This strawberry spinach salad is full of pecans, feta, and a tangy poppy seed dressing. Excellent 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 seem 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 truthful 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 colour from the strawberries. It feels particular sufficient to serve at vacation gathering or potluck (I’m making it for Easter on Sunday!), however it’s so fast and simple that you might toss it collectively for any spring meal.
You could find the whole strawberry spinach salad recipe on the backside of this submit. Alongside the best way, I’m sharing enjoyable swaps and variations, make-ahead suggestions, and extra. I hope you’re keen on 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, in fact! They add sweetness, ruby crimson colour, and smooth, juicy texture. Quite than chop them, I thinly slice them for this salad. I like consuming the skinny slices alongside the spinach leaves, and so they look so fairly!
- Contemporary spinach – Use child spinach when you can—its small leaves and tender texture are nice right here. Mature spinach additionally works, however it’s possible you’ll wish to chop it earlier than you assemble the salad.
- Purple 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 whole recipe with measurements under.
Doable Swaps
- Substitute 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!
- Attempt one other nut. Substitute the pecans with toasted walnuts, pine nuts, or almonds.
- Swap out the feta for crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese. You could possibly 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 wish to make the dressing evenly creamy, you’ll be able to add a little bit mayo too.
Simply whisk the elements collectively in a bowl, or place them in a lidded jar and shake to mix.
Doable Swaps
Need to attempt one other dressing on this salad? Any of those recipes could 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 implausible aspect 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 Suggestions
The spinach strawberry salad and poppy seed dressing are finest saved individually.
- You possibly can toss collectively the salad elements—minus the dressing—as much as 1 day prematurely. Retailer the salad in an hermetic container within the fridge till able to serve.
- You may make the dressing as much as 5 days prematurely. Retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge till able to serve. The olive oil within the dressing could 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 preserve effectively within the fridge for as much as 3 days. As soon as dressed, this salad is finest eaten inside a number of hours.
Extra Spring Salad Recipes
In case you love this strawberry spinach salad, attempt certainly 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 shiny and recent. Be at liberty to assemble it as much as 1 day forward when you’re making it for a potluck or special 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.