My favorite spring salad couldn't be easier (just 6 ingredients!)

[ad_1] This strawberry spinach salad is full of pecans, feta, and a tangy poppy seed dressing. Excellent for spring or summer season, it is easy and recent.

This strawberry spinach salad is ideal for spring and early summer season. It begins with a base of recent spinach—one of many first greens to seem at my farmers market every spring—and is topped off with juicy strawberries, crisp pink onion, toasty pecans, and salty feta cheese. My candy and tangy poppy seed dressing ties all of it collectively.

I believe it’s honest to say that this mixture is fairly basic (doesn’t Panera have a strawberry poppyseed salad on its menu?), however I nonetheless needed to share this recipe as a result of it’s so easy and recent, with an exquisite pop of sweetness and colour from the strawberries. It feels particular sufficient to serve at vacation gathering or potluck (I’m making it for Easter on Sunday!), however it’s so fast and simple that you possibly can toss it collectively for any spring meal.

You will discover the whole strawberry spinach salad recipe on the backside of this put up. Alongside the best way, I’m sharing enjoyable swaps and variations, make-ahead ideas, and extra. I hope you like this salad as a lot as I do!

What’s In This Strawberry Spinach Salad Right here’s what you’ll must make this spinach and strawberry salad:

Strawberries, after all! They add sweetness, ruby pink colour, and delicate, juicy texture. Quite than chop them, I thinly slice them for this salad. I really like consuming the skinny slices alongside the spinach leaves, they usually look so fairly! Recent spinach – Use child spinach in case you can—its small leaves and tender texture are nice right here. Mature spinach additionally works, however chances are you'll wish to chop it earlier than you assemble the salad. Purple onion – For savory, oniony taste. Toasted pecans – For crunch and wealthy, nutty taste. And feta cheese – It provides a tangy, salty pop that contrasts completely with the candy berries. Discover the whole recipe with measurements under.

Potential Swaps

Exchange the strawberries with one other recent fruit like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, orange segments, thinly sliced apples, or pears. Use spring combine as a substitute of spinach. Butter lettuce would work properly too! Attempt one other nut. Exchange the pecans with toasted walnuts, pine nuts, or almonds. Swap out the feta for crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese. You may even substitute diced avocado to make this recipe dairy-free! Let me know what variations you strive!

My Straightforward Poppy Seed Dressing A candy and tangy poppy seed dressing brings this salad collectively.

It’s simple to make with white wine vinegar, shallot, honey, Dijon mustard, salt, extra-virgin olive oil, and poppy seeds. When you’d prefer to make the dressing frivolously creamy, you'll be able to add slightly mayo too.

Simply whisk the substances collectively in a bowl, or place them in a lidded jar and shake to mix.

Potential Swaps

Need to strive one other dressing on this salad? Any of those recipes can be nice:

What to Serve with This Strawberry Spinach Salad This strawberry spinach salad is a good addition to any spring or early summer season meal! Serve it alongside your favourite protein or with any of those recipes:

It will even be a unbelievable facet dish for an Easter brunch.

To make this salad meal by itself, add a cooked grain like farro or quinoa and/or a handful of crispy roasted chickpeas.

Make-Forward and Storage Suggestions The spinach strawberry salad and poppy seed dressing are finest saved individually.

You'll be able to toss collectively the salad substances—minus the dressing—as much as 1 day upfront. Retailer the salad in an hermetic container within the fridge till able to serve. You may make the dressing as much as 5 days upfront. Retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge till able to serve. The olive oil within the dressing might solidify because it chills within the fridge. Simply permit it to sit down at room temperature for a couple of minutes to melt earlier than drizzling it over the salad! Undressed leftovers preserve effectively within the fridge for as much as 3 days. As soon as dressed, this salad is finest eaten inside a couple of hours.

Extra Spring Salad Recipes When you love this strawberry spinach salad, strive one among these recent spring salads subsequent:

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Whole Time: 20 minutes minutes

Serves 4 to six

This scrumptious strawberry spinach salad is ideal for spring and summer season! The strawberries, greens, and tangy poppy seed dressing make it style tremendous vibrant and recent. Be happy to assemble it as much as 1 day forward in case you're making it for a potluck or special day. Simply wait so as to add the dressing till proper earlier than serving!

5 ounces recent spinach 1 cup thinly sliced strawberries ⅓ cup thinly sliced pink onion 1 recipe Poppy Seed Dressing ½ cup toasted pecans 2 ounces feta cheese , crumbled Sea salt and freshly floor black pepper Cook dinner Mode Stop your display from going darkish