Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing is the perfect light and fresh side dish for spring. After making this many times, I’ve discovered the trick to keeping it crispy is to dress the salad right before serving. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Hot and Sour Soup Recipe and Vegetable Curry Recipe.
Why This Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing Is Pure Comfort
- Light and refreshing
- Easy to make in 15 minutes
- Perfect for spring and summer cookouts
What You'll Need for Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 6 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Optional: Pecans or walnuts
- Optional: Crispy bacon bits
- Optional: Sliced avocado
📝 Ingredient Notes
- spinach: Use fresh, organic spinach if possible.
- strawberries: Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Salad Spinner — Keeps spinach crispy and dry. → See on Amazon
- Mandoline Slicer — Makes quick work of slicing strawberries. → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
- Step 1: In a large bowl, combine spinach, strawberries, feta, and red onion.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, honey, and poppy seeds.
- Step 3: Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
- Tip: For a heartier salad, add grilled chicken or tofu.
- Common mistake and fix: Don't dress the salad too early to prevent sogginess. Dress right before serving.
- Tip: For a vegan version, omit the feta or substitute with vegan feta.
- Tip: To make ahead, prepare the dressing and chop the ingredients, then store separately in the fridge until ready to serve.
Storing & Reheating Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store dressed salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Make-ahead tip: Prepare ingredients ahead of time, but dress just before serving.
Freezing Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Not recommended for this recipe.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Not applicable. Microwave: Not applicable.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a tangier dressing, add more apple cider vinegar.
- Best substitution: Substitute blueberries or raspberries for the strawberries.
- Make-ahead: Prepare ingredients ahead of time, but dress just before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe easily doubles or triples for larger crowds.
- Troubleshooting: If your dressing is too thick, add a little water to thin it out.
Want to level up this recipe?
High-quality cutting board — Makes prep work easier and safer. → Check price on Amazon
Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 6 cups fresh spinach
- 2 cups sliced strawberries
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
Seasonings
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
Optional Toppings
- Pecans or walnuts
- Crispy bacon bits
- Sliced avocado
Instructions
- Step 1: In a large bowl, combine spinach, strawberries, feta, and red onion.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, honey, and poppy seeds.
- Step 3: Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss to combine.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a tangier dressing, add more apple cider vinegar.
- Best substitution: Substitute blueberries or raspberries for the strawberries.
- Make-ahead: Prepare ingredients ahead of time, but dress just before serving.
- Scaling: This recipe easily doubles or triples for larger crowds.
- Troubleshooting: If your dressing is too thick, add a little water to thin it out.
Storage
- Fridge: Store dressed salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: Not recommended for this recipe.
- Oven reheat: Not applicable.
- Microwave reheat: Not applicable.
- Make ahead: Prepare ingredients ahead of time, but dress just before serving.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 120
- Protein: 5g
- Fat: 4g
- Carbs: 18g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Cholesterol: 10mg
- Sat. Fat: 1g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing FAQs
Yes, prepare the ingredients ahead of time, but dress just before serving to prevent sogginess.
Dressing the salad too early causes it to become soggy. Dress right before serving.
For best results, use fresh strawberries. Frozen strawberries may release too much liquid and make the salad soggy.
Omit the feta or substitute with vegan feta to make it vegan.
Add grilled chicken, tofu, or chickpeas to make it a main course.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
