FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook

• Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Strawberry Spinach Salad
• Storage Instructions
• What To Serve With Strawberry Spinach Salad
• More Summer Salad Recipes
• Recommended Tools
• Strawberry Spinach Salad (10 Minutes) Recipe card
• Recipe Reviews

Long before a wedding, a house, and kids, my husband and I used to visit this little restaurant near our then-apartment and order their strawberry spinach salad (with bun-less burgers !) every single time. I recreated it at home because we don’t get there as often anymore and the restaurant version is no doubt loaded with refined sugar. Crisp spinach, juicy strawberries, creamy goat cheese, and crunchy almonds, and a drizzle of poppy seed salad dressing all combine to make an easy strawberry spinach salad recipe you’ll make on repeat.

Just like mango salad or pear salad , this dish blends rich greens with a burst of fresh, sweet fruit… all with almost no effort at all. This healthy salad is ready in just 10 minutes, with 10 ingredients!

Why You’ll Love This Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe

• Fresh spinach, juicy strawberries, tangy goat cheese, and crunchy almonds
• Sweet, creamy dressing
• Simple ingredients
• Ready in just 10 minutes
• Fancy enough for Mother’s Day or Easter , but fast enough for weeknights

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for spinach salad with strawberries, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .

The base of this strawberry spinach salad recipe uses just 4 fresh, simple staples:

• Spinach – Baby spinach leaves work best for this recipe as they have a milder flavor and are less bitter than mature varieties, but any fresh spinach will work. If you have leftover spinach, use it to make a spinach smoothie .
• Strawberries – Sweet and bright, strawberries are the star of the salad, but you could add other berries such as fresh blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or even pears. Check out my fruit leather recipe for leftover ideas.
• Goat Cheese – If you don’t like goat cheese, you can use another cheese that crumbles well. Feta cheese will add a sharper flavor to the salad and blue cheese will add a bold and tangy flair.
• Almonds – I used sliced almonds, but you can use any nuts you like. My favorites are walnuts, pecans, or pistachios. For a nut-free option, use sunflower seeds instead.

VARIATION: Add red onion!

This is a common ingredient in strawberry spinach salad recipes. Sometimes I add 1/4 cup of thin red onion slices.

Strawberry Spinach Salad Dressing:

I use my homemade poppy seed dressing recipe and it needs just 5 ingredients (plus salt) to whip up in 5 minutes:

• Mayonnaise – I use homemade avocado oil mayonnaise when I have time to make it, but this is my favorite store-bought brand when I’m in a rush. Either works! You can also use Greek yogurt for a lighter option (it will taste more tangy).
• Olive Oil – This spinach and strawberry salad recipe uses olive oil, but you could also use avocado oil or any oil you like. I try to avoid highly processed seed oils, like vegetable oil, but from a recipe standpoint they would work fine.
• Honey – I usually use sugar-free honey to keep this salad lower in sugar, but regular also works.
• White Vinegar – This helps emulsify the dressing and balances the sweetness. You could also use apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice. If you want more complex flavor, you can also add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
• Poppy Seeds – Wouldn’t be poppy seed dressing without them! They add a nice savory and nutty flavor to the dressing.
• Sea Salt – Adjust to taste. Feel free to add black pepper too, if you like.

How To Make Strawberry Spinach Salad

This section shows how to make spinach strawberry salad, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

1. Combine the strawberry spinach salad ingredients. Arrange spinach, strawberries, goat cheese, and almonds in a large bowl or on a serving platter.
2. Make the dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, olive oil, honey (or sugar-free honey ), white vinegar, poppy seeds, and sea salt until smooth.
3. Combine. Drizzle strawberry spinach salad with poppy seed dressing. Toss and serve.

Storage Instructions

Spinach salad with strawberries can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, with dressing stored separately, or up to 1-2 days with the dressing. You can store the dressing in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week, and just give it a shake before using.

If you want to meal prep, store the spinach, sliced strawberries, crumbled goat cheese, sliced almonds, and prepared dressing separately. Toss together right before serving.

What To Serve With Strawberry Spinach Salad

The fresh flavors of this strawberry and spinach salad work well as a side dish with other summery meals! Here are some ideas to serve with it:

• Chicken – Slice air fryer chicken breast and add directly to the salad for a full meal. You can also pair this simple salad with grilled bruschetta chicken or grilled Mediterranean chicken kabobs .
• Fish & Seafood – This light salad works well with grilled shrimp skewers , flaky grilled salmon , or Cajun grilled cod . For a fancier meal, try broiled lobster tails or jerk salmon .
• Beef – Cook up a juicy grilled sirloin steak , your favorite burgers (or turkey burgers), or for a special meal, make some air fryer filet mignon .
• Soup – Enjoy a soup and salad combination with roasted cauliflower soup , silky cream of asparagus soup , or classic zuppa toscana .

More Summer Salad Recipes

Blend bright and fresh flavors together with these crowd-pleasing salads!

Recommended Tools

• Large Bowl – This ceramic set is both elegant and versatile.
• Wooden Salad Tongs – These are my favorite tongs for a beautiful presentation.
• Dressing Shaker – Make and store dressing right in this container.

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 4 cups Fresh spinach (whole or cut into small pieces) ▢
• 2 cups Strawberries (sliced) ▢
• 1/2 cup Goat cheese (crumbled) ▢
• 1/4 cup Almonds (sliced, optional) ▢

Poppy Seed Dressing:

• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise ▢
• 1 tbsp Olive oil ▢
• 2 tbsp Honey (I prefer sugar-free honey , but regular also works) ▢
• 1 tbsp White vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) ▢
• 1 tbsp Poppy seeds ▢
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Combine the spinach, strawberries, goat cheese, and almonds in a large bowl or on a platter.
2. Whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth (dressing can be made in advance). Thin out the dressing with water or additional oil if desired.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the strawberry spinach salad and toss to serve.

LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Ebook Bundle !

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System + EBooks (Only $37)

The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Strawberry Spinach Salad (10 Minutes)

Everyone loves this easy strawberry spinach salad recipe with poppy seed dressing! It’s the perfect summer salad and takes just 10 minutes.

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/recipes/strawberry-spinach-salad-with-poppy-seed-dressing/

Ingredients

• 4 cups Fresh spinach (whole or cut into small pieces)
• 2 cups Strawberries (sliced)
• 1/2 cup Goat cheese (crumbled)
• 1/4 cup Almonds (sliced, optional)

Poppy Seed Dressing:

• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Honey (I prefer sugar-free honey , but regular also works)
• 1 tbsp White vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 1 tbsp Poppy seeds
• 1/4 tsp Sea salt

Instructions

1. Combine the spinach, strawberries, goat cheese, and almonds in a large bowl or on a platter.
2. Whisk together all dressing ingredients until smooth (dressing can be made in advance). Thin out the dressing with water or additional oil if desired.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the strawberry spinach salad and toss to serve.

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cup

📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Healthy Ebook Bundle !

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)