Strawberry Spinach Poppy Vinaigrette (Printable)
Sweet strawberries, tender spinach, crunchy pecans, and a tangy poppy seed dressing create a bright summer dish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Salad
01 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
→ Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
06 - 1/4 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 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# Steps:
01 - In a large salad bowl, toss together the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, crumbled feta, and toasted pecans until evenly distributed.
02 - Whisk olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper thoroughly in a small bowl or jar until emulsified.
03 - Drizzle the poppy seed vinaigrette over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Serve the salad fresh to maintain crispness and flavor.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in fifteen minutes flat, no cooking required, just fresh and alive on the plate.
- The poppy seed vinaigrette tastes like you spent hours perfecting it, but really it's just a quick shake in a jar.
- Sweet strawberries and tangy feta create this magic where every flavor makes sense together.
02 -
- Dress the salad at the very last second or the spinach will go limp and sad—I learned this the hard way when I made a huge batch for a dinner party and had to start over.
- Toast your nuts yourself instead of buying them pre-toasted; they taste fresher and the warmth of them against the cool greens is a small joy worth the extra minute.
03 -
- Make your vinaigrette in a mason jar and keep it in the fridge for up to a week—it's there when you need a quick salad without thinking about it.
- If your vinaigrette breaks and looks separated, add a tiny pinch of mustard and whisk it back together; mustard is your friend when things fall apart.