Strawberry Spinach Salad with Warm Brown Butter Dressing
This simple salad of baby spinach, sliced strawberries, toasted nuts and feta cheese is fresh, flavorful, and perfect for summer. Plus, the warm brown butter dressing is a wonderful surprise!
Ingredients
Dressing:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary
- Pinch of salt
Salad:
- 4 cups loosely packed baby spinach , or 50/50 spinach blend
- 1 cup fresh sliced strawberries , or more to your preference
- ¼ cup toasted or candied pecans , toasting instructions below
- ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Brown the butter. Melt butter in a small saucepan set over medium low heat. Continue to cook butter, stirring frequently, until butter turns golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Make the dressing. Remove butter from heat and whisk in balsamic vinegar, honey, rosemary and salt. Cool slightly.
- Toast the nuts. (Optional, but recommended!) Bake in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, or cook over medium heat in a dry saucepan until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool.
- Assemble the salad. Toss the baby spinach, strawberries, nuts, feta cheese, and warm dressing in a large bowl. I like to reserve some strawberries, pecans and cheese to add on top so it looks nice. Serve immediately.
Notes
- If dressing cools and hardens, rewarm in a microwave in 10 second bursts and stir till smooth.
- Make ahead instructions: Prep all the components and store separately until serving or store everything but the dressing in a serving bowl, covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge for several hours. Toss dressing just before serving, or serve dressing on the side for individuals to add themselves.
- Variations and substitutions: see recipe article for suggestions on other fruit, nuts, cheeses and other mix-ins that will work with this recipe.
Calories: 202kcal, Carbohydrates: 7g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 39mg, Sodium: 131mg, Potassium: 255mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 3207IU, Vitamin C: 30mg, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 1mg
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