I started really getting into spinach salads a couple of years ago. I actually prefer to purchase baby spinach at the store vs. lettuce, because I know if I don’t feel like eating a spinach salad, I can cook or bake with it as well to avoid wasting it/letting it go bad. Cooked lettuce isn’t quite so appealing. 🙂
A while back, I was invited to Hotel Indigo with a few other local bloggers to sample their restaurant’s menu, and they brought out this salad that had me absolutely smitten. It had spinach, local strawberries, feta cheese and pecans tossed in a strawberry vinaigrette. It was DIVINE. I knew one day I’d have to remake this for when we had company, and I actually made this a while ago. Like…Easter. I took pictures of this salad back in April and completely forgot about it. Oops!
Easter is smack dab in the middle of our strawberry season here, so I knew that this would be the perfect occasion to make this salad. It was ridiculously easy to throw together, and the salad was a hit. It tasted pretty darn close to the salad I enjoyed at the hotel, and I was thrilled about that. In fact, since I made this salad in April, I’ve made this vinaigrette multiple times. It’s just that good, y’all. I haven’t made the salad in quite a while, though, since I’m a strawberry snob and the season is long gone. 🙁 I envy those of you who still have fresh strawberries at your local fruit stands!
Just to note: I realize that the pecans weren’t pictured here. I served them on the side though, since quite a few people in my family aren’t fans of pecans. 🙂
Spinach, Strawberry, Pecan and Feta Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Source: salad inspired by King Bar & Bistro, dressing from Rachael RaySalad Ingredients:
- 5 cups baby spinach
- 1 pint sliced fresh strawberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/2 cup pecans
Dressing Ingredients:
- 2 tsp. strawberry jam (I used this freezer jam)
- 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
- To make the vinaigrette, place the strawberry jam in a large bowl and whisk in the vinegar until everything is well-mixed. Keep whisking the mixture and slowly add in the olive oil. Whisk until the dressing doesn’t look like it’s separating. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.
- Add the spinach, strawberries, feta cheese and pecans to the bowl and toss the ingredients together until everything is coated with the dressing. Serve immediately, or if you’re serving at a later time, just make the dressing separately and serve it on the side (make some extra dressing, just in case you have some dressing lovers) instead of tossing it with the salad ingredients.
I can see why you were smitten with this salad. It’s so pretty and the flavors sound amazing! I’ve never thought of using jam to make dressing.
Thanks! I was skeptical about it, but it really didn’t make it that sweet. 🙂
I couldn’t find a strawberry jam I liked so I used a Smuckers mixed berry spread..it was great! I added (I do this a lot) Boston and ROMAINE lettuce to the SPINACH and roasted turkey breast slices with a sprinkling of blackberries….it was a great success! Great recipe! (Oh I roasted the turkey with thyme)
Sorry about the caps..auto correct keeps adding them..
So glad you enjoyed it!! Thank you for reading!
This salad is so, so pretty! I’m that same…I always have baby spinach for salads, or whatever! Adding this to my “must make” list! 🙂
Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
I just bought the stuff I didn’t already have for this tonight. I’m going to take it to work for lunch tomorrow. I’m excited, this sounds so good! I’m going to use homemade jam (ok ok…spread…it was supposed to be jam though and didn’t set up…haha!) so I know exactly what’s in it! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
About how many does this serve would you say?
I’m not really sure. It was part of an Easter dinner (sort of buffet style), and we had 10 people over. There were some leftovers, but I don’t know if people took a little or a lot. :
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I tried it today, and it was so delicious!
Thank You.. This recipie is awesome!! Soo good, best salad I’ve had in a long time… I never thought about using jam in a vinegrette:-) 🙂
Had this salad @ my cousins home in San Jose was so very good! My family throughly enjoyed it! Made it tonight with my granddaughter another hit! We will have it again tomorrow night! When I return home (Hawaii) will make it again for my family and for “potluck” with friends! Thank you so very much!!!