Spinach Strawberry Salad (Print Version)

A refreshing mix of spinach, strawberries, nuts, and a sweet poppy seed dressing perfect for warm days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Salad

01 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
02 - 9 oz strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - ½ cup toasted pecans or sliced almonds
04 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
05 - 2 tablespoons red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

→ Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing

06 - ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
07 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
09 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - ¼ teaspoon sea salt
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a large bowl, mix spinach, strawberries, nuts, feta cheese, and red onion if used.
02 - Whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey or maple syrup, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until emulsified.
03 - Pour dressing over salad and gently toss to coat all components evenly.
04 - Enjoy the salad fresh to preserve crispness and vibrant flavors.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 15 minutes with zero cooking required, which means dinner stress just evaporates.
  • The sweet-tangy dressing is so craveable you'll find yourself drizzling it on everything.
  • Fresh strawberries and spinach together taste like springtime feels, and somehow that matters.
02 -
  • Dress the salad at the last possible second—spinach is delicate and will surrender to the liquid if given a chance.
  • Toast your own nuts if you can, because that smell filling your kitchen and the flavor difference is genuinely life-changing.
  • Ripe strawberries make or break this salad, so taste one from the bunch before you commit.
03 -
  • Make the dressing in a jar so you can seal it and shake it vigorously—this helps the emulsification happen faster and more reliably than whisking.
  • If your strawberries aren't as ripe as you'd like, let the dressing do some work for you by tossing the berries in it for a minute before adding the other ingredients.
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