Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad (Printable)

A refreshing blend of sweet strawberries, tender spinach, nuts, and tangy 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 comes together in 15 minutes, which means you can actually make it on a weeknight without stress.
  • The dressing tastes like something from a restaurant but lives in your pantry already.
  • It's light enough to feel fresh but substantial enough to keep you satisfied.
02 -
  • If you dress this more than 10 minutes ahead, the spinach wilts and the nuts get soggy—it's not ruined, but it loses that perfect crunch.
  • The dressing separates if it sits, so give it a quick whisk again right before pouring, which takes five seconds but matters.
03 -
  • Make the dressing the night before and let it sit in a jar on the counter—the flavors meld and it actually tastes better the next day.
  • Keep your salad bowl slightly chilled before assembling; a cold bowl keeps everything fresher longer and makes the eating experience more pleasant.
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