Spinach Strawberry Salad (Printable)

Tender spinach and juicy strawberries paired with crunchy nuts and a sweet poppy seed dressing.

# 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 red onion, thinly sliced (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

# How-To:

01 - In a large salad bowl, mix spinach, strawberries, nuts, feta cheese, and red onion if using.
02 - Whisk olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
03 - Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Serve immediately to preserve freshness and crunch.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 15 minutes with no cooking required, which means you can make it the day your guests arrive.
  • The sweet poppy seed dressing plays against the peppery spinach in a way that feels both comforting and surprising.
  • It's naturally vegetarian and gluten-free, so you're not leaving anyone out of the table.
02 -
  • Never dress the salad more than 10 minutes before serving, or the spinach will soften and the nuts will lose their crunch—this salad lives in that golden moment right after assembly.
  • The dressing tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to know each other, so make it ahead and keep it separate from the greens, drizzling it on just before you serve.
03 -
  • Whisk the dressing hard and long enough that it looks creamy and the oil doesn't separate by the time you serve, which is the difference between a dressing that clings and one that pools at the bottom.
  • Buy the prettiest strawberries you can find because half the joy of this salad is how it looks on the plate, ruby red against deep green.
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