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For years, I thought salads had to look a certain way—bland iceberg lettuce, salty croutons, and a thick, creamy dressing. I ate them… but I didn’t love them. That all changed when I realized how fresh, vibrant, and satisfying salads can actually be.
This strawberry mixed greens salad is one of my favorites. It’s all about the balance—crisp greens, sweet fruit, creamy avocado, and that bright strawberry basil vinaigrette that brings everything to life. This is the kind of salad you’ll actually crave. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
What is a Mixed Greens Salad?
A mixed green salad is a simple salad made with a variety of leafy greens—like spring mix, spinach, arugula, or lettuce—topped with fresh ingredients and a dressing. It’s known for being light, flexible, and easy to customize based on what you have on hand.
This recipe stands out because it’s more balanced and satisfying—with fruit, healthy fats, crunch, and a homemade strawberry basil dressing that adds fresh, vibrant flavor.
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How to Make Mixed Greens Salad
This mixed greens salad recipe is filled with these greens, plus tangy green apple, creamy avocado, and crunchy almonds. Seriously, this salad is the perfect meal when your sweet tooth comes calling and you’re trying to eat healthy.
1. Wash and dry greens
A recent study done by Consumer Reports says that we should all be washing any produce that comes into our cooking spaces, whether “pre-washed”, organic or otherwise. This is because even those mixed greens carefully washed by well meaning producers can still contain contaminants from E. coli, chemicals and more.
2. Chop apples, avocado and cucumber
I like to chop them all into bite-size pieces (the smaller, the better).
3. Make the Strawberry viniagarette
Combine dressing ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor and puree into the best dressing you’ve ever had with mixed greens.
4. prepare the plate
Add the mixed greens first, and then toppings to the plate. Drizzle dressing on top and enjoy!
Make-Ahead Tips
If you want this salad for work, prep it all in a mason jar. It’s seriously so easy! Simply layer the ingredients in the mason jar. Keep the strawberry dressing in a separate container until time to eat. When you’re ready to eat, pour the dressing on top, give the mason jar a good shake, and enjoy!
Strawberry Mixed Greens Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cup spring mix greens loosely packed
- 1 cucumber thinly sliced
- 1 green apple diced
- 1 avocado sliced
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
Dressing
- 1 cup strawberries diced
- 6 fresh basil fresh, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- pinch sea salt, unrefined
- pinch black pepper, ground ground, to taste
Instructions
- Arrange salad ingredients on plates.
- Puree the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.
- Drizzle some of the dressing over salad (you may not need all of it). Eat immediately.
Notes
- Swap mixed greens with the leafy greens of your choice.
- Oil-free? Omit the olive oil. It’ll still be delicious and less caloric.
- Lemon Vinaigrette would also be delicious on this recipe.
- Add the nuts or seeds of your choice for more healthy fats + protein.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review for a chance to win signed copies of my cookbooks! Winners announced each season in my newsletter.Common Questions
Yes! If you have a favorite dressing, feel free to swap out my Strawberry Vinaigrette. Yet I do encourage you to make it one time like this because it’s out-of-this-world delicious!
You sure can. You can swap it for any leafy green you prefer or have on hand. You might check out our Leafy Greens Guide for more inspiration.
In all my salads, I try and use some sorta nuts, seeds or protein to help me stay full. A salad is typically a meal for me, which means it needs a variety of fiber, healthy fats, protein and carbs to keep me full until the next meal.
I didnt get an email today, but went by the recipes I printed out. I thought it was a potato salad.? Anyhoo… i made it without the pickles and since we had snow, turned it into a soup! Turned out yummy!
My favorite of the two! Loved the crunch!
Day 2 the Taco Salad
Did not expect to like this salad but boy were we wrong. Hubby and I both enjoyed it , cashew cream too. So glad I joined this challenge.
So glad you and your hubby are enjoying it.
Loved it, and my son ate some green salad for the first time ,he’s 20 .
Awesome, that’s so exciting!
Potato salad not a hit here, hubby called it cold potatoes
Disappointed as I thought it would be tastier, I’m not a fan of creamy potato salad & thought this might change my mind. I’ll fry it up tomorrow, hash browns will be delicious
Way to give it a shot!
Great ingredients, loved the salad.
This was so good.
Very good salad. I made it as in the recipe but I’m allergic to walnuts so I prepared but did not eat the walnut meat. It was easy as I shopped for week one on Sunday. Had everything and just put it together. I’m taking photos but I don’t see anywhere to post them.
Loved this recipe. Nice and simple and the best part was the amazing dressing!!
Yummy, yummy, yummy…healthy food for the eyes, as well as the tummy! I loved this combination of greens, fruits, and crunchy nuts…delicious. This Mixed Greens Salad is the perfect dish to kick-off the beginning of Spring! ***** 5 stars
Since I never got an email today about day 2 and the recipe I will have to leave my review for day 2 salad here. The “Healthy Taco Salad” was hearty and I didn’t even miss real meat. The walnut meat was delicious! I liked uncovering new layers of the salad as I ate. Very good!
Forgot to rate the salad
Definitely my go to salad! The dressing is simply divine, mmm mmm mm!