Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printable version)

A light, crisp salad featuring strawberries, spinach, nuts, and creamy poppyseed dressing.

# What you need:

→ 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

# How to Make It:

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 dressing over salad just before serving. Toss gently to combine and coat all ingredients. Serve immediately, garnished with extra nuts or feta if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes like spring on a plate, not like you're forcing yourself to eat something healthy.
  • The poppyseed dressing hits that perfect balance between creamy and tangy, the kind of thing you'll want to drizzle on everything else you own.
  • It comes together so fast that you can make it on a Tuesday without feeling like cooking took over your entire evening.
02 -
  • If you dress this salad more than fifteen minutes ahead, the spinach will wilt and it'll taste limp and disappointed, so wait until the last possible moment to toss it.
  • The poppyseed dressing gets thicker as it sits, so if you're making it ahead, whisk in a splash of water right before serving to loosen it up again.
03 -
  • Pat your spinach completely dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels because even a little moisture will dilute the dressing and steal all the flavor.
  • If you're taking this to a potluck or picnic, pack the dressing in a separate container and only dress the salad right before people start eating it, so you deliver the best version of this dish.
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