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Fresh Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe with Easy Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

fresh strawberry spinach salad - featured image
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A fresh and light salad combining sweet strawberries, crisp baby spinach, and a creamy poppy seed dressing that is quick to prepare and perfect for any season.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups baby spinach (about 180 g), fresh and well-washed
  • 1 pint fresh strawberries (about 350 g), hulled and sliced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced (about 30 g)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 75 g)
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted (about 30 g)
  • For the creamy poppy seed dressing:
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise (80 ml)
  • 1/3 cup sour cream (80 ml), full-fat or light
  • 2 tablespoons honey (30 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (15 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (9 g)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Rinse and pat dry the baby spinach to avoid sogginess.
  2. Hull the strawberries by cutting off their green tops, then slice into halves or quarters depending on size.
  3. Thinly slice about 1/4 cup of red onion into delicate slivers.
  4. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add slivered almonds and stir frequently until golden brown and nutty smelling. Remove immediately to prevent burning.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, honey, apple cider vinegar, and poppy seeds. Season with salt and black pepper. Adjust sweetness or acidity as needed.
  6. In a large salad bowl, combine baby spinach, sliced strawberries, and red onion.
  7. Drizzle about half the dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat evenly.
  8. Top with crumbled feta cheese and toasted almonds.
  9. Serve with remaining dressing on the side. Toss salad fresh before serving if prepared ahead.

Notes

Pat strawberries dry if extra juicy to prevent watery salad. Toast almonds carefully to avoid bitterness. Dressing tastes better after resting 30 minutes. For dairy-free or lighter dressing, substitute sour cream with coconut or Greek yogurt. Keep dressing separate if prepping ahead to avoid sogginess.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry salad, spinach salad, poppy seed dressing, fresh salad, easy salad recipe, healthy salad, creamy dressing

Find it online: https://leilameals.com/fresh-strawberry-spinach-salad-recipe-with-easy-creamy-poppy-seed-dressing/