you to get creative!
1. Toppings: Here are some other topping ideas for this light, springtime salad:
- Canned, drained Mandarin orange segments (or try our Mandarin Orange Salad)
- Fresh raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries
- Diced or thinly sliced mini cucumbers
- Sliced sugar snap peas
- Dried cranberries
- Toasted pecans, walnuts, or sunflower seeds
- Gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles (my favorite!)
- Homemade Croutons
2. Dressings: Try using our Citrus Salad Dressing, Honey Dijon Dressing, or Honey Balsamic Dressing to switch things up a little.
3. Greens: Swap out the baby spinach for mixed baby greens or crispy, chopped Romaine lettuce.
How to Make Spinach Strawberry Salad
Find the full, printable recipe with notes at the bottom of this post.
- Make the Vinaigrette: Add all the ingredients to a mason jar with lid. Seal tightly and shake until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference. This dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Assemble the Salad: On a serving platter, add the spinach. Top with the bacon, toasted almonds, red onion, strawberries, and cheese.
- Serve: Shake up the dressing and serve alongside the salad.
Recipes to Serve with Strawberry Spinach Salad
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can prep the salad a few hours in advance and store in the fridge covered. (Probably not much longer if you want the ingredients to taste nice and fresh.) Just don’t add the dressing until you are ready to serve it.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 4 minutes. Give them a shake, and bake another 3-5 minutes until they begin to smell toasted and are starting to turn golden. Keep a close eye on them, so they don’t burn! Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a plate or parchment paper to cool.
Technically you can, but we don’t recommend it. The fresh lemon juice and zest are main components of the citrusy taste!
More Amazing Salad Recipes
If you like this salad, I think you’ll love these other popular ones too.
- Mandarin Orange Salad with Citrus Salad Dressing
- Summer Strawberry Salad with Honey Balsamic Dressing
- Autumn Chopped Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Mexican Chopped Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- My Favorite Cobb Salad
- Wilted Lettuce Salad – Delicious, easy way to use up garden greens!
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Lemon Honey Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For the Lemon Honey Vinaigrette:
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about juice of 3 large lemons)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 cup Extra Virgin olive oil
For the Salad:
- 8 cups baby spinach (loosely packed)
- 1/2 pound bacon (cooked and chopped)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds (toasted*)
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion (or pickled red onions)
- 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
- 4 ounces crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
Instructions
- Make the Vinaigrette: Add all the ingredients to a mason jar with lid. Seal tightly and shake until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your preference. This dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Assemble the Salad: On a serving platter, add the spinach. Top with the bacon, toasted almonds, red onion, strawberries, and cheese.
- Serve: Shake up the dressing and serve alongside the salad.
This was delicious! The dressing is a keeper. Just the right amount of lemon.
Yay! Glad you enjoyed this Phyllis. Thank you for leaving a review!
Easy and good! My husband loved the dressing and I love any excuse to use goat cheese 🙂
Hi Jessica! So glad you both enjoyed this salad. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Hello, Rachel, I made your lovely lemon vinaigrette today to go atop my own rendition of a spinach salad. I used gorgeous Meyer lemons from a friend’s tree. Your recipe for this dressing is perfectly flavored. We have many salads this vinaigrette will be perfect for! Best, Dianna
What a treat to use fresh Meyer lemons from your friend! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Dianna. Thanks for the review!
I made for an Easter side dish. This was so good! I’ll definitely be making this again.
So glad to hear this Amy!
How long will the salad dressing last in the fridge?
Hi Elizabeth! The dressing can be stored in the fridge up to two weeks.
Family loved it!
Wonderful. Thanks for leaving a review Jordan!
This was so simple & amazing! I had no almonds, so I used pepitas & as well as blueberry chèvre! Definitely a keeper!
Yum! Love your swap-out ideas!