Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printer-friendly)

A refreshing mix of strawberries, spinach, 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 or mayonnaise
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Pinch of salt
14 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

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 emulsified.
03 - Drizzle dressing over salad just before serving. Toss gently to combine and coat all ingredients. Serve immediately, garnished with extra nuts or feta if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes with zero cooking, meaning you can make it on a Tuesday night when you're exhausted.
  • The poppyseed dressing is creamy without being heavy, and it tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant that charges too much.
  • Fresh strawberries and crispy almonds create this textural play that makes every bite feel intentional and indulgent.
02 -
  • Dress the salad at the very last moment—spinach is delicate and will begin to wilt within minutes of meeting the acidic dressing, turning your beautiful salad into something that tastes right but looks tired.
  • Make your dressing in a jar rather than a bowl so you can shake it vigorously until it's truly creamy; a whisk alone won't emulsify it the same way, and you'll get better results with the Greek yogurt if you really incorporate it.
03 -
  • If your strawberries aren't as sweet as you'd like, add another half teaspoon of honey to your dressing and taste as you go—let the quality of your fruit guide the final seasoning.
  • Keep your nuts stored in an airtight container because rancid nuts will ruin this salad faster than anything else, and toasted nuts go stale quickly if left exposed to air.
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