Say hello to COLOR, Spinach Strawberry Salad with Balsamic Poppy Seed Dressing style! Whether you need a healthy lunch or are looking for a salad to bring to a party that—this is critical—people actually want to eat, this strawberry spinach salad with poppy seed dressing and feta is the recipe for you!
Strawberry spinach salad is my unofficial start to spring because—and I think it’s important that we are honest about this—a March or early-April spring is not a real thing when you live in the upper Midwest.
Slowly, however, my little yard turns greener, and I notice my salad cravings shifting away from warm toppings like the lentils and roasted vegetables in this Lentil Salad with Roasted Cauliflower or the sautéed potatoes in this Pea Salad to ones that are distinctly lighter and brighter: strawberries, poppy seeds, feta.
Another catalyst for my subjective start to “spring” (and I am not even going to pretend that I am ashamed about this): the strawberry poppy seed salad at Panera returns. Oh happy day!
Today’s healthy spinach strawberry salad is gateway food. It’s a starter to spring (or a continuation of it if you are lucky enough to live in a place where spring arrives on time).
It’s a starter to salad skeptics. Sweet berries, toasted pecans, creamy feta, and a lovely honey balsamic poppy seed dressing make for an easy transition to leafy greens, even if salad isn’t usually something you typically pile willingly onto your plate.
And it’s a starter or side for any spring or summer party menu! Did someone ask you to bring a side for Easter? A potluck? A dinner party where you’re not sure what everyone likes? This spinach strawberry salad is an ideal choice. It’s easy, crowd-pleasing, and flexible too.
Spinach Salad
Spinach, toasted almonds, feta and apple combine to make one of our favorite simple salads. Just toss the spinach salad together with our homemade vinaigrette!
Prep: 5min
Total: 5min
Yield: 2 – 4 serving(s)
Nutrition Facts: calories 551 Calories, Fat 48 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 22 mg, Sodium 716 mg, Carbohydrate 19 g, Fiber 7 g, Sugar 14 g, Protein 9 g
Ingredients:
- 5 oz. fresh spinach
- 1 apple, such as Honeycrisp, thinly sliced
- 1/3 c. crumbled feta
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted
- 1/3 c. olive oil
- 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic or 1/2 shallot, minced
- 2 tsp. dijon mustard
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instruction:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients until completely incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.
- Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing, toss to combine, and serve immediately.
Easy Spinach Salad with Creamy Balsamic
This lovely spinach salad is topped with dried cranberries, goat cheese, toasted walnuts, avocado and a creamy balsamic dressing. Perfect as a side or topped with protein for a meal.
Prep: 20min
Total: 25min
Serving Size: 1 /4 of recipe
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 /4 of recipe, calories 448 kcal, Sugar 16 g, Sodium 485 mg, Fat 34 g, Saturated Fat 7 g, Carbohydrate 28 g, Fiber 6 g, Protein 10 g, Cholesterol 12 mg, unSaturated Fat 15 g
Ingredients:
- 10 oz baby spinach
- 1 cup sliced mini cucumbers
- ⅔ cup crumbled goat cheese
- ½ cup sliced red onions
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup raw walnuts
- 1 avocado (sliced)
- fresh cracked pepper (for serving)
- Creamy Balsamic Dressing
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup full fat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instruction:
- Toast walnuts: Add walnuts to a small skillet over medium heat to toast. Let cook, tossing frequently for 3-5 minutes until fragrant and starting to brown. Remove from pan and let cool.
- Make dressing: Prepare dressing by whisking together all ingredients in a small bowl until fully combined and creamy. You can also blend everything together in a blender or with an immersion blender.
- Prep salad: Prepare salad by adding spinach to a large bowl, top with cucumbers, goat cheese, onions, cranberries, toasted walnuts and sliced avocado. Top with fresh cracked pepper.
- Serve: Drizzle dressing over salad, toss and serve. Once tossed in the dressing the salad doesn’t look as pretty so another option is to plate the salad and serve with dressing on the side so everyone can add their own dressing.
Spinach Strawberry Salad
The best ever Spinach Strawberry Salad with balsamic poppy seed dressing, pecans, and feta. Beautiful, healthy, and always a crowd pleaser!
Prep: 15min
Total: 20min
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1 of 6
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 of 6, calories 249 kcal, Carbohydrate 16 g, Protein 6 g, Fat 20 g, Saturated Fat 5 g, Cholesterol 17 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 10 g
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup raw pecans
- 1/2 small red onion (very thinly sliced)
- 10 ounces fresh baby spinach (I also love a 50/50 arugula and spinach blend)
- 1 quart strawberries (hulled and quartered (about 1 pound))
- 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (buy the block-style feta, not pre-crumbled; the texture is much better)
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instruction:
- Toast the pecans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the pecans smell fragrant and the center of a pecan is tan when the pecan is broken in half. (Do not walk away from the oven in the last few minutes of cooking. This is when nuts love to burn.) Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop.
- Place the sliced onions in a bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit while you prepare the rest of the salad (this keeps their flavor but removes the harsh onion bite).
- Prepare the dressing: In small mixing bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients—vinegar, oil, poppy seeds, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper—until well combined. (Alternatively, you can shake the ingredients together in a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid).
- Assemble the salad: Place the spinach in a great big serving bowl. Add the strawberries. Drain the red onion and add it as well. Drizzle about half of the dressing over the salad and toss to coat the leaves. Assess the amount of dressing. You want the spinach leaves to be nicely moistened but not swimming in dressing. Add a little more if needed to suit your preferences. Add the feta and pecans. Toss lightly to combine. Serve immediately, with extra dressing on the side as desired.
