Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printable)
Sweet strawberries and tender spinach combine with nuts and creamy poppy seed dressing for a fresh dish.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Salad
01 - 5 oz baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - 1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds (or pecans/walnuts)
06 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
→ Poppy Seed Dressing
07 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
10 - 1 tbsp poppy seeds
11 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Prepare:
01 - In a small bowl or jar, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Whisk or shake until emulsified.
02 - Place baby spinach in a large bowl. Add sliced strawberries, red onion, crumbled feta, toasted almonds, and dried cranberries if desired.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad immediately before serving. Gently toss to combine evenly.
04 - Serve the salad immediately to maintain its fresh flavor and crisp texture.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The homemade poppy seed dressing tastes nothing like bottled versions—it's tangy, just slightly sweet, and somehow brings out the strawberries' natural brightness.
- Everything comes together in 15 minutes, which means you can make this the morning of a gathering and still have your sanity intact.
- It feels fancy enough to impress guests but tastes like something you'd happily eat alone on a Tuesday evening.
02 -
- Never dress the salad more than a few minutes before serving—the spinach will start to wilt and the almonds will lose their crunch, which defeats the whole point.
- Make the dressing ahead if you want, but don't combine it with the salad until the last moment; the acidity in the vinegar will make everything soggy if given time.
03 -
- If your strawberries aren't as sweet as you'd like, add an extra half teaspoon of honey to the dressing—it won't make it taste sugary, just more balanced.
- Pat your spinach completely dry before assembling; even a little water will make the dressing slip off instead of cling to the leaves.