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4.8 from 153 votes

The Best Strawberry Spinach Salad EVER

Defeat the picky taste buds of your worst salad-hater with this easy strawberry spinach salad. Made with a few fresh ingredients: juicy strawberries, leafy greens, crunchy candied pecans, and salty feta cheese, drizzled with an easy poppyseed dressing, this salad is a serious crowd favorite!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
8 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 183 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Candied Nuts (optional step)
  • 3/4 cup 84 g chopped walnuts or pecans
  • 2 tbsp 24 g brown sugar
  • 2 tsp 9 g unsalted butter
Lemon Poppyseed Citronette Dressing
  • 1/4 cup 60 mL light olive oil or grapeseed oil
  • 1/2 tsp 4 g honey, optional
  • 1/2 tsp 4 g poppy seeds
  • 1/2 tsp 4 g dijon mustard
  • zest of half lemon
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp 4 g kosher salt
Strawberry Spinach Salad
  • 8 oz 240 g fresh baby spinach, washed
  • 8 oz 240 g fresh strawberries, sliced
  • 5 oz 130 g feta cheese, crumbled
  • 3/4 cup candied pecans or nuts

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Candied Nuts (optional step)
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Set aside.
  3. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add in the nuts and brown sugar, stirring with a silicone spatula to coat the nuts in the butter and brown sugar.
  4. Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar begins to caramelize (about 3-4 minutes).
  5. Spread out the candied nuts on the prepared parchment paper-lined baking sheet to cool. Make sure to press them into one layer so they can cool quickly and can be broken apart from each other.
  6. Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing
  7. In a medium-sized bowl, add in the olive oil, poppy seeds, Dijon mustard, fresh lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and kosher salt. Whisk vigorously until well combined and emulsified, then allow flavors to meld at room temperature for at least 5-15 minutes.
  8. To Serve
  9. In a large salad bowl, toss the clean spinach, strawberry slices, the cooled candied nuts, and feta cheese together.
  10. Serve with the lemon poppyseed dressing, but don't pour it on until ready to serve. 

Notes

  • Make Ahead. Dress the salad just before serving. Do not dress the entire salad if it won't be eaten right away, the salad will wilt.
  • Store. Store any leftover salad, undressed in the citronette, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Refrigerate any leftover lemon poppyseed dressing in a separate container for up to 5 days, then shake before pouring onto the salad.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1g Calories 183kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 7g (2%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Polyunsaturated Fat 6g Cholesterol 33mg (11%) Sodium 268mg (11%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 3g (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 183

% Daily Value*

Serving 1g
Calories 183kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 7g 2%
Protein 7g 14%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g 35%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 268mg 11%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 3g 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.