Spinach Strawberry Nut Salad (Printable Version)

Tender spinach and juicy strawberries combined with nuts and a sweet poppy seed dressing for a fresh mix.

# Ingredient List:

→ Salad

01 - 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
02 - 9 oz hulled and sliced strawberries
03 - ½ cup toasted pecans or sliced almonds
04 - ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (optional)
05 - 2 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion (optional)

→ Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing

06 - ¼ 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 - ¼ teaspoon sea salt
12 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a large salad bowl, mix spinach, strawberries, nuts, optional feta cheese, and red onion if using.
02 - Whisk olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey or maple syrup, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or jar until fully emulsified.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad immediately before serving and gently toss to coat all components evenly.
04 - Serve the salad promptly to maintain freshness and crunch.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 15 minutes flat, no cooking required, which means you can actually enjoy your lunch instead of spending an hour in the kitchen.
  • The contrast between tender spinach, juicy strawberries, and crunchy nuts is genuinely addictive and keeps you coming back for more bites.
  • That poppy seed dressing tastes like a secret—sweet, tangy, and just different enough to make people ask what your ingredient is.
02 -
  • Never dress this salad more than a few minutes before serving, or the spinach will wilt and the nuts will lose their crunch—it's a salad that demands to be eaten fresh.
  • If you're making the dressing ahead, keep it separate and shake it again before using; the poppy seeds have a way of settling to the bottom.
03 -
  • Toast your own nuts if you have time; they taste twice as good as store-bought toasted ones because they're fresher.
  • The poppy seeds can sink to the bottom of the dressing jar, so give it a good shake right before drizzling to make sure they're evenly distributed.
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