Strawberry Spinach Poppy Dressing (Print version)
A light, refreshing mix of strawberries, spinach, nuts, and tangy poppy seed dressing for warm days.
# What you need:
→ Salad Components
01 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and thoroughly dried
02 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced into rounds
04 - 1/3 cup roasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
05 - 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
06 - 1/4 cup fresh blueberries (optional)
→ Poppy Seed Dressing
07 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
10 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
11 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
12 - Pinch of salt
13 - Pinch of black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Place the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, nuts, feta cheese, and blueberries (if using) in a large salad bowl.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, vigorously whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey or maple syrup, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper until completely emulsified.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly. Serve immediately as a refreshing light lunch or side dish.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The homemade poppy seed dressing comes together in seconds and tastes infinitely better than anything storebought
- Its the perfect balance of sweet strawberries tangy feta and crunchy nuts all in one bite
02 -
- Never dress this salad ahead of time or the spinach will wilt and lose its lovely crunch within minutes
- The onion can be soaked in ice water for 10 minutes if you want to mellow out its sharp bite
03 -
- Let the dressing sit for 10 minutes before using it this gives the poppy seeds time to soften slightly and the flavors time to meld
- Room temperature strawberries have more flavor so take them out of the fridge about 20 minutes before slicing