Strawberry Spinach Salad with Maple Almond Dressing

Why This Strawberry Spinach Salad with Maple Almond Dressing Works

Once the dressing is whisked together, the olive oil and balsamic cling to each other and stay mixed, instead of separating into two layers. The Dijon mustard is what keeps them holding together, so the dressing stays smooth instead of oily on top and watery on the bottom. Maple syrup thickens the dressing a bit, so it doesn’t just slide off the spinach and strawberries. It sticks to the leaves and fruit and coats them in a thin, even layer.

As the salad sits for a few minutes, the salt in the dressing pulls a little moisture out of the strawberries and red onion. That juice blends with the maple and vinegar, so the dressing loosens slightly and spreads through the whole bowl. Spinach softens just a touch but doesn’t wilt into mush. Almonds and feta go on at the end, so they stay crisp and firm instead of soaking up too much liquid, giving a crunchy and creamy contrast to the tender greens and juicy berries.

Mistakes To Avoid

Pouring all the dressing on way too early and letting the salad sit for a long time makes the spinach collapse. The leaves start out fluffy but quickly go flat and wet, and the strawberries leak more juice. The whole salad turns soggy instead of light and crisp.

Using wet spinach straight from washing causes the dressing to slide off instead of clinging to the leaves. Water on the leaves thins the dressing in the bottom of the bowl, so the top bites taste plain while the last scoops are oily and sharp.

Adding the sliced almonds at the same time as the dressing and tossing them in can be a problem. The nuts soak up the liquid, lose their crunch, and start to feel soft and chewy instead of giving a crisp bite on top.

Cutting the red onion into thick chunks instead of thin slices throws off the balance. Big pieces stay harsh and sharp, so every forkful that catches one tastes mostly of onion and drowns out the softer spinach and strawberries.