Prep: 10 This Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad is one of my favorites for spring! Made with freshly chopped spinach, sliced sweet strawberries, creamy avocado, crispy caramelized walnuts, wholesome quinoa, and hemp hearts for added protein. The whole thing is drizzled with a perfectly balanced balsamic dressing that brings the flavors together. This nutritious salad is not only beautiful, but it’s perfect for a hearty and delicious vegetarian or vegan lunch or dinner idea!
Springtime Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe – Easy & Delicious!
Oh. My. Goodness. I don’t think I’ve ever loved a salad as much as I have loved this one! You would not believe the flavors. Every bite of this Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad is full of springtime deliciousness!
The balance of sweet, earthy flavors alongside both crunchy and creamy textures, with just a little bit of sweet cinnamon cayenne kick coming from the crispy walnuts…wow! The hemp hearts and quinoa add the right amount of protein, making this perfect as a side salad or a main dish that’s vegetarian, vegan, and SO good. Make this easy Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad in just 20 minutes!
You’ll Also Love: Roasted Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad
Ingredients You’ll Need
Caramelized Walnuts
- Walnuts
- Maple Syrup
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Cayenne
Balsamic Dressing
- Dijon Mustard (opens in a new tab)
- Minced Garlic
- Maple Syrup – Honey works great, too.
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Salt
Spinach Salad
- Spinach (loosely chopped)
- Cooked Quinoa (opens in a new tab) – Cooled. You can also use cooked farro!
- Strawberries – Sliced or chopped.
- Avocados – Cubed, 1 large or 2 small avocados.
- Hemp Hearts
How to Make a Strawberry Spinach Salad with Avocado
It’s so easy to make this Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad in just 3 simple steps! Here’s how to make this recipe in 20 minutes or less:
1. Toast the Walnuts
Cook the walnuts with maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne in a small skillet for about 10 minutes, or until they are crispy and caramelized. Let cool.
2. Shake the Salad Dressing
Meanwhile, shake the salad dressing ingredients together in a salad shaker or mason jar with a lid!
3. Assemble the Salads
Layer the salads in individual bowls or place all of the ingredients in a large salad bowl and toss them together. Top with balsamic vinaigrette drizzle and crispy walnuts!
The Right Tools for the Perfect Spinach Salad
Want to save even more time? Here are a few of my favorite tools to make spinach salads even faster! You can wash the lettuce, spin it dry, and make/keep your salad all in the same bowl. The clear bowl and collapsable lid make it perfect for keeping it in the bowl and for storage! I absolutely love it.
OXO Salad Spinner (opens in a new tab) – If you’re washing your own lettuce, then this salad spinner is a MUST. You can wash the lettuce, spin it dry, and make/keep your salad all in the same bowl. The clear bowl and collapsable lid make it perfect for keeping it in the bowl and for storage! I absolutely love it.
Salad Chopper Blade + Bowl (opens in a new tab) – This thing is amazing. It saves so much time! Just throw all of the spinach in and use the blade right in the bowl to chop.
Salad Dressing Shaker (opens in a new tab) – I love this dressing shaker. It’s so easy to use, the lid makes an airtight seal (so the dressing lasts longer) and it has a pour spout. A mason jar always works great, too, but I really love the pour spout and measurements on this one!
Strawberry Huller (opens in a new tab) – Have you ever used one of these? It’s a game-changer and saves so much time!
Avocado Slicer (opens in a new tab) – This tool is incredible for quickly slicing avocados. I love it!
Tips for Making This Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Be sure to lay out the cooked quinoa on a baking sheet to let it quickly cool before adding it to the spinach (this will keep it from wilting the spinach)!
- Add crumbled feta cheese or goat cheese to this salad – SO yummy!
- A little bit of homemade granola would actually be so good on top, too.
- Chopped almonds, candied pecans, fresh blueberries, blackberries, or chopped peppers are also so delicious.
- Add some grilled chicken for extra protein and a squeeze of lemon juice!
How to Store
Store any salad leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days (adding in the avocado when you’re ready to serve). Perfect as an easy springtime lunch, dinner, or side salad!
If you want to prep this salad in advance, you can also prep and store the components in different containers. Place the sliced strawberries, chopped spinach, cooked walnuts, cooked quinoa, and hemp hearts in different airtight meal prep containers. Store the dressing in a mason jar. When ready to enjoy, simply assemble the salads and add fresh avocado!
More Healthy Salad Recipes
- Healthy Ground Turkey Taco Salad
- Crispy Chili Lime Chickpea Salad
- Healthy Chicken Cobb Salad Recipe
- Poached Egg & Avocado Breakfast Salad
- Chili Mango Zesty Quinoa Salad
Loving this recipe? Rate it below and sign up for my FREE 7 Meal-Planning Secrets To Making Healthy Dinners (In 30 Minutes Or Less) course!
Avocado Strawberry Spinach Salad
Ingredients
Caramelized Walnuts
- 1 cup walnuts
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- dash cayenne
Balsamic Dressing
- 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard (opens in a new tab)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (opens in a new tab)
- 1/2 cup olive oil (opens in a new tab)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Spinach Salad
- 12 ounces spinach (loosely chopped)
- 2 cups cooked quinoa (opens in a new tab) (cooled)
- 12 ounces strawberries (sliced)
- 2 small avocados (cubed, or 2 small avocados)
- 1/4 cup hemp hearts
Instructions
- In a small skillet over medium-high heat, cook the walnuts with the maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne, stirring constantly.
- When the syrup has coated the nuts and they’ve started to brown a bit (about 7-10 minutes), remove the nuts to a piece of parchment to cool.
- Once cooled, chop into smaller pieces.
- Meanwhile, put the dressing ingredients into a small mason jar or salad shaker, close tightly, and shake vigorously until creamy and well combined.
- Divide the spinach into 4 bowls. Add the cooked quinoa, sliced strawberries, cubed avocado, and hemp hearts, then top with dressing and walnuts!
Watch Me Make This
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make this? I’d love to see!
Tag me on socials at @JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab) or #JarOfLemons (opens in a new tab)
I made this salad for a friends salad swap, and it was incredibly easy and delicious! I added chopped fresh basil, which really elevated the flavor. I’ll definitely be making this again.
Thanks, Maze. I’m glad you enjoyed this salad recipe!
Delicious!! A quick question about nutritional info, is it per serving or for the whole dish? Thanks so much!
This is my new favorite salad! I absolutely love the caramelized walnuts and the dressing – OMG- it is so good!
What an amazing salad for spring. I love the combination of flavours and the sweetness of strawberries adds a great flavour!
I made this for my family and we all loved it. It will be on my dinner club recipe this summer—it’s so good!!!