Strawberry Salad Recipe (2024)

HomeRecipe ListSide DishesStrawberry Salad Recipe

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

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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!

Strawberry Salad Recipe (1)

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

Strawberry Salad Recipe (2)

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

Strawberry Salad Recipe (3)
  • 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!

How can I make this vegan?

Our Strawberry Pecan Salad recipe is vegetarian if made without the cooked chicken breast. To make it vegan, omit both the goat cheese and the chicken.

Can I make it ahead of time?

This salad with strawberries is best served right away once it’s assembled. You could prep the dressing and cook the chicken in advance, if you like. Store them in tightly sealed containers in the fridge until you’re ready to make your salad.

Strawberry Salad Recipe (4)

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!

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
  • 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!

    Strawberry Salad Recipe (2024)

    FAQs

    What's on Wendy's strawberry salad? ›

    Like their other craft salads, the Strawberry Salad is made fresh daily. Fresh strawberries and grilled chicken are piled on top of a bed of spring mix lettuce. Add in smoky applewood bacon, a Tuscan cheese blend, candied almonds and a champagne vinaigrette, and you have a recipe for a flavor explosion in every bite.

    What cheese goes well with strawberry salad? ›

    Feta. The key to a truly satisfying, not-salad salad is to add a touch of creaminess, and cheese was born for it. In addition to mild feta, I adore spinach strawberry salad with goat cheese or a mild blue cheese like gorgonzola.

    What goes well with strawberries? ›

    5 Perfect Pairings with Strawberries
    • Balsamic Vinegar:
    • Rosemary:
    • Basil:
    • Spinach:
    • Chocolate (of course!)
    Sep 17, 2018

    What is the healthiest salad to eat at Wendy's? ›

    We like the apple pecan chicken salad with apples, cranberries, pecans and crumbled blue cheese. A half-size will satisfy, with 340 calories and 20 grams of protein. You can also order the grilled chicken sandwich as a lettuce wrap; you'll slash more than 300 milligrams of sodium by doing so.

    What is the dressing on Wendy's salads? ›

    Wendy's salads are full of fresh ingredients and dressed with delicious dressings from Marzetti® Simply Dressed line of salad dressings. We know there are plenty of chili fans out there, so we wanted to take this opportunity to answer a few commonly asked questions.

    What cheese is best with strawberries? ›

    Lite50 Sharp Cheddar's creamy, savory flavor is the perfect match for the tangy sweetness of ripe strawberries.

    What is the best shredded cheese for salads? ›

    Home Cook's Guide to Salad Cheeses
    • Parmesan. Everything we love about Parmesan — its grainy texture and rich, nutty flavor — makes it wonderful in a salad. ...
    • Large-Curd Cottage Cheese. ...
    • Buffalo Mozzarella. ...
    • Classic Blue Cheese. ...
    • Mitica Drunken Goat. ...
    • Queso Fresco. ...
    • Aged Manchego.

    Should I put cheese in my salad? ›

    Cheese has its benefits, but it can also add saturated fat and calories to your salad if you use too much. How to make it healthier? Use less cheese than you might like, keeping it to one cup or less. Reduced fat cheese can be an option as well.

    What is the perfect partner for strawberries? ›

    Herbs like borage, sage, dill, chives, coriander, thyme, caraway, and catnip make great companion plants for strawberries. 10. Marigolds: Marigolds mask the sweet smell of strawberries and ward off root-knot nematodes. French marigolds in particular repel harmful knot nematodes and serve as a ground cover.

    What enhances the flavour of strawberries? ›

    Macerate them

    This is the best way to intensify the flavour of your strawberries. By tossing them in sugar (be it white, brown or – for a real treat – sugar infused with a vanilla pod) and leaving them to sit for a while, you not only get juicier, sweeter berries but you're also left with a natural syrup to drizzle.

    When not to use strawberries? ›

    They should be evenly shaped and firm, but not rock–hard. Avoid strawberries that are wrinkled, soft, spotted with mold, or have more than just a touch of green or white around the caps. Check strawberries for any sign of mold growth.

    Can dogs eat strawberries? ›

    Yes, dogs can eat strawberries. Strawberries are full of fiber and vitamin C. Along with that, they also contain an enzyme that can help whiten your dog's teeth as he or she eats them. Like all fruits, strawberries contain natural sugar, so offer them in moderation.

    Do strawberries keep better cut or whole? ›

    Sliced or hulled strawberries should always be stored in an airtight food storage container to keep the flesh from drying out and bacteria from growing. Once they've been cut into, berries don't last nearly as long once sliced (a day or two, max!) so it's best to keep them whole as long as possible.

    How healthy is Wendy's summer strawberry salad? ›

    Nutrition Facts
    Calories 450(1883 kJ)
    Saturated Fat8 g40%
    Trans Fat0 g
    Cholesterol120 mg40%
    Sodium1070 mg45%
    9 more rows

    How many calories are in a Wendy's Strawberry Fields salad? ›

    Wendy's Summer Strawberry Salad (1 serving) contains 17g total carbs, 11g net carbs, 21g fat, 45g protein, and 410 calories.

    How much is the Strawberry Summer salad at Wendy's? ›

    The salad's price in 2021 was $6.99, but Mashed thinks it is “now more in the realm of $7.99, with pricing varying by state.” Wendy's first introduced salads in 2003.

    What is a Wendy Strawberry? ›

    Wendy Strawberry is a Junebearing variety that produces heavy yields of large, wedge-shaped fruits early in the strawberry season. The fruits have an excellent fresh flavor for fresh eating, pies, desserts and preserves.

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