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Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe with Easy Sweet Poppyseed Dressing

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A fresh and easy strawberry spinach salad with a homemade sweet poppyseed dressing, perfect for spring and summer gatherings. This salad combines crisp spinach, ripe strawberries, toasted almonds, and optional feta cheese for a delightful, crowd-pleasing dish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • ½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Toast the almonds: Place ½ cup sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Stir frequently for about 3-5 minutes until golden and fragrant. Watch closely to avoid burning. Remove from heat and let cool.
  2. Prepare the salad ingredients: Rinse 6 cups baby spinach and spin dry using a salad spinner or pat with paper towels. Hull and slice 2 cups fresh strawberries. Thinly slice ½ small red onion. Set aside.
  3. Make the poppyseed dressing: In a small bowl or jar, combine ⅓ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard. Whisk or shake vigorously until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If dressing feels too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time until you reach desired consistency.
  4. Toss the salad: In your large salad bowl, combine the spinach, sliced strawberries, toasted almonds, red onion, and crumbled feta (if using). Drizzle the poppyseed dressing over the salad—start with half and toss gently to coat. Add more dressing as needed, but be careful not to overdress.
  5. Serve immediately: This salad is best enjoyed fresh. If you need to hold it briefly, keep the dressing separate until serving to avoid sogginess.

Notes

Use gentle folding motions when tossing to keep spinach leaves intact. Keep dressing separate if preparing ahead to avoid sogginess. Soak red onion slices in cold water for 10 minutes if you want to reduce sharpness. Substitute Greek yogurt for mayonnaise for a lighter dressing or use vegan mayo for a vegan option. Toast almonds slowly to avoid burning.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry spinach salad, poppyseed dressing, fresh salad, summer salad, easy salad recipe, healthy salad, crowd-pleaser

Find it online: https://breezybake.com/fresh-strawberry-spinach-salad-recipe-with-easy-sweet-poppyseed-dressing/