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 seem at my farmers market every spring—and is topped off with juicy strawberries, crisp purple 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 mixture 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 an exquisite pop of sweetness and coloration 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 straightforward that you might toss it collectively for any spring meal.
Yow 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 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 purple coloration, and delicate, juicy texture. Fairly than chop them, I thinly slice them for this salad. I really like consuming the skinny slices alongside the spinach leaves, and so they look so fairly!
- Recent spinach – Use child spinach in the event you can—its small leaves and tender texture are nice right here. Mature spinach additionally works, however it’s possible you’ll need 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 entire recipe with measurements beneath.
Attainable Swaps
- Change the strawberries with one other recent fruit like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, orange segments, thinly sliced apples, or pears.
- Use spring combine as a substitute 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 might even substitute diced avocado to make this recipe dairy-free!
Let me know what variations you strive!
My Simple Poppy Seed Dressing
A candy and tangy poppy seed dressing brings this salad collectively.
It’s straightforward to make with white wine vinegar, shallot, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, extra-virgin olive oil, and poppy seeds. When you’d prefer to make the dressing evenly creamy, you’ll be able to add somewhat mayo too.
Simply whisk the elements collectively in a bowl, or place them in a lidded jar and shake to mix.
Attainable Swaps
Wish to strive 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 superb 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 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 Suggestions
The spinach strawberry salad and poppy seed dressing are greatest saved individually.
- You may toss collectively the salad elements—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 permit it to sit down 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
When you love this strawberry spinach salad, strive 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 happy to assemble it as much as 1 day forward in the event 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 purple onion
- 1 recipe Poppy Seed Dressing
- ½ cup toasted pecans
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- Sea salt and freshly floor black pepper
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In a big bowl, place the spinach, strawberries, and purple onion. Add a number of 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.
