Description
Mouthwatering berry spinach salad harmonizes sweet and tangy flavors with fresh spinach, juicy berries, and crumbled feta. Crunchy pecans and rich balsamic glaze elevate this salad, promising a delightful culinary experience you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 cups (150 g) baby spinach, fresh
- 1 cup (150 g) strawberries, fresh, hulled and sliced
- ½ cup (75 g) blueberries, fresh
- ½ cup (75 g) raspberries, fresh
- ⅓ cup (40 g) pecans, toasted
- ¼ cup (50 g) feta cheese, crumbled
- 3 tbsps balsamic glaze (store-bought or homemade)
- ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
- Grilled chicken or shrimp (optional, for added protein)
Instructions
- Preparation: Thoroughly cleanse spinach leaves and mixed berries under running water, delicately drying with paper towels to maintain their pristine condition.
- Pecan Roasting: Toast pecans in a medium-heat skillet, stirring constantly until they emit a rich, aromatic fragrance and achieve a golden-brown hue, roughly 3-4 minutes.
- Salad Assembly: Layer crisp spinach as the foundational base in a spacious serving bowl, then artfully cascade mixed berries across the verdant surface.
- Texture and Flavor Enhancement: Distribute cooled, roasted pecans evenly over the berries, then generously crumble feta cheese to introduce a tangy contrast.
- Finishing Touch: Gracefully drizzle balsamic glaze in an elegant pattern, ensuring each ingredient is subtly coated with the sweet-tart dressing.
- Serving: Present the salad immediately to preserve the spinach’s vibrancy and maintain the ingredients’ optimal texture and temperature.
Notes
- Prevent Wilting: Serve the salad immediately after preparation to maintain crisp spinach leaves and prevent soggy texture.
- Perfect Toasting: Watch pecans carefully during toasting, stirring continuously to achieve golden-brown color without burning, using medium heat for optimal flavor development.
- Berry Selection: Choose ripe, firm berries at peak freshness for maximum sweetness and vibrant color, mixing different varieties like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries for complex flavor profile.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Swap feta with dairy-free alternatives like nutritional yeast or vegan cheese crumbles for plant-based diets, ensuring the salad remains delicious and nutritionally balanced.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg