Spinach Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette

Late July and Jamal came home for a week before his team's two-a-day practices began. His sophomore season at Southern was starting and he had something in him that was different from what he brought home at Christmas — a kind of settled intensity, like someone who has learned the size of the challenge and decided they are equal to it. He slept long and ate enormous quantities and was pleasant company throughout, which is everything you can ask of a sibling home for summer.

We watched film together on his laptop one evening — game footage from last season. He explained what he was seeing with a technical depth I couldn't entirely follow but found fascinating: protection schemes, coverage reads, the movement of eleven people on a field as an interconnected system where one wrong decision cascades through the whole structure. I said it sounded like chemistry. He said everything sounds like chemistry to me. I said I was taking that as a compliment. He said it was one.

I made a big spread for him the evening before he went back to campus: his all-time requested meal — the full crawfish étouffée with white rice, cornbread from the cast iron skillet, a cold fruit salad for the summer heat. I had been making this combination for years and I had it dialed now. MawMaw's base but my adjustments: more lemon zest, less cayenne, a different ratio of butter at the finish. The étouffée was exactly right. Jamal ate two full plates and then sat back and said with complete seriousness, "I miss your food the most when I'm at school." I said that was the best thing he had ever said to me. He said he meant it. Mama overheard from the living room and called in, "I raised two good people." Daddy said from the garage, "Yes you did." I made a note of that moment. It belongs in the record.

The étouffée and cornbread get all the attention — rightfully so — but the cold fruit salad is the dish that makes the whole spread work in July heat, and over the years I’ve settled on this spinach and strawberry version as my go-to. It cuts through the richness of the butter finish on the étouffée, it’s bright enough to feel festive, and it comes together fast so my attention stays where it belongs: on the main event. If you’re building a send-off meal for someone you love, don’t skip the salad — it’s the thing that makes everyone slow down between plates.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 0 min | Total Time: 15 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1/2 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
4 oz crumbled feta cheese
Strawberry Vinaigrette:
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, hulled
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Instructions

Make the vinaigrette. Combine the 1/2 cup strawberries, red wine vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, then with the blender running on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Toast the almonds. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sliced almonds for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Assemble the salad. In a large serving bowl, combine the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and red onion. Toss gently to distribute evenly.
Add toppings. Scatter the toasted almonds and crumbled feta over the top of the salad.
Dress and serve. Drizzle the strawberry vinaigrette over the salad just before serving and toss lightly to coat. Serve immediately while cold.

Nutrition (per serving)

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette — The Cold Salad That Completes the Spread