Foodbe

Spring Strawberry Spinach Salad

Name: Spring Strawberry Spinach Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Contemporary
Ingredients: 4 cups baby spinach, washed and dried; 1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced; 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds; Juice of 1/2 lemon; 2 tbsp olive oil; Salt and black pepper to taste; Fresh mint for garnish

👨‍🍳 Chefy Tip: Dress spinach first, strawberries last. Toast seeds dry — 2 minutes max, smell it not time it. Whisk dressing until it coats the back of a spoon.

Serves

Prep

10 min

Cook

5 min

Difficulty

Easy

Cost

Low

Calories

190

Carbs

14g

Protein

Fat

13g

Flavor Profile

🥬 Fresh and slightly bitter from baby spinach

🍓 Sweet and bright from ripe strawberries

🎃 Crunchy and toasty from pumpkin seeds

🍋 Tangy and light from lemon vinaigrette

🫒 Smooth and mellow from olive oil

Ingredients

🥬 4 cups baby spinach, washed and dried

🍓 1 cup strawberries, thinly sliced

🎃 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds

🍋 Juice of 1/2 lemon

🫒 2 tbsp olive oil

🧂 Salt and black pepper to taste

🌿 Fresh mint for garnish

Shop ingredients

Instructions

Toast pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat 2–3 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.

Whisk lemon juice and olive oil with salt and pepper.

Combine spinach and strawberries in a large bowl. Toss gently with vinaigrette.

Top with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh mint. Serve immediately.

🧬 Food Science

Strawberries contain vitamin C and organic acids that can offset bitter compounds in leafy greens — a key reason fruit and greens pair so naturally. Pumpkin seeds develop complex roasted aroma compounds through Maillard reactions during toasting, adding depth that raw seeds lack.

Pair It

🥂 A glass of dry Rosé or sparkling water with strawberry pairs beautifully.

🍽️ Serve alongside grilled salmon or a grain bowl.