How do you get the most out of a salad?

Think in layers : Start with your base veggies or leaves, then add a layer of dressing, a layer of crunch (try seeds or nuts), a layer of “bite” (such as cheese, chili, or pickles), followed by another layer of veggies or leaves, and so on. This way you don't have all the best bits at the top.

Can you put grapes and strawberries together?

"A simple refreshing salad, best made just before serving, and when the ingredients are so few it is obviously essential that those ingredients be first class. If you are unable to find a commercial brand of passionfruit and strawberry dressing, Recipe #97938 sounds delicious."

How do restaurants get their salads so crisp?

The Keys to Crisp Lettuce Lettuce actually needs a good amount of airflow, in addition to a bit of moisture (but not too much!), in order to stay crisp. That's why restaurants store their lettuce in special perforated bins that allow for air circulation while it's held in the fridge .

What can I put in a salad to make it more interesting?

Add spices and flavours such as paprika, chilli flakes, curry powder, harissa or parmesan . Add acidity or sourness with vinegar, lemon juice or pomegranate molasses to transform your salad.

What is the best fruit to mix with strawberry?

Watermelon is low in calories and high in vitamin A, vitamin C, and lycopene. This recipe blends it up with strawberries for a unique, yet perfectly complementary flavor combination that's simple to make.

What is the best combination with strawberry?

However, sliced strawberries are delicious in a spinach salad with chopped nuts and a poppy seed dressing or balsamic vinaigrette . You'll often see them used in baked goods and desserts such as biscuits, chocolate-covered strawberries, cream cheese, custard, ice cream, meringue, pie, popsicles, or shortcakes.

What are strawberries not compatible with?

Avoid planting any of the following next to your strawberries: Tomatoes: They are prone to verticillium wilt, a fungus that can spread to strawberries. Eggplant: They are also prone to verticillium wilt. Potatoes: Spuds have the same issue as eggplants and tomatoes—they can get verticillium wilt. More items... May 2, 2023

How do you make a salad not to be boring?

Tip #1: don't be afraid to mix textures, temperatures, vegetables and fruits! When it comes to salads, mixing is key. ... Tip #2: the final garnish is the difference between a good and a great salad! Examples? ... Tip 3: seasoning, seasoning, seasoning! Use anything your heart desires. ... Tip 4: make your salads unique!

How to dress up a boring salad?

7 Ways to Spice Up Your Boring Salad 1) Get Creative with Dressings. Salad dressings can really make or break a salad. ... 2) Top It Off With Something Crunchy. ... 3) Throw in Some Fruit. ... 4) Mix in Some Grains. ... 5) Experiment with Different Proteins. ... 6) Try Some Different Veggies. ... 7) Add Some Cheese. ... The Bottom Line. Feb 21, 2023

What to put on salad other than dressing?

Add herbs and spices to give your salad bold flavors of the world. Mix in different combinations of fresh and dried herbs and spices to achieve different flavors. Try fresh oregano, basil, and thyme for an Italian-style flavor, or cumin, coriander, and sumac for a Middle Eastern vibe, for example.

How far in advance can you cut strawberries for a salad?

After cutting strawberries, it is best to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator to help preserve their freshness. If stored properly, cut strawberries can last for 1-3 days in the refrigerator.

Strawberry Salad Recipe (2024)

Home › Recipe List › Side Dishes › Strawberry Salad Recipe

Posted by Aimee 71 comments
Published: May 19, 2022 Last Updated: May 19, 2022

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

This copycat Panera Strawberry Salad recipe is loaded with fresh berries and candied pecans. Tossed with a sweet homemade lemon poppy seed dressing, it’s the perfect fresh salad warm summer days!

If you think salad is boring, you haven’t eaten salad at my house. Spinach and Bacon Salad and Mexican Street Corn Salad are two more favorites that can turn anyone into a salad lover!

Why This Salad is Best

If you like green salads with fruit, you just might become obsessed with this Strawberry Pecan Salad. This sweet salad is based off our favorite Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad recipe!

FRUITY- It’s made with strawberries, blueberries and juicy mandarin oranges.
CRUNCHY- Candied pecans for a satisfying sweet crunch factor.
ZESTY- red onion adds a perfect bite.
HEARTY- Delicious with or without grilled chicken.
PERFECT- The sweet and tangy dressing brings it all together.

We love making this salad after a trip to the farmer’s market for fresh fruits and veggies. It’s an easy, tasty way to fill your plate with all that good-for-you produce! And it’s so full of color!

