Strawberry Pecan Walnut Salad

Summer Salad

My mom and my grandma loved making big bowls of salad to share. Big. Bowls. Like huge. They would each take a fork and race each other to the tomatoes. It was always the same salad too: Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, cheese, dressing, croutons. “Would you like some salad, Heather,” Grandma would ask with a mouthful of lettuce? “No, but I’d like a crouton, please,” I’d answer. I didn’t get it.

I get it now. Salad is delicious, and the options are endless. This one is particularly summer-friendly; it contains lots of fruit: strawberries, grapes, mandarin oranges and red raspberries. The pecans and walnuts add a tasty crunch to add texture.

Longhorn Steakhouse Signature Strawberry Salad

This salad is inspired by Longhorn Steakhouse’s Signature Strawberry Salad. As a vegetarian who dated a man whose favorite restaurant was a steakhouse, I had to find something on the menu that I loved or find a new date. We were married at the time, so my choice was narrowed.

Strawberries are on sale this week at Food Lion 3/$5, so I bought three containers and happily skipped home to make this salad, Strawberry Compote, and a Strawberry Apple Pie. All the strawberry things!

I believe this is the prettiest salad I make because of all the colors in it. I highly recommend pairing with a Strawberry, Raspberry, or Poppy Seed vinaigrette dressing. I used a Strawberry Walnut vinaigrette, and I mixed it with a tablespoon of vanilla Greek yogurt to make it creamy. Portion ingredients to your desired liking and scale based on servings.

Springtime Fruit-Filled Salad Dress with a fruit or poppy seed balsamic dressing. Layered with pecans and almost for added protein and crunchy texture.

Ingredient Alternatives

This salad is easily vegan if you omit the Feta cheese or add tofu-Feta cheese alternative.

Sharing

Hope you love making this springy salad at home! Please comment below and pin or tag a photo #ginger_thyme if you try this recipe. What flavor salad dressing did you use? *Nom*

Thank you for reading! See you next thyme!