Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printable Version)

A refreshing blend of spinach, strawberries, nuts, and creamy poppyseed dressing, perfect for warm days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - 1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds or pecans
06 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries

→ Poppyseed Dressing

07 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tablespoon honey
10 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
11 - 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Salt to taste
14 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, feta cheese, toasted nuts, and dried cranberries.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and fully emulsified.
03 - Drizzle dressing over salad just before serving and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Serve immediately, garnishing with additional nuts or feta cheese if desired.

# Tips for Success:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes, which means you can make it while your oven preheats or while guests are still taking off their shoes.
  • The contrast between warm toasted nuts and cool, crisp spinach is genuinely exciting every time you take a bite.
  • That poppyseed dressing is secretly addictive and works on almost anything, so you'll end up making it constantly.
02 -
  • Do not dress this salad more than five minutes before you eat it, or you'll end up with a sad, wilted pile no matter how careful you were with your ingredients.
  • The feta is your friend—its saltiness keeps the dish from tasting like dessert, so don't be tempted to leave it out just because you think salads should be light.
03 -
  • Toast your nuts yourself even if it seems like an extra step, because the smell that fills your kitchen is actually part of why this salad tastes so good—your nose is doing half the work.
  • Keep your poppy seed dressing in a jar in the refrigerator for up to five days and you'll find yourself drizzling it on everything, from grilled vegetables to toast with cream cheese.
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