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Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe with Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

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A quick and easy fresh strawberry spinach salad with a creamy, tangy poppy seed dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or a colorful side dish that balances sweet, tangy, and crunchy flavors.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (about 180g), washed and dried
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries (about 300g), hulled and sliced
  • ¼ cup red onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans (50g), toasted
  • ½ cup mayonnaise (120ml)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (30ml)
  • 2 tablespoons honey (30ml)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (15ml)
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (15ml)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Optional: splash of buttermilk or milk for thinner dressing
  • Optional: crumbled feta or goat cheese for garnish

Instructions

  1. Toast the nuts: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup of slivered almonds or chopped pecans and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  2. Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or mason jar, combine ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds. Whisk or shake vigorously until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add up to 2 tablespoons of buttermilk or milk if a thinner consistency is desired.
  3. Prep the salad ingredients: Rinse and dry 6 cups baby spinach thoroughly. Hull and slice 2 cups fresh strawberries. Thinly slice about ¼ cup red onion. Ensure all ingredients are dry to help the dressing stick better and avoid a watery salad.
  4. Combine and toss: In a large bowl, gently combine the spinach, strawberries, and red onion slices. Drizzle about half of the dressing over the salad and toss carefully to coat evenly. Add more dressing to taste if desired.
  5. Serve and garnish: Sprinkle the toasted nuts over the top just before serving to keep them crunchy. Optionally, add crumbled feta or goat cheese. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.

Notes

Do not overdress the salad to avoid soggy spinach. Toast nuts fresh for best crunch. Dressing can be made up to a week ahead and stored refrigerated. Keep dressing and nuts separate until serving if prepping in advance. Use fresh strawberries for best texture; frozen can be used but will be softer and may release more juice.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry spinach salad, poppy seed dressing, fresh salad, easy salad recipe, healthy salad, summer salad, creamy dressing

Find it online: https://junomeals.com/fresh-strawberry-spinach-salad-recipe-with-creamy-poppy-seed-dressing-easy-and-delicious/