Strawberry Spinach Salad Poppy Seed (Print Version)

Fresh strawberries and spinach with crunchy nuts in a sweet tangy dressing.

# What You Need:

→ Salad Base

01 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 8 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced

→ Toppings

04 - ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
05 - ⅓ cup toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
06 - 2 tbsp sunflower seeds

→ Poppy Seed Dressing

07 - ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
08 - 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
10 - 1 tsp Dijon mustard
11 - 1 tsp poppy seeds
12 - ¼ tsp fine sea salt
13 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Preparation Steps:

01 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside to let flavors meld.
02 - In a large salad bowl, layer spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and toasted nuts.
03 - Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly. Sprinkle sunflower seeds on top if desired and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The homemade poppy seed dressing comes together in minutes and tastes infinitely better than anything from a bottle.
  • Sweet strawberries and tangy feta create that perfect balance that makes you forget youre eating something so healthy.
  • This salad looks stunning on a table, making it the hero dish even when surrounded by complicated mains.
02 -
  • Dress this salad right before serving or the spinach will wilt and lose its appealing crisp texture.
  • Letting the dressing sit for 10 minutes before using it allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
  • Dry your spinach thoroughly after washing because water on the leaves prevents the dressing from clinging properly.
03 -
  • Massage a tiny amount of olive oil into the spinach leaves before dressing them to create a protective coating that keeps them fresh longer.
  • Taste your strawberries first and adjust the honey in the dressing based on how sweet they are naturally.

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