Strawberry Crunch Salad (Printable)

Sweet strawberries meet crisp greens and crunchy toppings in this refreshing summer dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Salad Base

01 - 6 cups mixed salad greens (baby spinach, arugula, and romaine)
02 - 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - ½ cup cucumber, thinly sliced
04 - ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
05 - ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled

→ Crunch Topping

06 - ½ cup pecans or almonds, roughly chopped
07 - ½ cup crispy fried onions or crumbled pretzels

→ Dressing

08 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon honey
11 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the chopped pecans or almonds for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Let cool completely.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and emulsified.
03 - In a large salad bowl, combine the mixed greens, strawberries, cucumber, red onion, and feta cheese.
04 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving and gently toss to evenly coat all ingredients.
05 - Sprinkle the toasted nuts and crispy onions or pretzels over the top. Serve immediately while the toppings remain crispy.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sweet and salty combination hits every craving at once without feeling heavy
  • It comes together in under 20 minutes but looks like you spent all day prepping
  • The crunch element stays satisfying even after the dressing is tossed through
02 -
  • Never dress this salad more than 15 minutes before serving or the greens will start looking sad and wilted.
  • The crunchy toppings lose their magic if they sit in dressing, so keep them separate until the absolute last moment.
03 -
  • Dry your greens thoroughly after washing because water clinging to the leaves prevents the dressing from coating properly.
  • Let your toasted nuts cool completely before adding them or they will slightly wilt whatever they touch.

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