Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
A simple recipe for a fresh spinach salad featuring strawberries, pecans, and a homemade sweet and tangy poppy seed dressing.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 20 min
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Tossing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- For the Dressing:
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the vegetable oil, white wine vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
- Toast the pecans: Place pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Assemble the salad: In a large bowl, combine the spinach, sliced strawberries, toasted pecans, feta cheese (if using), and red onion.
- Dress the salad: Pour the poppy seed dressing over the salad ingredients just before serving. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
Notes
- For a protein boost, add grilled chicken breast or sliced hard-boiled eggs.
- If you do not have pecans, substitute with slivered almonds or walnuts.
- You can prepare the dressing up to three days ahead and store it in the refrigerator. Shake well before using.
- To make this salad ahead, keep the dressing separate and combine ingredients just before serving to prevent the spinach from wilting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/4 of salad without dressing)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 5