Low FODMAP Spinach Salad with Strawberries

Today’s salad is a modified recipe from my family’s collection. It’s made with fresh spinach, juicy strawberries, and crunchy pecans tossed in a sweet and tangy balsamic vinaigrette. If you want, add a touch of creamy saltiness with a sprinkle of optional feta cheese.

Many strawberry spinach salad recipes call for red onion. Although delicious, onion is high in FODMAPs and tends to not be well-tolerated by many of us living with IBS. Instead, I’ve included sliced green onion tops for a little bit of low FODMAP onion flavor.

We typically make this salad for the holidays, but it’s an easy salad that can be enjoyed at any time throughout the year.

I hope you enjoy this fresh, sweet, savory, crunchy, and colorful low-FODMAP side salad.

Ingredients

To make this low FODMAP strawberry spinach salad, add these ingredients to your shopping list:

• Baby spinach – 4 cups (120 grams)
• Strawberries – 1 cup sliced (about ½ pint)
• Pecan pieces – ¼ cup (28 grams)
• Optional: Feta cheese – 2 tablespoons crumbled
• Green onion tops (green parts only) – 1 tablespoon sliced
• Extra virgin olive oil – ⅓ cup
• Balsamic vinegar – 2 tablespoons
• Maple syrup – 1 tablespoon
• Dijon mustard – 1 teaspoon

Low FODMAP notes

In this section, I share information for certain ingredients that are either frequently asked about or that have suggested serving sizes to remain low FODMAP. We each have unique tolerance levels and nutritional needs. Please listen to your body (and if possible, work with your dietitian) to determine what is best for you. For more low FODMAP serving size info, please refer to the Monash FODMAP app and FODMAP Friendly website or app.

Balsamic Vinegar: A low FODMAP serving is 1 tablespoon or 21 grams. Larger servings contain higher amounts of excess fructose.

Dijon Mustard is low FODMAP in servings of 1 tablespoon or 23 grams.

Feta cheese: A low FODMAP serving is 3 tablespoons or 40 grams. Lactose content may vary between brands. Look for products that have less than 1 gram of sugar per serving, like Athenos Traditional Feta. Find grams of sugar on the nutrition facts panel in the US.

Green onion tops – the green part of green onions – are low in FODMAPs and should be tolerated by most on the low FODMAP diet. Avoid the white bulb, which is high in FODMAPs. Learn more → Low FODMAP Garlic and Onion Substitutes.

Pecans: A low FODMAP serving is 10 pecan halves or 20 grams. This is about ¼ cup in the US. Larger servings contain higher amounts of fructans.

Spinach is low FODMAP in servings of 1 ½ cups or 75 grams. Larger servings contain higher amounts of fructans.

Strawberries are considered a FODMAP free food.

Instructions

To make this low FODMAP spinach salad, simply:

Step 1: Place spinach and strawberries in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: In a liquid measuring cup (or small bowl), whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and Dijon mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sometimes I place all of the ingredients into a mason jar, seal with a reusable lid, and give it a good shake to mix.

Step 3: Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette over the spinach and strawberries. Gently toss to coat. Add more dressing as needed until the spinach leaves are lightly coated with dressing. Transfer the dressed spinach and strawberries to a serving bowl or platter.

Step 4: Top the dressed salad with pecan pieces, optional feta cheese, and green onion tops (green parts only).

Serve cold with remaining vinaigrette either drizzled on top or served on the side.

Storage: This salad is best served right after preparing. However, you can store the salad ingredients and prepared vinaigrette separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Assemble salad just before serving. 

Serve this with

Consider serving this side salad with a serving of:

Lean protein like chicken, salmon, or pork tenderloin. These foods are naturally low in FODMAPs. The recommended serving size is generally 3-4 ounces, however, this may vary depending on your unique nutritional needs.

Low FODMAP bread or crackers: Some certified low FODMAP options include Schär Baguette, Schär Table Crackers, or Laiki Black Rice Crackers.

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