Strawberry Spinach Balsamic Poppy Seed (Printable)
Sweet strawberries meet fresh spinach in a zesty balsamic poppy seed creation. Ready in 15 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Salad Components
01 - 6 cups baby spinach, washed and thoroughly dried
02 - 1 pint (2 cups) fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
03 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
04 - 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
05 - 1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
06 - 1/4 cup sunflower seeds (optional)
→ Balsamic Poppy Seed Dressing
07 - 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
08 - 1 tablespoon honey or pure maple syrup
09 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
10 - 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
# How-To Steps:
01 - Place the baby spinach, sliced strawberries, red onion, crumbled feta, toasted almonds, and sunflower seeds in a large salad bowl.
02 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey (or maple syrup), and Dijon mustard. While whisking continuously, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until fully emulsified. Stir in the poppy seeds and season with salt and pepper.
03 - Drizzle the dressing over the salad just before serving. Toss gently to evenly coat all ingredients. Serve immediately, garnished with additional strawberries or almonds if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That dressing somehow makes everything taste restaurant special but takes literally two minutes
- The strawberries and spinach together are what spring should taste like
02 -
- The dressing can be made ahead but dont dress the salad until the last possible second or itll wilt
- Room temperature strawberries have way more flavor than cold ones from the fridge
03 -
- Dry your spinach really well because water clinging to the leaves makes dressing slide right off
- Taste a strawberry first because if theyre not sweet enough you might need an extra pinch of salt to balance