If you are looking for a salad recipe that is full of bright, fresh flavors, this strawberry, asparagus spinach salad is what you need. This recipe encapsulates some of the best flavors of spring, giving you a salad that you are sure to enjoy.
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Baby Spinach Salad Recipe
When the weather starts to be a little warmer and fresh fruits and veggies begin to line the grocery store shelves, you know that spring has arrived. One of the best ways to celebrate the return of fresh produce is by making a delicious salad. Our recipe for baby spinach, asparagus, and strawberry salad will enable to use a lot of that spring produce in an easy-to-make salad. We know you will love it!
Ingredients in Spinach Asparagus Salad
When you take a look at the ingredients in this salad recipe, you will be surprised and excited to see all the different veggies, fruits and other flavors that we have incorporated. Here are a few of the powerhouse tastes that really stand out in this meal:
- Asparagus
- Baby Spinach
- Goat Cheese
- Sliced Strawberries
- Almonds
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Mustard
There are a few other ingredients in the recipe (salt and pepper, for example), that are just as important but not as overpowering as these. If everything on this list sounds tasty to you, then this strawberry salad will be a winner and it is time to start cooking!
How to Make Spinach Salad
Making this recipe is pretty straightforward. There may be one step that varies from traditional salad recipes and that is the first step which asks you to blanch the asparagus. Don’t worry- this is easy to do!
To blanch the asparagus you need to:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the asparagus in the boiling water just for one minute.
- Remove the asparagus from the boiling water and immediately add it to a bucket of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Remove from the cold water and lay it out to dry for a few minutes.
- Slice the asparagus using a sharp ceramic knife and set aside or add it to the large bowl you will use to toss the remaining ingredients.
Blanching the asparagus may seem like just an extra step but it is actually important. It helps the asparagus taste a little less starchy and a little more tender. However, since the vegetable is only boiled for a minute, it will not be fully cooked and still have a nice crunch that is a hallmark of this recipe.
After the asparagus has been blanched, you can make the salad dressing which simply involves mixing the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey and salt and pepper to taste in a jar. The remaining strawberry salad ingredients go in a big bowl, are tossed together, and then coated with the dressing. Pretty simple!
Homemade Salad Dressing Recipe
The salad dressing that this recipe makes has a strong vinegar and mustard taste. While it goes perfectly with the asparagus, baby spinach, and strawberries, you can definitely make a few changes to suit your preferred tastes. Here are a few options you may want to try:
- Replace the red wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar has a more mild taste and is a little sweeter as well.
- Eliminate the mustard or reduce the amount if you are not a huge mustard fan.
- Agave nectar will work in place of honey and also make this recipe vegan.
Other dressings will go well with this strawberry salad as well (our creamy avocado dressing, for example, is perfect- search for it in our website recipes!). You can also use your favorite red wine or balsamic vinaigrette that you can find in the store if you are looking to save a few minutes. Sometimes a premade option is needed!
Health Benefits of Spinach Salad
Not only does this salad taste like springtime but it is also quite healthy. In fact, adding this salad to your weekly routine is probably a very good idea!
Spinach– Spinach leaves are loaded with nutritional benefits. Spinach has vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and bone-strengthening nutrients. It is considered to be one of the healthiest greens out there!
Strawberries– Strawberries are full of vitamin C, folate, and antioxidants. They have also been linked to heart health and blood sugar control.
Goat Cheese- With protein, calcium, and phosphorous (which is essential for bone health), goat cheese can add a lot to your salad as well!
As you can see, this salad is great for your health and also delicious to enjoy every day. Keep the ingredients you need on hand because you will want to make this often.
We hope you love this delicious, spring-inspired salad as much as we do. Take advantage of the fresh produce while it is available and at peak season! You really can’t beat a fresh strawberry salad full of delicious veggies too.
Sign up with your email address as well to get even more amazing salad recipes like this Greek Pasta Salad or simply browse our site for a few minutes to find some other exciting new recipes to add to your arsenal.
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Spinach Asparagus and Strawberry Salad
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 15 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: salad
Description
Fresh and delicious salad made with asparagus, strawberries and spinach.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed.
- 1 bunch baby spinach
- 1 quart strawberries, sliced
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cub sliced toasted almonds
- 6 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs honey
- 3 tbs red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp grainy mustard
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute and submerge in ice bath. Drain and pat dry.
- Combine spinach, sliced strawberries, asparagus, almonds, and goat cheese in large salad bowl
- Combine oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a mason jar and shake until well mixed.
- Pour dressing over salad, toss, and serve.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Before adding the salt and pepper to taste to the salad dressing, try a tiny spoonful to see how it tastes. You may find you don’t even need any extra seasonings thanks to the taste of the mustard.
- When you choose strawberries in the store, look for ones that are very red, especially near the top. The strawberries should also smell strongly, like real strawberries! Pick your strawberries carefully to ensure that your strawberries have full flavor to make your salad truly great.
- Add the goat cheese to the salad last, right before serving so that he cheese does not dry out. If you are serving this salad to a group, serve the goat cheese on the side with a nice cheese slicer to allow people to add their own cheese. Goat cheese can be an acquired taste so giving people the option of skipping it (or adding extra) will be appreciated.
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