This healthy salad is full of sweet strawberries, tangy Gorgonzola cheese and crunchy pecans topped with a delicious maple balsamic dressing. Add grilled chicken or homemade croutons for a delicious summer meal.
This is hands down one of my all-time favorite salads. It has juicy summer strawberries, crisp baby spinach and a little bit of spicy red onion. The maple balsamic dressing really adds a sweet yet tart flavor to this salad, helping to bring all of these wonderful flavors together.
Summer strawberry salad with maple balsamic dressing recipe
Yields 2 large main dish salads or 4 smaller side salads
Ingredients:
- 6 cups organic baby spinach
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
- 1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
- 1/4 cup pecans (optional)
- 1 avocado, sliced
- Croutons (optional)
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Place the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper into a blender and pulse to combine. With the blender running, add the olive oil in a steady stream until the dressing is mixed well. Taste the dressing to make sure it doesn't need to be seasoned further and set the dressing aside.
- In a large bowl, add the baby spinach and a few tablespoons of the dressing, tossing well.
- Plate the spinach and top with the strawberries, Gorgonzola cheese, avocado, red onions, pecans and croutons.
- Serve extra dressing on the side. Any leftover dressing can be stored in the refrigerator and used within three or four days.
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