Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printable)

A vibrant salad with spinach, sweet strawberries, creamy feta, pecans, and tangy poppy seed dressing.

# What you need:

→ Salad

01 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 1.5 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 0.5 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 0.33 cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - 0.5 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

→ Poppy Seed Dressing

06 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1.5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon honey
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

# How to make it:

01 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper until well combined and emulsified. Set aside.
02 - In a large salad bowl, combine baby spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, crumbled feta, and toasted pecans.
03 - Drizzle the poppy seed dressing over the salad just before serving.
04 - Gently toss all ingredients to coat evenly with dressing. Serve immediately.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -
  • Ready in just 15 minutes with no cooking required
  • Perfect balance of sweet, savory, tangy, and crunchy elements
  • Naturally vegetarian and gluten-free
  • Beautiful presentation that impresses guests every time
  • Homemade dressing that tastes infinitely better than store-bought
  • Easily customizable to suit dietary preferences and ingredient availability
02 -
  • Always dress the salad just before serving to prevent wilting and sogginess
  • Store dressing separately if making ahead; it will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days
  • Slice red onions as thinly as possible for the best texture and milder flavor
  • Use a mandoline for paper-thin onion slices if you have one
  • Double the dressing recipe if you prefer a more generously dressed salad
  • Taste and adjust seasoning before serving, as strawberry sweetness can vary
Go back