Easy Summer Strawberry Salad with Turkey & Feta
Updated: Sep 4
Who doesn't love fresh strawberries in the summer?
This easy Summer Strawberry Salad is one of my favorite lunches when I want something fresh, light, and quick to put together. It combines juicy strawberries with baby spinach, smoked turkey, creamy feta, sesame seeds, and balsamic vinaigrette for the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and tangy.
And when I say quick, I mean quick. There is no cooking required, and the whole salad can be put together in just a few minutes. It's also easy to prep ahead for a grab-and-go lunch on a busy day.
This recipe makes one serving.
Why Add Strawberries to Your Salad?
Strawberries aren't just for smoothies and desserts.
They add natural sweetness to a savory salad while providing vitamin C, manganese, folate, potassium, fiber, and beneficial plant compounds. They're also naturally high in water, making them such a refreshing fruit during the warmer months.
If you've never combined strawberries with balsamic vinaigrette, you need to try it. The sweetness of the berries and tanginess of the balsamic work so well together.
Add the salty feta and smoked turkey, and you have a salad that tastes anything but boring.
Summer Strawberry Salad
Ingredients:
2 handfuls organic baby spinach
3 slices organic smoked turkey breast, chopped
3 organic strawberries, sliced
2 tablespoons organic feta cheese or goat cheese
½ teaspoon sesame seeds
2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette dressing
Directions:
Prepare your ingredients. Slice the strawberries and chop the turkey into bite-sized pieces.
Assemble the salad. Add the baby spinach to a salad bowl and top with the turkey, strawberries, feta or goat cheese, and sesame seeds.
Add the dressing. Drizzle the balsamic vinaigrette over the salad.
Toss and serve. Gently toss everything together until evenly coated and enjoy immediately. That's it!
Make It Dairy-Free
This salad is naturally gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free.
Simply replace the feta or goat cheese with your favorite dairy-free feta or leave the cheese off altogether.
If you're strictly gluten-free, check the labels on your deli turkey and salad dressing since ingredients can vary between brands.
Want More Protein?
The original recipe uses three slices of turkey, which makes this a nice light lunch.
If you want to turn it into a more substantial, higher-protein meal, simply increase the turkey. You could also replace it with:
Grilled chicken
Grilled shrimp
Salmon
Leftover turkey breast
I especially love grilled chicken with the strawberry-balsamic combination.
Make It Your Own
This is one of those recipes that's incredibly easy to customize based on what you already have in your refrigerator.
Try adding avocado, cucumber, red onion, walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, blueberries, or fresh basil.
You can also swap the spinach for arugula or mixed greens.
Just keep the strawberries and balsamic—they're what give this salad its fresh summer flavor.
Easy Summer Meal Prep
You can absolutely make this salad ahead, but there's one trick:
Keep the dressing separate.
Prepare the spinach, turkey, strawberries, cheese, and sesame seeds in a container and refrigerate. Add your balsamic vinaigrette right before eating so your spinach stays fresh instead of getting soggy.
If you're preparing several lunches at once, I'd also wait to slice the strawberries until closer to the day you're eating each salad for the best texture.
💡 Dr. Stephanie's Tip: If you find yourself getting hungry an hour or two after eating a salad, you probably need to make your salad more substantial.
Don't be afraid to add more protein, healthy fat, or both.
Adding extra turkey or chicken along with avocado, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds can turn a small side salad into a much more satisfying meal.
The Perfect Easy Summer Lunch
Healthy lunches don't have to be complicated.
Sometimes all you need is a handful of greens, seasonal fruit, a good source of protein, and a flavorful dressing.
This Summer Strawberry Salad takes just minutes to make, requires absolutely no cooking, and gives you that delicious combination of fresh strawberries, savory turkey, creamy feta, and tangy balsamic vinaigrette.
It's definitely one to keep in your summer lunch rotation.
Looking for more healthy recipes? You’ll find 93 of my favorite gluten-free and dairy-free recipes in my cookbook, with simple meals the whole family can enjoy.
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