If you love our spinach salad, you can swap out the romaine in today’s strawberry salad for spinach to give you a delicious, hearty meal.

Ingredient Notes

What I love about this fresh salad recipe is how versatile it can be. LOVE mandarin oranges? Add more. Hate goat cheese? Swap it out for feta. Here’s an overview of your key ingredients.

Strawberries. Remove the stems of fresh berries and slice them in half to add to the salad.
Blueberries. Make sure to use FRESH berries, not frozen for this salad recipe.
Mandarin oranges. We use canned orange slices with the juices drained out.
Candied pecans. The salad starts by toasting pecans on the stovetop with sugar until the outsides become crisp and sweet.
Romaine Lettuce. Or swap it for other fresh salad greens such as spring lettuce or baby spinach.
Red onion. The sharp taste of the red onion provides a nice balance to all the sweetness going on in this salad.
Goat cheese. The tangy flavor and creaminess of the crumbles make it perfect for sweet salads like this one. The fresher the better.
Chicken breasts. Cook the chicken breasts on the stove or your grill first. Leftover shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken works here too!
Lemon Poppyseed Dressing. You will need lemon juice, olive oil, sugar and poppy seeds, along with a little mustard.

Salad Tips and Tricks

Make the poppy seed dressing ahead of time. Mix all the ingredients together and store it in a mason jar in the fridge. When the salad is ready, the dressing will be perfectly chilled and ready to drizzle over your Strawberry Pecan Salad. We save jelly jars to use for homemade dressing!
Side dish or main course. To serve this salad as a side dish for your main course, simply omit the chicken. Adding the chicken turns it into a complete meal!
Make it less sweet. Use unsweetened toasted pecans instead of candied nuts if you prefer a salad with less sweetness. You could also reduce the amount of sugar in the dressing to suit your taste.
Skip Panera and try our homemade kitchen sink cookies and orange scones at home!

Recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen berries?

I don’t recommend frozen berries for this recipe. They release a significant amount of moisture as they thaw which would make your salad mushy. This is one recipe where fresh berries are a MUST!

What side dishes go well with Strawberry Pecan Salad?

We often enjoy this salad as a one-bowl meal on its own. It would pair well with sides like freshly baked dinner rolls or crackers, too.
Keep the strawberry theme going and make a No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake for dessert!

More Easy Dinner Recipes

Egg Salad Recipe
Meatloaf Recipe
Coleslaw Recipe
Southwest Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing
Broccoli Salad
Bruschetta

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section below!

SavePinPrint

Strawberry Salad

4.70 from 40 votes

By: Aimee

This copycat Panera Strawberry Pecan Salad is loaded with fresh berries and candied pecans. Tossed with a sweet homemade lemon poppy seed dressing, it's the perfect fresh salad warm summer days!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the Salad:

▢ 1 cup pecan halves
▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
▢ 12 ounce package Romaine lettuce chopped
▢ 8 ounce fresh strawberries halved
▢ 4 ounce fresh blueberries
▢ 2 ounce goat cheese crumbled
▢ ¼ cup red onion sliced (cut into small pieces)
▢ 15 ounce can Mandarin oranges drained
▢ 2 chicken breasts cooked and diced

For the dressing:

▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar
▢ ½ cup lemon juice
▢ 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ⅔ cup olive oil
▢ 1 Tablespoon poppyseeds

Instructions

In a small skillet over medium heat, saute pecans with sugar. This will take several minutes for the sugar to dissolve as you stir the pecans. Set aside and cool.
In a large bowl, combine romaine, berries, oranges, cheese and onion. Add diced chicken. Toss gently.
In a small mason jar, combine dressing ingredients and shake with lid on.
When ready to serve, add candied pecans and drizzle with dressing. ENJOY!

Notes

Make the dressing ahead of time. Mix all the ingredients together and store it in a mason jar in the fridge. When the salad is ready, the dressing will be perfectly chilled and ready to drizzle over your Strawberry Pecan Salad.

Side dish or main course.To serve this salad as a side dish for your main course, simply omit the chicken. Adding the chicken turns it into a complete meal!

Make it less sweet. Use unsweetened toasted pecans instead of candied nuts if you prefer a salad with less sweetness. You could also reduce the amount of sugar in the dressing to suit your taste.

Lettuce- Swap out the romaine and use spinach instead! Spinach salad is a great way to get extra vitamins. You can also do 1/2 and 1/2 with the spinach and romaine.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 556kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 40g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 33g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 215mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 28g

Course: Side Dishes

Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!