Right now the markets are filled with fresh strawberries and raspberries and that made me think about one my favourite ways to enjoy them together, in this strawberry and avocado spinach salad with raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. You might think that it is a bit odd combining strawberries in the salad and raspberries in the dressing but they work beautifully well together especially in a baby spinach salad with cool and creamy avocado, salty bacon and tangy blue cheese! Individually all of the ingredients in this salad are pretty amazing but combined they take things to a whole new level! This strawberry and avocado spinach salad in raspberry balsamic vinaigrette is so easy to throw together and it makes for a tasty treat of a light meal on hot summer days!
This salad has been a favourite of mine for years and I am still making it many times every summer!
The original photo from five years ago:
Strawberry and Avocado Spinach Salad in Raspberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
A fresh summer strawberry and baby spinach salad with avocado and bacon in a raspberry vinaigrette that just screams summer!
ingredients
- 1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach
- 2 cups strawberries, sliced
- 1 avocado, diced
- 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup raspberry white balsamic vinaigrette
directions
- Assemble salad, toss in dressing and enjoy!
Option: I like to throw in some fresh peas when available in spring.
Strawberry and Balsamic Grilled Chicken Salad
BBQ Chicken Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing
Strawberry and Feta Salad
Spinach and Strawberry Salad with Butter Toasted Almonds
Strawberry BBQ Chicken Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Bacon, Avocado and Goat Cheese
Strawberry Caprese Salad
Strawberry Quinoa and Spinach Caprese Salad
Strawberry Bruschetta with Bacon, Candied Pecans and Goat Cheese with a Balsamic Drizzle
Strawberry Salsa Stuffed Avocados
Grilled Chicken and Asparagus Caprese Spinach Salad with Bacon and Avocado
Raspberry Balsamic Chipotle Grilled Pork Chops
Berry Quinoa Salad
Berry and Avocado Spinach Salad with Feta and Pistachios in a Creamy Berry Poppy Seed Dressing
Berry Salad with Honey and Lemon Yogurt Dressing
Lisa says
It’s a beautiful salad! Great blog. I stop by everyday. Thanks!
Helene says
This looks like the perfect combination. Yummy.
Christie @ fig & cherry says
I love your addition of peas in this salad, yum! They would be really good with the strawberries and bacon.
Diana Evans says
Hi Kevin…
This looks amazing!!!
I have an award waiting for you on my blog!!!
hugs
Diana
VeggieGirl says
Once again, you’ve created a gorgeous dish with some of my all-time favorite ingredients – yum!!
Mrs Ergül says
These look good! Very healthy with so much greens and fruits!
Elra says
Kevin,
Avocado+strawberry+spinach sans bacon=superfood
Avo+strawberry+spinach+bacon= mine
I must confess that bacon is my weakness!
HoneyB says
Someday I’m going to come knocking on your door with fork in hand ready to eat. I think there isn’t a day go by that you don’t have something creative, beautiful, and delicious sounding on your blog!
Lisa says
Honestly, a cookbook with your strawberry recipes could be a best seller, easily, as could a collection of mushroom ideas from your kitchen.
Ben says
WOW look at those colors. they scream EAT ME. I AM DELICIOUS. THat is one great salad. This might be my favorite recipe from your blog so far 🙂
Paula says
Avocados and spinach are good separately, and amazing together! Lovely salad!
Corinne says
Ooh those colors are gorgeous! The flavors look like they worked so well together. Mmm gotta get my hands on some fresh strawberries and avocados now!
Robin Sue says
Thanks for visiting my blog tonight. You have some really nice looking salads on your blog. I remember eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches as a kid, too bad I didn’t think to add the honey. Will do that for my kids for sure. This salad looks amazing!
maybelles parents says
this is exactly a salad they used to serve for special events when i was at school, but they used poppy seed dressing. (though this looks even better.)
Cathy C says
What a great summer salad – love it
Cheers
Cathy
http://www.wheresmydamnanswer.com
cakebrain says
What a pretty salad!
