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 spinach, washed and dried
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/2 cup pecans, toasted
- 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
- 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
- For the Dressing:
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 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, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, 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 washed spinach, sliced strawberries, toasted pecans, crumbled feta (if using), and sliced red onion.
- Dress the salad: Pour the desired amount of poppy seed dressing over the salad ingredients. Gently toss to coat everything evenly.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can substitute walnuts or slivered almonds for the pecans.
- For a complete meal, add grilled chicken breast or salmon.
- If you prefer a less sweet dressing, reduce the sugar to 1 tablespoon.
- Prepare the dressing up to three days ahead and store it in the refrigerator. Shake well before using.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (without optional feta)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 14
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 25
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 0