Sweet, juicy strawberries are the star of this summery strawberry walnut salad, especially when combined with creamy cannellini beans, crunchy walnuts, and sharp red onion. Toss everything in a mint-infused prune balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing for the perfect sweet-tart-tangy flavor combination. It's light, refreshing, yet filling, and seriously simple to make!
What is Strawberry Walnut Salad?
When you think "strawberry salad," you probably think of a classic strawberry spinach salad with feta cheese.
Although they are delicious in their own right, I want to prove that fresh strawberries can do so much more in recipes.
This isn't a criticism; simply a reminder to broaden your horizons and see strawberries for all they can do.
I'm a firm believer that strawberries are uniquely well-suited for a range of recipes, especially when paired with the right ingredients.
Ripe strawberries add a natural sweetness and acidity that works wonderfully with toasted walnuts. They also have a tender bite that's lovely to find hiding in your pile of greens.
In this recipe, the creaminess of the white beans really complements the flavor of the strawberries, while offering plenty of plant-based protein and extra fiber, too.
Really, it's the balsamic prune vinaigrette that brings it all together. It's sweet, rich, and deep with a cooling freshness from the mint.
It couldn't be easier to make but really adds so much flavor to this summery salad.
Why you’ll love this Strawberry Walnut Salad Recipe
- Delicious way to celebrate strawberry season
- Made with a short list of ingredients including everyday pantry staples
- The beans, high-fiber berries, and nuts make it filling without being heavy
- No cooking required and ready in mere moments
- Light and refreshing side dish for summer meals yet substantial enough to serve for a light lunch
Ingredients for Easy Strawberry Salad
I love recipes like this that require a handful of ingredients, yet taste incredible. It's really all about finding the perfect balance of ingredients. Each one in this salad complements another while the dressing makes everything pop. It's simple, but elevated.
- Spring mix salad greens - Use your favorite leafy greens here, like spring mix or your preferred lettuce.
- Cannellini beans - White beans are mild and creamy, which makes them a great complement to the strawberries.
- Strawberries - Use the freshest, ripest strawberries here. Look for strawberries that are fully red and plump for the very best flavor.
- Red onion - The sharp bite of red onions works really well with the sweetness of the strawberries. Feel free to soak the halved red onion in cold water for a few minutes to mellow out the flavor.
- Walnuts - If possible, toast the walnuts in a skillet over medium low heat for a few minutes. This helps crisp them up and bring out their full flavor.
- Sweet balsamic dressing - I like to use a simple balsamic vinaigrette infused with prunes for sweetness and depth of flavor and a little fresh mint. It's sweet, tangy, and rich, perfect for serving with fresh berries.
How to Make Strawberry Walnut Salad with White Beans
Talk about an easy recipe...there are just three steps here. Make the dressing, prepare the ingredients, and serve! You can even make the dressing the night before to serve the salad at a summer BBQ or picnic the next day.
- Make dressing in a high speed blender by adding balsamic vinegar, olive oil, prunes, maple, mint, and salt. Then, blend until smooth.
- Next to a large bowl add spring mix, strawberries, onions, beans and walnuts. Pour dressing over the top of the salad mixture and toss well.
- Serve immediately.
Storing Suggestions
This salad can be made in advance but keep the dressing separate. Dress right before eating. The salad will last 3-4 days without dressing it.
If you have leftover dressing, store it in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 1 week in the fridge.
Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Walnut Salad
- Try different greens. Fresh baby spinach is a perfect match for sweet strawberries. You can also use baby kale, baby arugula, butter lettuce, or whichever type of salad mix you prefer.
- Add cheese. Feel free to add some vegan feta or blue cheese for an extra note of flavor.
- Change the nuts. If you can't tolerate walnuts, you can substitute almonds. To avoid tree nuts, use sunflower seeds or pepitas.
FAQs
Toasting is an easy way to bring out the flavor of any type of nut and really makes a big difference in the flavor. It's simple, too. You can spread the walnut halves on a sheet pan and bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. Or, toast them in a skillet over low to medium heat for a few minutes. They should start to release a nutty aroma when they're ready, but be careful not to burn them!
Absolutely! However, I'd recommend sticking with sweeter berries, like blackberries. Raspberries are delicious but are so tart that you may need to add a little extra maple syrup to balance them out.
More Delicious Vegan Summer Salads
Love this recipe? Explore these Vegan Bean Salads for more inspiration.
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Strawberry Walnut Salad with White Beans
Ingredients
- 8 oz Spring mix or lettuce of choice
- 15 oz can of cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- 10 strawberries sliced
- ¼ red onion cut in strips
- ½ cup walnuts
For the Dressing:
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 5 prunes
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 7 mint leaves
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Make dressing in a high speed blender by adding balsamic vinegar, olive oil, prunes, maple, mint, and salt. Then, blend until smooth.
- To a large bowl add spring mix, strawberries, onions, beans and walnuts.
- Pour dressing over the top and toss well.
- Serve immediately.