Anonymous says
This salad looks fresh and delicious! The dressing seems perfect and loved the addition of fresh peas.
PaniniKathy says
How absolutely fresh and lovely! You always have the most wonderful dishes on your blog!! 🙂
Clumbsy Cookie says
Better than restaurant looking! I love how colored it is!
amandalouden says
that looks beautiful. I love the colors. YUM
Andreea says
this looks really good. i would have never thouhgt of combining avocados and strawberries. guess i’ll have to give them a try 🙂
Maya says
I big plate of this for dinner would be just lovely.
Dhanggit says
strawberry, avocado and spinach..why i didnt thought about this, great flavors together!
OhioMom says
What a gorgeous salad, that dressing sounds good too. I often throw strawberries and nuts into salads, I like red onion with them too.
When I visit your blog I wish I had a fork 🙂
Laura @ Hungry and Frozen says
Wow, you’re on quite the strawberry kick these days. This salad looks utterly gorgeous and contains many of my favourite ingredients…:)
Adam says
Kev, you should start a salad book. The way you incorporate ingredients is endless. The strawberries have to be sooo refreshing.
Parker says
I love this combination for a salad….the bacon adds so much flavor.
Peter M says
That salad, my friend is a meal…nice combo.
Lori Lynn says
A riot of color on a plate! Gorgeous!
BMK says
What a beautiful burst of color on plate. I sure wish I was having that for lunch today!
Gloria says
Kevin ,this look amazing, never try before strawberries with avocado but look sooo good!!! xGloria
katiez says
I’ll pass on the peanut butter/banana sanny’s… But this looks wonderful! I’m more of a salad person, anyway…
Mansi Desai says
oh, that looks divine kevin! what a gorgeous mix of ingredients for salad!
you know what, I’d love to have you submit either this salad, or the delicious banana-pb-sandwich below for my healthy cooking blog event!
Dragon says
I love strawberry season.
Proud Italian Cook says
Strawberries make such a great addition to a salad, it’s so summery! Yours looks perfect!
We Are Not Martha says
Wow. This salad involves all the ingredients I dream about! And it looks sooo pretty too 🙂
LOVE your blog!
giz says
Healthy and colourful and bet it tastes good too.
Jude says
Wow you’re really cranking out the strawberry recipes… Lots of great savory ideas so far.. Thanks!
meeso says
Not only does that salad sound amazing… It looks pretty, too!
eatme_delicious says
I love avocados in salad yumm. I don’t always like strawberries in salad, unless they’re nice and ripe.
S for Kitchen Confit says
This salad is so pretty – the strawberries and avocados complement each other perfectly.
Coffee & Vanilla says
Kevin, that is amazing. I can eat strawberries, pecans and avocado all itself, so why not together! Thank you for the inspiration 🙂
Margot
Lori says
So there I was at my local grocery store standing near the cheese. Ahh yes I have strawberries, what was in that dish that Kevin made. Let me grab some feta. I can not wait to try your other strawberry dish with quinoa. Then I see you have yet another strawberry beautiful dish. Oh Kevin your killing me with your goodness. Can I send my husband to your place for about a week so he can learn from you?
GirlCanBake says
Kevin- This salad looks amazing! I love the use of berries and nuts in a healthy spinach salad! Perfect for summer!
Maggie says
I love strawberries in salad. I have to get some and try this combination. It sounds great!
Marc @ NoRecipes says
Love the combo Kevin, bacon, blue cheese and strawberries sound amazing.
Jo. says
I definitely have to try this one sooon 🙂
Archana says
You are playing a lot with straberries and I can see that they look so delicious in a salad.
foodizm says
This is very very good! I love the strawberries because it gives a fruity flavor!
Your recipes always impress me! 🙂
Penelope Walker says
This recipe looks divine-strawberries and spinach are a great combo! I just linked to your post from the MyPunchbowl free invitations and party planning blog.
