Strawberry, Walnut Spinach Salad
I look forward to spring when berries start to ripen. One of my favorite ways to use up the abundance of strawberries is this spinach and strawberry salad with poppy seed dressing. It tastes like a bowl of summer and packs a lot of healthy nutrients.
The strawberries and poppy seed dressing are sweet while the pancetta (which you can skip to make vegetarian) add a little saltiness and the red onion some sharpness. The walnuts and sunflower seeds add a nutty flavor (and some protein). Of course there are croutons because I believe all salads taste better with croutons, and I don’t feel bad about it! Everything is layered onto a pile of spinach and romaine lettuce. Sometimes I add chunks of goat cheese for an extra decadent flavor, but when I made it on this particular day I realized I didn’t have any. Cheese, like croutons, usually makes everything taste better, but I actually didn’t miss it (and I saved the extra calories).
This salad is great in a large batch for backyard barbecues or is satisfying as a main course for dinner. The different colors make for great presentation.
Strawberry, Walnut Spinach Recipe
Makes 2 salads.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1/2 cup walnuts (pieces or whole)
- 2 ounces pancetta, cubed (optional)
- 2-3 slices of artisan bread (country, Italian, sourdough etc), sliced*
- 1/2 of a red onion, sliced
- 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
- Poppy seed salad dressing
*The bread is for homemade croutons. You can skip the croutons or buy packaged croutons.
Directions
- Wash and remove the tops from the strawberries. Slice them into bite-size pieces for about 1 cup.
- Wash the spinach and romaine lettuce if needed. Remove the stems from the spinach leaves. Chop the romaine lettuce into bite size pieces. You want about 2 cups of each.
- Heat a small skillet over medium heat and add 1/2 cup walnuts. Toast the walnuts for 4-5 minutes, stirring often to prevent them from burning. Remove the nuts from the pan and set aside.
- Return the skillet to the heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Cut about 2 ounces of pancetta into small cubes and add to the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the meat is cooked through. Remove the meat and place on a paper towel to absorb excess grease.
- Cut 2-3 thick slices of the bread and chop into large cubes. Place the bread cubes on a foiled lined pan. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and a pinch of both salt and pepper. Toss the bread in the oil and then spread the cubes into a single layer. Toast the bread in a toaster oven or under a broiler for about 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown. (If you don’t want to heat the oven, toast the bread in a regular toaster before slicing it. Chop the toasted bread slices into cubes.)
- Remove the peel from the red onion and cut half of the onion into thin slices. Place the onion in a small bowl and add water until the onions are covered in the water. Set the bowl aside to soak for 5 minutes. After soaking, place the onions on a paper towel to dry. (The soaking process will reduce the pungency of the onion. If you like the onion punch, skip the soaking.)
- Divide the lettuce and spinach between two plates or bowls. Add the sliced strawberries, red onion, pancetta, toasted walnuts, and 1 Tbsp of sunflower seeds to each salad. Drizzle with the poppy seed dressing.
The portions in this recipe makes about two salads, but you can easily increase the amounts for a crowd. Prepare all of the ingredients and add the salad dressing right before serving.
You can make easy substitutions to this salad. If you want to make it vegetarian you can skip the pancetta or swap for bacon. The salty crunch of pancetta or bacon pairs well with the sweetness from the strawberries and dressing, but it still tastes great without it. You can also substitute pecans or pumpkin seeds in place of the walnuts and sunflower seeds.
I make the croutons fresh using bread from the bakery, but to save on time store bought croutons work great. I also use store bought salad dressing.
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