Spinach Strawberry Salad (Printable)

Tender spinach tossed with strawberries, nuts, feta, and a sweet poppy seed dressing for a fresh mix.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
02 - 9 oz strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - ½ cup toasted pecans or sliced almonds
04 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
05 - 2 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion (optional)

→ Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing

06 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - ¼ teaspoon sea salt
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Method:

01 - In a large bowl, gently mix spinach, strawberries, nuts, feta cheese, and red onion if using.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until fully emulsified.
03 - Pour dressing over salad just before serving and toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients.
04 - Serve immediately to maintain freshness and crunch.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's done in 15 minutes flat, no cooking required, which means summer entertaining becomes actually relaxing.
  • The sweet-tart dressing with poppy seeds tastes like nothing you've had from a bottle, and people always ask for the recipe.
  • Fresh spinach stays tender, strawberries stay juicy, and nuts stay crunchy—the whole thing works together like it was meant to.
02 -
  • Dress the salad at the last possible moment—spinach wilts and nuts soften if they sit in dressing too long, and that ruins the whole thing.
  • Toast your own nuts if you can; store-bought toasted ones have often been sitting around, and fresh-toasted makes an enormous difference in flavor.
03 -
  • Keep your salad bowl and ingredients cold before assembling; a cold salad tastes fresher and stays crisp longer.
  • Make the dressing in a jar and keep it in the fridge for up to a week—having it ready means this salad can come together in minutes on a busy night.
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