Shannyn-with-a-Y says
I stumbled upon your blog when I was looking for a great picture of a salad for a 'Salad Party' I was having… This salad looked so stunning I had to try making it. A few of my friends were skeptical at first when they heard the list of ingredients, but were all blown away when they tried it.
It's so delicious, I will definitely be adding it to my regular Summer meals! Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Laura Guardalabene says
I hope you don't mind that I illustrated this recipe!! I didn't include some things due to space. The prompt for my class was to illustrate a recipe of our choice to hypothetically go in RealSimple magazine. Let me know what you think! 😀
http://lauraguard.blogspot.com/2010/02/prompt-to-illustrate-recipe-of-our.html
Lisa Lisa Lisa says
This is not only a beautiful picture, but I can't wait to recreate it tonight! Wow, it will pair quite well with my salmon. Yum.
Sandy says
Can you please tell me what kind of raspberry vinegar you use? Thanks for the assist!
Kevin says
Sandy: I do not really have a favourite brand of raspberry vinegar. The brand that I currently have is Elysee but I am sure that most brands will work.
pristyn says
peas and bacon optional? PSSSHAW!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
I just wound up with a case (like 24 or so) avocados and this is a perfect way to use some!
That vinaigrette sounds heavenly!
Cassie | Bake Your Day says
Fabulous salad, Kevin! I love the sound of the dressing.
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
So happy you posted this today – it's the perfect summer salad! I can see why you keep making it year after year!
A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says
Beautiful salad!
Jeanette says
Love all the bright flavors and textures in this eye popping salad Kevin – I can almost taste it!
Christine Ho says
Very beautiful strawberry and avocado salad. Love the vibrant colours.
Joanne says
I used to order a lot of raspberry vinaigrettes on my salads but they were always WAY too sweet! This one sounds perfect though!
sohbet says
thank you from trukey
Vicki Bensinger says
OMG your salad looks amazing. I could eat this daily. I'm not a fan of blue cheese anymore but could replace that with goat cheese, but all the other ingredients sound perfect. Then of course you top it off with a luscious raspberry vinaigrette. Great recipe! I just saved it. Can't wait to make it.
Naomi @ Adonis Golden Review says
Wow, this looks extremely colourful and tasty. Nice combination with a variety of textures, restaurant quality in my opinion. Definitely worth a try at home, this recipe is sure to impress dinner guests.. 🙂
Asha Shivakumar says
That is a stunning salad.
Carina says
I am looking for a new twist for my spinach and this seems to hit the spot. I love how you blended the berries well with the spinach. The bacon is a plus for flavor. Over all, this is a great salad. Thank you for sharing this.
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
What a gorgeous salad! I have a ton of strawberries to use up too!
Alex says
What a very hearty spinach salad. I like the new twist – adding strawberries and raspberries. I never had this combination before. And I give my kudos to you for making use of strawberries in this time of year.
Rajat Kochar says
This is looking so Yummy.
Maggie @ Mama Maggie's Kitchen says
That looks so good especially right now that it's hot in San Diego. I have to share this! 🙂
julie's diary says
So delicious this i've tried it several times and particularly love the combo of strawberries with bacon and blue-cheese. 🙂
Anonymous says
can someone PLEASE post the original recipe from 2003? I lost it and the original dressing was much simpler and just as tasty.
Melody says
This is so yummy! I don't mess with any other recipes anymore. I would love to eat at your house everyday!
kevin says
Anonymous: Here is the original recipe for the vinaigrette:
1 clove garlic (grated)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon raspberry vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon olive oil
chat says
So delicious this i've tried it several times and particularly love the combo of strawberries with bacon and blue-cheese.
DeMarco says
oow its so amazing. Good directions, ty so much.
Chat says
thanks for sharing
okey says
This salad seems very yummy
Yeni Nesil Medya says
This is very very good! I love the strawberries…
Gt says
Could we use Feta Cheese instead of Blue cheese?
kevin says
Feta works well!