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Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad with Easy Creamy Poppyseed Dressing

fresh strawberry spinach salad - featured image
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A refreshing and quick salad combining crisp baby spinach, sweet strawberries, and a luscious creamy poppyseed dressing. Perfect for spring and summer meals, this salad balances sweet, tangy, and crunchy flavors.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, washed and dried
  • 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (or goat cheese)
  • ⅓ cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans, toasted
  • ½ cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Salad Base (10 minutes): Rinse the baby spinach leaves thoroughly in cold water and spin dry using a salad spinner or pat gently with kitchen towels. Slice the strawberries into even halves or quarters depending on size. Thinly slice the red onion if using.
  2. Toast the Nuts (3-5 minutes): Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the slivered almonds or chopped pecans and toast, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  3. Make the Creamy Poppyseed Dressing (5 minutes): In a small mixing bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, honey, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Once smooth, stir in the poppy seeds. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
  4. Assemble the Salad (2 minutes): In a large salad bowl, combine the spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle the creamy poppyseed dressing over the top.
  5. Toss and Serve (1-2 minutes): Gently toss everything together until the leaves are evenly coated with dressing. Sprinkle the toasted nuts on top last for a fresh crunch. Serve immediately.

Notes

Keep dressing separate until serving to avoid soggy spinach. Toast nuts carefully to avoid burning. Adjust honey in dressing based on strawberry sweetness. Dressing tastes better after resting in fridge for a few hours. Use fresh strawberries for best texture; if using frozen, thaw and drain well.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry spinach salad, creamy poppyseed dressing, fresh salad, easy salad recipe, summer salad, healthy salad, quick salad

Find it online: https://siennaspoon.com/fresh-strawberry-spinach-salad-recipe-easy-creamy-poppyseed-dressing-guide/