Strawberry Avocado Salad – Family Fresh Meals

This bright and cheerful Strawberry Avocado Salad bursts with sweet and tart flavors, creamy avocado slices, crisp mixed salad greens, and a homemade honey-mustard dressing.

Serve stunning salad at your next cookout alongside grilled meats or enjoy during the week with roast chicken, casseroles, or as a light lunch with some shredded leftover chicken.

TIPS FOR MAKING STRAWBERRY AVOCADO SALAD

• Serve this salad as a side dish to main meals or turn it into a delicious meal with the addition of sliced ham, crumbled bacon, or shredded chicken.
• Feel free to add in extra fruit of your choice. Grapes and apples are sweet and delicious, adding extra flavor and color to this bright and cheerful salad. Cranberries would also be a lovely addition.
• While I’ve made my own salad dressing from scratch, you’re welcome to buy a salad dressing instead for convenience.
• Avocado is well known for turning brown from oxidation very soon after it’s been cut. It will be best to cut the avocado just prior to serving the salad. You can also sprinkle a small amount of lemon juice over the avocado slices to help preserve it for a little longer.
• Make sure to rinse your salad ingredients well and pat dry before combining them. You can check the packaging of the mixed bag of spring greens – some come pre washed while others don’t.

Strawberry Avocado Salad

1. Add pecans to a large skillet over medium heat. Toss for 3-4 minutes until toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat.
2. Add spring mix, strawberries, avocado, feta and pecans to a large salad bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey (optional), poppy seeds, ground mustard, salt, and pepper.
4. Pour dressing over the salad. Toss to coat.
5. Enjoy!

CAN I USE DIFFERENT NUTS?

• Absolutely! Not everyone likes pecan nuts. Walnuts are a great option as are almonds, sliced or slivered. For anyone with a nut allergy you can use sunflower seeds instead. Just keep in mind that some people are as allergic to seeds as they are to nuts!

HOW SHOULD I STORE STRAWBERRY AVOCADO SALAD?

• Leftover strawberry avocado salad can be stored in an airtight container for no more than 1-2 days in the fridge since 5 days in the refrigerator. If you leave the salad for longer, the dressing can cause the crispy salad ingredients to become overly soggy.
• Any remaining avocado should be removed from the salad (if possible) as it will start to brown quite quickly once exposed to air.

CAN I MAKE THIS SALAD VEGAN-FRIENDLY?

• Yes, you can! Use a vegan cheese or tofu instead of regular feta cheese in the salad. You should also swap the honey in the salad dressing for maple syrup if you choose to sweeten the dressing, otherwise just omit the honey.

CAN I MAKE THIS STRAWBERRY AVOCADO SALAD AHEAD OF TIME?

• If you want to reduce preparation time just prior to serving, I recommend preparing the salad ingredients the night before and storing them separately in airtight containers in the fridge, except for the avocado which should only be cut just prior to serving.
• You can also make the salad dressing up to 3 days prior to serving your salad and just shake or mix before adding to the salad or serving alongside the salad for others to help themselves to.