Why You Should Make This Recipe
They call it both Strawberry Salad and Strawberry Spinach Salad. Either way, I believe it’s just the right amount of flavor, color, and refreshing goodness that will have you craving it all year long.
I love it because it’s:
Light, bright, and packed with delicious, nutritious and fresh ingredients, including superfood baby spinach and fresh strawberries, it is the perfect spring salad recipe.
Easily customizable to suit your taste – keep reading for super simple swaps below!
Tossed in a lightened up and maple-sweetened homemade poppyseed dressing – the secret is Greek yogurt!
An incredibly satisfying and healthy lunch, starter, or a great side dish to serve with grilled meat and vegetables! This summer salad makes a beautiful centerpiece on your Easter table, too.
Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
Ingredients
For The Poppy Seed Dressing:
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plain yogurt, unsweetened
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
For The Salad:
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves, (approximately 10 oz)
- 4 cups romaine, or any salad greens
- ⅓ cup red onion, thinly sliced *
- 1-quart strawberries
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1 cup crumbled goat cheese, optional – feta cheese or blue cheese would also work
Instructions
- Make the poppy seed dressing: Place all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble the salad: Layer spinach, salad greens of your choice, red onion, strawberries, almonds, and goat cheese in a salad bowl. Drizzle it with the dressing.
- Toss & Serve: Give it a gentle toss using salad tongs and serve.
Notes
- To Make Ahead: If you’d like to prepare the spinach salad a few days ahead, I recommend storing the salad greens, sliced strawberries, crumbled cheese, toasted nuts, and poppyseed dressing in separate containers. Then simply toss the salad just before you’re ready to serve.
- To Store: The composed salad will keep undressed for up to 2 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Note, however, the nuts will lose some of their crunch factor.
- A note on red onions*: If you have a few extra minutes, place the raw sliced onions in a large bowl of cool water while you prep the rest of the ingredients to take away the strong bite.
- Earlier version of this recipe used a different kind of poppy seed dressing. If you prefer that version, below are the ingredients. Simple whisk everything in a bowl.
1 medium size (or 2 small shallots, chopped), 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon veganize or fat-free yogurt, 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1/2 teaspoon salt.