Strawberry Avocado Salad is a crunchy, creamy, sweet and undeniably delicious spring salad that gets tossed with a healthy homemade poppy seed dressing. Perfect as a light lunch, appetizer or side dish to dinner!
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It is officially strawberry season and what better way to celebrate this ruby-red fruit than by tossing it in a salad. I love the pop of color and sweetness mixed with greens!
Plenty of strawberries on hand? Make sure to make strawberry spinach salad, strawberry chia seed jam, strawberry baked oatmeal, and strawberry overnight oats.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Celebrates the natural beauty and sweetness of strawberries!
- Super customizable as most of the ingredients can be swapped out for your favorite combo.
- Colorful, eye-catching and a perfect way to get your family to eat more salad!
- A crowd pleasing appetizer or side dish to bring to summer parties, potlucks and more!
Ingredients
The ingredients for strawberry and avocado salad are broken up into two parts – the poppy seed dressing and the salad.
Poppy Seed Dressing
- avocado oil – feel free to use a neutral oil like avocado oil or a fruitier extra virgin olive oil.
- Greek yogurt – use full-fat Greek yogurt for the best texture. Sour cream, creme fraiche or even a dairy free coconut yogurt are all great substitutes.
- apple cider vinegar – for tang and sweet acidity.
- honey – for subtle, floral sweetness.
- white granulated sugar – we need a touch of white sugar to add just another level of sweet flavor. If you prefer not to use white sugar, swap it out for more honey.
- poppy seeds – for color, pop and subtle crunch. Make sure not to skip it!
- fine sea salt – to enhance all those creamy, tangy flavors.
For The Salad
- kale – you can use mature curly kale or Tuscan kale, just make sure to remove the fibrous ribs and chop into bite size pieces. If you’d like a more tender bite, opt for baby kale, baby spinach, baby arugula or a mix of all three.
- cooked quinoa – cooked white quinoa is my grain of choice for most of my salad recipes. Cooked brown rice or farro (if not gluten-free) are also great options.
- strawberries – strawberries add a fresh, juicy, fruity bite. If on sale, go for blueberries, raspberries or blackberries instead.
- onion – sweet red onion adds a savory bite. Soak the onion in water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- feta – buy a whole block of feta in brine, found near the cheese counter in most grocery stores. If you’re not a fan of feta, goat cheese or a mild blue cheese like Gorgonzola are great subs.
- almonds – sliced or slivered almonds add a nice crunch. Walnuts, pecans or sunflower seeds (if nut-free) can also work.
- avocado – for creamy goodness and healthy fats. Make sure your avocado is ripe before slicing.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
How to Make
A salad with avocado and strawberries is SO easy! I like to prep the dressing first and then turn to the salad ingredients. This way, all I have to do is toss and enjoy.
Make the Dressing
Make poppy seed dressing by whisking everything together: avocado oil, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, honey, sugar, poppyseeds and sea salt. OR, shake vigorously in a mason jar or shaker cup.
Toss Veggies and Fruit
In a large salad bowl, gently toss together the kale, quinoa, strawberries and onions.
TIP: Slice the onions and soak in a bowl of cool water for at least 10 minutes to take away the harsh bite.
Finish with Toppings
Drizzle the dressing on top of the veggies and toss again. Finish with feta cheese, almonds and avocado slices. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This avocado strawberry salad can be served all on it’s own or alongside something more substantial. You could try:
- Protein: Top it off with grilled chicken, steak, salmon or shrimp for a boost of meaty protein.
- Beans / Legumes: Keep it vegetarian with any of your favorite pulses such as cannellini beans, chickpeas or lentils.
- Side Dish: Serve it as a side dish to main dishes like turkey burgers or butternut mac and cheese. It would be the perfect compliment to this Strawberry Crunch Cake, too!
- Appetizer / Party: Bring it to all your summer picnics, BBQs and outdoor gatherings – and follow the make ahead tips below.
How to Store
Leftover dressed strawberry salad will keep, covered, for up to 1 day in the fridge. After that, the greens and fruit wilt too much and become soggy.
To make ahead, make the dressing as directed and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Assemble the salad as noted in step 2, cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Finish with cheese, almonds and avocado and toss with dressing just before serving.
Recipe Tips:
- Make the dressing in a mason jar or shaker cup. This makes for easy storage.
- Soak the onion in a small bowl of cool water for 10 minutes. This takes away the sharp bite (and stubborn aftertaste), but preserves the sweet onion flavor.
- When shopping for strawberries, look for vibrant red fruit with shiny, glossy skin and plump texture. Stay clear of any fruit that shows signs of bruising, mold or discoloring.
More Salad Recipes You’ll Love:
If you make this Strawberry Avocado Salad recipe, be sure to leave a comment and review on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley
Strawberry Avocado Salad
Ingredients
Poppy Seed Dressing
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
Salad
- 8 cups kale, ribs removed and cut into bite size pieces
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 1 pound strawberries, hulled and quartered
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 ounces feta
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1 medium ripe avocado, sliced
Instructions
- Make poppy seed dressing by combining everything in bowl with whisk, or use shaker cup.
- In a large bowl gently toss kale, quinoa, strawberries and onions.
- Drizzle on dressing and toss again, then top with feta, almonds and avocado slices.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
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