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Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe with Poppy Seed Dressing

Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

A fresh, colorful spinach salad with strawberries, feta, almonds, red onion, and a sweet homemade poppy seed dressing. It requires no cooking and is ready in about 15–20 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Salad
  • 9 ounces Baby spinach
  • 1 pound Fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/2 small onion Small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup Sliced or slivered almonds
  • 1/2 cup Crumbled feta cheese
Poppy Seed Dressing
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup Neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Yellow mustard or Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Fine salt
  • 1 tablespoon Poppy seeds

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Wash and thoroughly dry the baby spinach and strawberries. Hull the strawberries and slice them, then thinly slice the red onion; if you prefer a milder onion flavor, soak the slices in cold water for 5–10 minutes and drain them well.
  2. Whisk the granulated sugar, neutral oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, and fine salt together until the mixture is blended. Stir in the poppy seeds and set the dressing aside until serving.
  3. Place the spinach, strawberries, red onion, almonds, and feta in a large salad bowl. Add the dressing just before serving and toss gently until the leaves and ingredients are lightly coated.
  4. Serve the salad immediately while the spinach is crisp and the almonds retain their crunch. If preparing components ahead, keep them refrigerated separately and combine them at the last minute.

Notes

Dry the spinach and strawberries very well because excess water dilutes the dressing and can make the salad wilt faster. Keep the dressing separate until serving, and add the almonds at the last minute for the best texture.