Strawberry Spinach Poppy Vinaigrette (Printable)
Sweet strawberries, baby spinach, pecans, and tangy poppy seed dressing combine for a fresh, colorful salad.
# What's Needed:
→ Salad
01 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and dried
02 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
04 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
→ Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
06 - 1/4 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 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large bowl, mix the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, thinly sliced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and toasted pecans or walnuts.
02 - Whisk together the olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey or maple syrup, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar until fully emulsified.
03 - Drizzle the poppy seed vinaigrette over the salad just before serving and toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly.
04 - Transfer the dressed salad to plates and enjoy fresh.
# Tips for Success:
01 -
- It tastes like sunshine on a plate, bright and fresh without feeling like diet food.
- The poppy seed vinaigrette is so good you'll want to drizzle it on everything else too.
- It comes together in minutes but looks fancy enough for company.
- Every bite has a different texture, crunchy, creamy, juicy, all at once.
02 -
- Dress the salad at the last possible second or the spinach will wilt and the strawberries will bleed, turning everything soggy.
- Toast the nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes, shaking often, they go from perfect to burnt in seconds.
- If your vinaigrette separates, just whisk it again right before pouring, it happens and it's totally fine.
03 -
- Use a salad spinner to dry the spinach completely, wet greens will dilute the vinaigrette and ruin the texture.
- Add a pinch of sugar to the red onion slices and let them sit for 5 minutes to mellow the sharpness.
- Double the vinaigrette recipe and save the extra, it's incredible on roasted vegetables and grain bowls too.