Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad (Print)

Vibrant greens and strawberries combined with nuts and creamy poppyseed dressing offer fresh flavors.

# Components:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - 1/3 cup toasted sliced almonds or pecans
06 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries

→ Poppyseed Dressing

07 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
08 - 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
09 - 1 tablespoon honey
10 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
11 - 1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
12 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
13 - Pinch of salt
14 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, feta cheese, toasted nuts, and dried cranberries.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, poppy seeds, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth and emulsified.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to combine and coat all ingredients. Serve immediately and garnish with extra nuts or feta if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The poppyseed dressing is so good you'll want to bottle it and keep it in your fridge forever.
  • It comes together in fifteen minutes, which means you can stop pretending healthy eating has to be complicated.
  • Sweet strawberries and tangy feta are a combination that just works, especially when you need something to impress without trying too hard.
02 -
  • Never dress a salad more than a few minutes before eating it, or the spinach will go limp and sad no matter how good your intentions were.
  • The dressing will separate if you let it sit; just shake or whisk it again before pouring, and it comes right back together.
03 -
  • If you're making this for a crowd, dress only half the salad at a time and keep the rest undressed until people are ready for seconds.
  • A tiny pinch of garlic powder in the dressing adds complexity, though some people (like my sister) think that's heresy.
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