This strawberry spinach salad is crammed with pecans, feta, and a tangy poppy seed dressing. Good for spring or summer time, it is easy and recent.
This strawberry spinach salad is ideal for spring and early summer time. It begins with a base of recent spinach—one of many first greens to look at my farmers market every spring—and is topped off with juicy strawberries, crisp crimson onion, toasty pecans, and salty feta cheese. My candy and tangy poppy seed dressing ties all of it collectively.
I feel it’s honest to say that this mix is fairly traditional (doesn’t Panera have a strawberry poppyseed salad on its menu?), however I nonetheless wished to share this recipe as a result of it’s so easy and recent, with a beautiful pop of sweetness and shade from the strawberries. It feels particular sufficient to serve at vacation gathering or potluck (I’m making it for Easter on Sunday!), nevertheless it’s so fast and simple that you would toss it collectively for any spring meal.
You will discover the entire strawberry spinach salad recipe on the backside of this publish. Alongside the best way, I’m sharing enjoyable swaps and variations, make-ahead ideas, and extra. I hope you like this salad as a lot as I do!
What’s In This Strawberry Spinach Salad
Right here’s what you’ll must make this spinach and strawberry salad:
- Strawberries, after all! They add sweetness, ruby crimson shade, and mushy, juicy texture. Moderately than chop them, I thinly slice them for this salad. I like consuming the skinny slices alongside the spinach leaves, they usually look so fairly!
- Contemporary spinach – Use child spinach in the event you can—its small leaves and tender texture are nice right here. Mature spinach additionally works, however you could wish to chop it earlier than you assemble the salad.
- Crimson onion – For savory, oniony taste.
- Toasted pecans – For crunch and wealthy, nutty taste.
- And feta cheese – It provides a tangy, salty pop that contrasts completely with the candy berries.
Discover the entire recipe with measurements under.
Potential Swaps
- Change the strawberries with one other recent fruit like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, orange segments, thinly sliced apples, or pears.
- Use spring combine as an alternative of spinach. Butter lettuce would work properly too!
- Strive one other nut. Change the pecans with toasted walnuts, pine nuts, or almonds.
- Swap out the feta for crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese. You possibly can even substitute diced avocado to make this recipe dairy-free!
Let me know what variations you attempt!
My Simple Poppy Seed Dressing
A candy and tangy poppy seed dressing brings this salad collectively.
It’s simple to make with white wine vinegar, shallot, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, extra-virgin olive oil, and poppy seeds. In case you’d prefer to make the dressing evenly creamy, you’ll be able to add slightly mayo too.
Simply whisk the substances collectively in a bowl, or place them in a lidded jar and shake to mix.
Potential Swaps
Need to attempt one other dressing on this salad? Any of those recipes can be nice:
What to Serve with This Strawberry Spinach Salad
This strawberry spinach salad is a good addition to any spring or early summer time meal! Serve it alongside your favourite protein or with any of those recipes:
It might even be a improbable facet dish for an Easter brunch.
To make this salad meal by itself, add a cooked grain like farro or quinoa and/or a handful of crispy roasted chickpeas.
Make-Forward and Storage Ideas
The spinach strawberry salad and poppy seed dressing are greatest saved individually.
- You’ll be able to toss collectively the salad substances—minus the dressing—as much as 1 day upfront. Retailer the salad in an hermetic container within the fridge till able to serve.
- You can also make the dressing as much as 5 days upfront. Retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge till able to serve. The olive oil within the dressing might solidify because it chills within the fridge. Simply enable it to take a seat at room temperature for a couple of minutes to melt earlier than drizzling it over the salad!
Undressed leftovers maintain effectively within the fridge for as much as 3 days. As soon as dressed, this salad is greatest eaten inside a couple of hours.
Extra Spring Salad Recipes
In case you love this strawberry spinach salad, attempt considered one of these recent spring salads subsequent:
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Serves 4 to six
This scrumptious strawberry spinach salad is ideal for spring and summer time! The strawberries, greens, and tangy poppy seed dressing make it style tremendous vivid and recent. Be happy to assemble it as much as 1 day forward in the event you’re making it for a potluck or big day. Simply wait so as to add the dressing till proper earlier than serving!
- 5 ounces recent spinach
- 1 cup thinly sliced strawberries
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced crimson onion
- 1 recipe Poppy Seed Dressing
- ½ cup toasted pecans
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- Sea salt and freshly floor black pepper
Forestall your display from going darkish
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In a big bowl, place the spinach, strawberries, and crimson onion. Add among the dressing and toss to mix.
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Add the pecans and feta and gently toss. Add extra dressing, as desired. Season to style with salt and pepper and serve.