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)

Table of Contents

  • Why This Salad is Best
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Salad Tips and Tricks
  • Recipe FAQs
  • More Easy Dinner Recipes
  • Strawberry Salad Recipe

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 in Wendy's strawberry summer 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 can I put in a salad to make it more interesting? ›

    Add spices and flavours such as paprika, chilli flakes, curry powder, harissa or parmesan. Add acidity or sourness with vinegar, lemon juice or pomegranate molasses to transform your salad.

    Does Wendy's still have strawberry salad? ›

    See what salads Wendy's restaurant locations have right now.

    We like to keep our salad lineup fresh with seasonally inspired menu items like our limited-time Summer Strawberry Salad alongside our range of bold, year-round salad options: Taco Salad, Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad, Parmesan Caesar Salad or Apple Pecan Salad.

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

    Add a garden side salad without croutons and with light honey French dressing for only 115 milligrams of sodium. If you prefer a salad with chicken, the one with the lowest sodium count is the half-size apple pecan chicken salad without cheese.

    How healthy is Wendy's strawberry salad? ›

    Nutrition Facts
    Calories 450(1883 kJ)
    Dietary Fiber5 g20%
    Sugars17 g
    Protein41 g
    Calcium300 mg
    9 more rows

    What cheese goes with strawberries? ›

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

    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.

    How do you keep cut strawberries from getting soggy? ›

    The paper towels absorb moisture to keep the berries nice and dry. Sliced or hulled strawberries, however, are different. Once they've been cut into, strawberries should always be stored in an airtight container to keep the flesh from drying out and bacteria from growing.

    What is the secret to making a good salad? ›

    Sprinkle in some protein

    Nuts and seeds add wonderful flavour and texture to a salad, and pack a nutritional punch. Walnuts, pepitas and pistachios work beautifully in salads that feature soft cheese or sweet fruits, while toasted almonds, cashews and sesame seeds are best suited to salads with an Asian influence.

    How to pimp up a salad? ›

    One of the easiest ways to get some flavour in your salad is to mix up your leaves with bright herbs that pack a punch. Plants like parsley, dill, mint and coriander can really kick your salads up a notch and give them some (much needed) depth and can give a great dose of flavour in every bite.

    What can I use instead of tomatoes in a salad? ›

    Tomato-free swap: Roasted red peppers, refreshing cucumber slices, roasted beets, and figs are just a few options to replace that slightly sweet, juicy tomato.

    Why did McDonald's stop selling salads? ›

    The lettuce used in McDonald's salads was different from the lettuce used in the chain's burgers. By getting rid of the salads, McDonald's was able to both deal with supply shortages and save money in the process. The pandemic also caused the company to consider other factors as well.

    Why did Wendy's get rid of the salad bar? ›

    Wendy's salad bar was a hit in the 70's and 80's, but as Wendy's restaurants became more operationally efficient and customers desired more portable salad offerings, salad bars were phased out in 2006.

    What salad did Wendy's get rid of? ›

    As for items leaving Wendy's menu, the document stated that the Southwest Avocado Chicken Salad, Sunburst Melon Natural Lemonade, and Grilled Chicken Sandwiches would no longer be available once the new items are introduced.

    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 is summer salad made of? ›

    VEGETABLES: Cucumbers, radishes, onions, and tomatoes give this salad color, crunch, and texture. Add other veggies like corn, green beans, beets, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, or cauliflower florets. DRESSING: Vinaigrettes always start with a base of acid (like vinegar or lemon juice) and oil.

    What brand is Wendy's champagne dressing? ›

    Check Out How Marzetti Helps Wendy's Salads Dress to Impress

    WENDY'S SALADS ARE FULL OF FRESH INGREDIENTS AND DRESSED WITH DELICIOUS DRESSINGS FROM MARZETTI® SIMPLY DRESSED LINE OF SALAD DRESSINGS.

    Is Wendy's cobb salad good for you? ›

    If you're looking for a more healthy salad, this may not be the option for you. The lettuce in this salad has little to no nutrients at all. This salad alone consists of 430 calories, 680 calories if you add the dressing. It consists of 1030 mg of sodium by itself and 1340 after you add dressing.

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